International Foodservice Manufacturers Association Names Top Distributors in Foodservice

CHICAGO, Sept. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA) announced the winners of the 7^th Annual Distributor Awards. The prestigious awards acknowledge distributor leadership and overall excellence within the foodservice industry. The winners will be celebrated at Presidents Conference, Nov. 3-6, 2013, co-hosted by IFMA and The International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA).

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2013 IFMA Distributor Award recipients:

• Merchants Foodservice receives the IFMA Excellence in Distribution Award. This award recognizes a corporate or independent distribution organization that has demonstrated excellence in the categories of management and leadership, customer relations, supplier relations and industry/community contributions. Merchants Foodservice began more than 100 years ago as a small company to service the retail and grocery trade and has grown into a leading wholesale food distributor and restaurant supplier. In all aspects of their business, Merchants Foodservice demonstrates the highest level of ethics, professionalism and unwavering commitment to the customer's success. Merchants Foodservice was nominated by J.R. Simplot Company.
• Kohl Wholesale is awarded the IFMA Distributor Sales & Marketing Performance Award, which recognizes a single independent distributor or an individual operating company of a distributor with multiple locations that has demonstrated successful planning and execution of creative sales and marketing. Founded 140 years ago, Kohl Wholesale has relied on true team involvement to become a trusted resource of operators. Whether it is through their well-trained sales team or superb marketing strategy and execution, Kohl Wholesale continues to expand its reach as a top distributor in foodservice. Kohl Wholesale was nominated by Idahoan Foods.
• Tom Zatina, President, McLane Company is named winner of IFMA's Distinguished Industry Achievement Award, which recognizes an individual who has brought about positive change in the foodservice distribution community and has been a pioneer in the areas of management, marketing and operations. Much like the company he leads, McLane Company, Tom Zatina demonstrates great leadership, continuous improvement, willingness to embrace change for betterment and superior execution. These values guide his leadership and relationships with trading partners.   

The Distributor Awards enable IFMA and its membership, which includes leading foodservice manufacturers and industry resources, to share their sincere appreciation for the integral role distributors play in the foodservice channel.

"Strong distributor partnerships are paramount for operator success in the foodservice industry," says Larry Oberkfell, president and CEO of IFMA. "This year's Distributor Award recipients are among the best in the business and we are proud to honor them."

Sponsored by J.R. Simplot Company, the awards will be presented Tuesday, November 5, 2013 during the IFMA/IFDA Presidents Conference, at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort in Phoenix, Ariz.

For more information on the IFMA awards or Presidents Conference, visit ifmaworld.com.

About International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA)
IFMA is a leading trade association comprised of the world's most prestigious food, equipment and supply manufacturers in the $600 billion foodservice industry, as well as related marketing service organizations, trade publications, distributors and brokers. IFMA's mission is to serve as a business partner to its members by bringing them relevant, actionable services that are fundamental to their business assessment, planning and execution. For more information, visit ifmaworld.com. Follow IFMA on Twitter: @IFMAWORLD or join our group on LinkedIn.

SOURCE International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA)