Lakeside Foods voted 2002 Frozen Food Supplier of the Year!

Update: We won again! We've been voted the 2003 Frozen Vegetable Supplier of the Year!

PL Buyer magazine recently announced that Lakeside Foods, Inc. was named "Frozen Food Supplier of the Year" in a nationwide poll of their readers. PL Buyer is published monthly by Stagnito Communications, Inc., Deerfield, IL. It is the leading publication serving the private label industry and is recognized as one of the authorities in private label products, merchandising, and industry trends.

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Over a three-month period, PL Buyer conducted a survey of retailers (food, drug, and mass) to identify their "best trading partners." There were three criteria for the award:

• Overall commitment to private label product quality,

• Knowledge of the business, and

• Superior skills in helping retailers drive store brand volume, profits, and competitive differentiation.

All nominations were kept confidential.

Survey results earned Lakeside the "Category Colonel" award as the #1 private label company in the frozen food category. This designation symbolizes "Best in Class" in private label products and programs. It is the first time a vegetable supplier has been selected for this honor.

"We are pleased that fine companies such as Lakeside Foods are being recognized by their trading partners for their outstanding leadership, quality, and service," said Warren Thayer, Associate Publisher/Editorial Director of PL Buyer. "At a time when manufacturers and retailers are often at odds bickering over price and terms, companies such as Lakeside are constructively meeting with their retail partners to move the business ahead for all involved -- including the customer."

"This is a unique and distinctive honor for Lakeside -- awarded in all actuality by retailers across the country and not PL Buyer magazine," he concluded. "We salute them and wish them continued success."

"We are very honored to receive this prestigious award," stated Dave Yanda, Lakeside's Senior Vice President of Frozen Food Sales. "People throughout our entire company work very hard to satisfy our customers. We are pleased to see our efforts are valued by them."

Lakeside Foods is a privately held, leading international food processor. It has ten plants and six distribution centers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Ohio and employs an average of 1000 people. Lakeside produces a diverse line of nutritional food products including canned and frozen vegetables, frozen and shelf stable meals, canned meats, jellies and preserves, pasta, salsa, and other sauces.