IFMA awards highlight excellence in foodservice distribution

Nation's Restaurant News, Feb 25, 2008

INDIAN WELLS, CALIF. -- Three family businesses were honored here recently as the first recipients of distributor excellence awards created by the International Foodservice Manufacturer Association, or IRMA.

The awards are the IFMA Excellence in Distribution Award, which was presented to Labatt Food Service; the IrMA Distributor Sales & Marketing Performance Award, which went to Martin Bros. Distributing Co.; and the IrMA Distinguished Industry Achievement Award, which was given to the Tracy Family of Dot Foods. The awards program is a collaboration between IrMA and Caroline Perkins, chief executive of Foodservice Insights and contributing editor to Nation's Restaurant News.

Michael J Licata, IrMA president and chief executive, said the program emphasizes the strong partnership between distributors and IrMA members.

The foodservice distribution industry chiefly comprises family businesses, some of which were founded in the 19th century. In the case of the IFMA award winners, the second generations have brought their companies to a level of technological, operational and marketing sophistication that has positioned them as leaders in the industry.

The awards ceremony, held here at the recent Presidents Conference hosted by IFMA and the International Foodservice Distributors Association, featured videos highlighting each winner's accomplishments. ConAgra Foods/Lamb Weston, PepsiCo Foodservice and Ventura Foods sponsored the awards program.

The IFMA Excellence in Distribution Award focuses on excellence in management and leadership, including customer relations, supplier relations, and industry and community contributions. Labatt Food Service, based in San Antonio, has been a consistent leader in its markets, concentrating on becoming its customers' primary distributor.

Labatt has a long-term reputation for employing sophisticated technology and logistics geared to reducing distribution costs and lowering customers' purchasing costs. The company carries national brands exclusively. Ongoing sales training and a creative mentoring program keep Labatt's sales force on top of customer service. Labatt was the first distributor to provide customer business reviews.

Accepting the award, company president Blair Labatt Jr. said: "This is a moment of great satisfaction. It's gratifying to have our work recognized by friends and stakeholders in our work. We look forward to new innova tions and new dimensions in the years to come."

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Martin Bros. Distributing Co., located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, was honored with the IFMA Distributor Sales & Marketing Performance Award for its planning and implementation of creative sales and marketing programs. Living up to its slogan, "Legendary Customer Service," the company tailors all sales and marketing initiatives to the needs of specific customer segments.

The Martin Marketing Center is located near the distribution center in order to provide a gathering place for suppliers and customers. Martin's Cre ative Services Group supports the sales team in creating proposals and programs for customers and even serves as an ad agency for them. John Martin, chief executive, commented about the importance of the manufacturer awards, saying: "It means a lot when an award is presented by peers. We all have our eye on the same ball: to serve our customers."

The judges awarded the IrMA Distin guished Industry Achievement Award to an entire distribution family, the Tracys, who operate Dot Foods in Mt. Sterling, Ill. Fourteen of the Tracy children run the redistribution company that was started by their parents more than 40 years ago. The second generation has expanded the company's reach to cover the entire United States. Its Dot Expressway, an online ordering system, can extend a distributor's product offering from the approximately 8,000 items in its physical distribution center to 30,000 items in Dot's virtual warehouse.

The Dot Foods Learning Cen ter trains and educates community members as well as employees. The Tracy family participates in a number of local charities, including construction of the Mt. Sterling Community Center YMCA in 2003. Pat Tracy, chairman, spoke about his late father's commitment to his dream and how proud he would have been to receive this award.

The IrMA Distribution Awards will be presented annually.