Austin, MN - August 17, 2016 - Smyth Companies has been chosen as a recipient of Hormel Foods’ No. 1 Award for 2011 to 2015. This prestigious honor is presented to Hormel’s top supplier partners once every five years, and this is the third consecutive time Smyth Companies has received the award. The presentation of the award took place at Hormel Foods’ Austin, Minnesota headquarters on August 17.
“We are proud to again be recognized by Hormel with this great honor,” said Rick Lavigne, Vice President of Strategic Accounts at Smyth and the Smyth representative to Hormel Foods. “The No. 1 Award is indicative of our commitment to delivering world-class products and services to Hormel and all our customers. It belongs to everyone on the Hormel account team and to everyone who works to earn our customers’ business every day.”
A Hormel supplier must meet stringent quality and service goals in order to be considered for the No. 1 Award. Companies must be a recipient of the Spirit of Excellence Award (an annual award given by Hormel Foods) a minimum of four times over the previous five-year period. Additionally, a company must have a supplier rating index of 96 percent or better in the fourth calendar quarter of the reporting year, and the average of the supplier rating index must be greater than 96 percent over the previous five-year span. Other metrics considered are the number of products sold to Hormel by the supplier; number of Hormel Foods locations served; and participation in continuous improvement programs.
Smyth Companies was founded in 1877, and like Hormel is one of the oldest business establishments in Minnesota. Smyth has been a supplier to Hormel since the 1950’s, providing the company with packaging labels for Hormel’s wide range of branded food products. Smyth has earned the No. 1 Award three times since it was established in 2001.
