By Zanub Saeed
Natural products supplier Garden of Life was chosen as the best non-perishable supplier at the first-ever Supplier Awards, chosen by Whole Foods Market's consumers and retailers.
The company received the first best non-perishables supplier award, according to Garden of Life's president Brian Ray in a press release issued Wednesday, for providing training programs nationwide to support the sales of their products at Whole Foods Markets across the United States. They were also given the award, said the company, for being one of Whole Foods' top high-growth brands, and for joining the Whole Planet Foundation's Supplier Alliance for Microcredit.
"It's a massive, remarkable achievement that Garden of Life supplements were chosen from among thousands of food products and other non-perishable items at Whole Foods stores," Ray said for the press release.
"We consistently strive to be the best whole food nutritional supplements leader in the world, so receiving the Best Non-Perishable Supplier Award is an unparalleled distinction for Garden of Life."
The award ceremony took place in Austin, TX, hosted by Whole Foods, where all Supplier Award winners were in attending. Other such categories recognized at the 2011 Supplier Awards included Best Perishables Supplier, Best New Product, Cheese, Environmental, Quality Assurance, Special Achievement, Innovation, Wine, and Whole Trade Guarantee, listed the press release. The contest was launched by Whole Foods to highlight those organizations supplying natural and organic products that best embody the grocer's needs and values.
"At Whole Foods Market, we live and breathe our core values, and one of those values is creating win-win relationships with our suppliers. We're excited to spotlight our outstanding vendors - including Garden of Life -- whose shared passion, hard work and true partnership is helping us set the industry gold standard - for quality, ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship, and more," Jim Speirs, Global Vice President of Procurement, Non-Perishables, stated for the press release.
