New Zealand’s Foodstuffs celebrated its supplier “superstars” at the annual National Partnership Awards last week.
More than 400 suppliers chose to attend the awards which are the centrepiece of the Foodstuffs North Island and Foodstuffs South Island co-ops’ biannual Expo trade show at Hamilton’s Claudelands Event Centre.
“Every day, our suppliers bring quality, creativity, and passion to the table. It’s this dedication that ensures we can offer Kiwis the very best products, value and experiences,” Chris Quin, CEO of Foodstuffs North Island, told suppliers at the event.
“Your energy, your ideas, your ongoing pursuit of excellence – it’s what makes NZ supermarkets more than just a place to buy food.
“We range more than 60,000 products across our stores, sourced from roughly 10,000 suppliers – growers, manufacturers, importers – and we deliver around 9000 new products into our stores every year.
“We’re especially proud to have brought on board 160 new Kiwi suppliers in the past year, strengthening our commitment to supporting local businesses and bringing fresh, innovative products to our customers.”
Mary Devine, CEO of Foodstuffs South Island, highlighted the power of collaboration and shared purpose between Foodstuffs and its supplier partners.
“It’s always a privilege to stand before a room filled with such talent, passion, and energy. Tonight, we come together as partners, innovators, and industry leaders – each of us playing a role in shaping the future of our industry,” she said.
“Our strong, trusted supplier partnerships – many of which span decades – are at the forefront of our strategy, and by leveraging your expertise and unique insights, we’ll continue to drive success and deliver value together.
“The innovation and creativity I’ve witnessed at this year’s Expo reinforce my confidence that we are heading towards an exciting future – one that is bold, customer-focused, and best in class.”
The awards
The evening featured 15 awards across two main categories: Category Excellence and National Awards. They highlighted standout achievements from suppliers who are setting the benchmark in NZ’s FMCG industry.
The night’s most prestigious honour, the Foodstuffs National Partnership Award, was presented to Mars.
According to Foodstuffs, Mars’ “exceptional” collaboration across the Foodstuffs network saw the supplier nominated in four different categories for both the North and South Island co-operatives.
“Mars’ excellence and their focus on building strong, value-driven partnerships make them a shining example of what true partnership looks like,” says Ms Devine.