Two seafood suppliers were among the 11 companies Darden Restaurants recognized for its annual William B. Darden Distinguished Supplier Awards.
Save On Seafood of St. Petersburg, Fla., was acknowledged for its innovative product development work with Bahama Breeze, leading to several new menu items and a regional fresh fish program, while Thai Union Seafood was recognized for consistently providing Red Lobster with high-quality value-added shrimp products and its dedication to service, innovation, cost and sustainability.
The 11 companies were selected from a pool of more than 1,500 suppliers worldwide. Darden is the world's largest casual-dining company, with more than 1,700 North American restaurants and USD 7 billion (EUR 5 billion) in annual sales. The Orlando, Fla., company's banners include Red Lobster, Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52.
"Supplying [Darden] requires an enormous amount of teamwork and collaboration," said Barry Moullet, Darden's senior VP of supply chain. "These companies have surpassed expectations and been true business partners by finding ways to contribute to Darden's success through innovative products and results-driven initiatives."
The award winners were recognized at a dinner in Orlando on Thursday.
