Originally published on LinkedIn

At Sysco, we proudly partner with diversity-owned suppliers to bring top-quality products to market. We're thrilled to spotlight Arkansas River Rice Mill, the only Black-owned rice mill in the U.S., located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Owned by the passionate duo PJ Haynie and Billy Bridgforth, this state-of-the-art facility excels in quality and customer service.

Launched through Sysco’s Northern California Region, Arkansas River Rice has been noted by university chefs for its outstanding flavor and texture. This partnership was introduced to Sysco through Stanford Residential & Dining Enterprises’ Equitable Harvest and the Black Farmers Initiative which helps Black farmers navigate the path to wholesale markets and helps foodservice organizations diversify their sourcing through engagement with Black farmers. Learn more about the initiative, here.

Now part of Sysco’s Diversity Supplier Program, Arkansas River Rice Mill exemplifies our commitment to supporting diverse suppliers and fostering equitable opportunities. We are inspired by their journey and the positive impact they continue to make in the community.

Learn more about their incredible story, here in this article from Arkansas Online and the Al Roker Film: Gaining Ground - The Fight for Black Land Documentary where they are also highlighted, here. If you are a Sysco customer, contact your sales consultant for more information on adding Arkansas River Rice to your menu.

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Sysco Corporation

Sysco Corporation

Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers who prepare meals away from home. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the foodservice and hospitality industries. With more than 76,000 colleagues, the company operates 340 distribution facilities worldwide and serves approximately 730,000 customer locations. For fiscal year 2024 that ended June 29, 2024, the company generated sales of more than $78 billion. Information about our Sustainability program, including Sysco’s 2023 Sustainability Report and 2023 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Report, can be found at www.sysco.com.

 For more information, visit www.sysco.com or connect with Sysco on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SyscoFoods. For important news and information regarding Sysco, visit the Investor Relations section of the company’s Internet home page at investors.sysco.com, which Sysco plans to use as a primary channel for publishing key information to its investors, some of which may contain material and previously non-public information. In addition, investors should continue to review our news releases and filings with the SEC. It is possible that the information we disclose through any of these channels of distribution could be deemed to be material information.

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