Des Plaines, ILLINOIS – Maple
Leaf Bakery announced today that it has received the “Bakery Supplier of the
Year” award from Kroger, the largest grocery retailer in the United States. The
Bakery Supplier of the Year award is presented in recognition of the supplier
who has helped Kroger to
profitably grow its business.
“It’s an honour to be recognized as
“Bakery Supplier of the Year” by the leading grocery retailer in the United
States,” said Richard Lan, President of Maple Leaf Bakery. “Our goal is to be
the leader in par-baked technology and products. We have invested significant
resources in our people, plants, technology, and product development to make
our products and service the most innovative in the industry. Congratulations
to everyone at Maple Leaf Bakery for this achievement.”
Maple Leaf Bakery is an independent
operating company of Maple Leaf Foods Inc. producing top quality par-baked
bread, rolls and bagels for the in-store grocery and foodservice market
segments across the United States. In addition to Canadian operations, the
company owns and operates manufacturing facilities in Roanoke, Virginia,
Franklin Park, Illinois, and Oxnard, California. Maple Leaf Bakery distributes
its products across the United States under the California Goldminer, Sourdough
and Eurofresh Crusty Breads brands.
Maple Leaf Foods Inc. is a leading
global food processing company. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, the company
employs more than 13,000 people at its operations across Canada and in the
United States, Europe and Asia. Maple Leaf Foods reported sales of $3.5 billion
in 1999.
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kroger is the
nation’s largest retail grocery chain. At the end of
the third quarter, the Company operated 2,343
supermarkets and multi-department stores in 31
states under nearly two dozen banners, including
Kroger, Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Smith’s, King Soopers,
Dillon, Fry’s, City Market, Food 4 Less and Quality
Food Centers. Kroger also operates 787 convenience
stores, 396 fine jewellery stores, 71supermarket
fuel centres and 42 food processing plants.