Smithfield Foods’ Saratoga Food Specialties Recognized as Yum! Brands’ Supplier of the Year

SMITHFIELD, Va., July 20, 2017 -- Smithfield Foods, Inc. is pleased to announce Saratoga Food Specialties, a Smithfield company that creates customized dry seasoning blends for retail, industrial and major food service companies, received Yum! Brands’ U.S. Supplier of the Year. Yum! Brands presented during last week’s STAR Awards ceremony, which recognizes suppliers for their commitment to Yum! Brands and its family of companies including Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut.

Left to Right: Jahna Preble: Director of Product Development (Taco Bell) Kathleen Ensley: Director Quality Assurance (Taco Bell) Brian Niccol: CEO (Taco Bell) Michael Marks: President (Saratoga) Liz Matthews: Chief Food Innovation Officer CFIO (Taco Bell) Heather Mottershaw: Sr. Director QA/Innovation (Taco Bell) Tina Richard: Vice President Innovation (Saratoga)

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9295de20-ad84-40a2-bc45-1c021563be55

Saratoga Foods Specialties was selected out of 500 suppliers by Yum! Brands for its top honor. The U.S. Supplier of the Year award recognizes suppliers for excellence in innovation, operations, quality and service. In addition to this award, Saratoga also received Taco Bell’s Supplier of the Year award for the fourth consecutive year.

“We’re honored to receive this award, which reflects our continued commitment to helping customers develop innovative flavors for their brands,” said Michael Marks, president of Saratoga Food Specialties. “At Saratoga, we know that our brand is our customer’s brand and recognize that our success is based on their success.”

Yum! Brands and Restaurant Supply Chain Solutions (RSCS) presented Saratoga Food Specialties with the 2017 U.S. Supplier of the Year Award at their annual gala in Dana Point, California Wednesday, June 28.

For more information about Saratoga Food Specialties, visit saratogafs.com.

About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield^Ⓡ, Eckrich^Ⓡ, Nathan's Famous^Ⓡ, Farmland^Ⓡ, Armour^Ⓡ, John Morrell^Ⓡ, Cook's^Ⓡ, Kretschmar^Ⓡ, Gwaltney^Ⓡ, Curly's^Ⓡ, Margherita^Ⓡ, Carando^Ⓡ, Healthy Ones^Ⓡ, Krakus^Ⓡ, Morliny^Ⓡ and Berlinki^Ⓡ. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com.

Contact:
Keira Lombardo
(757) 365-3050
[email protected]