(PHOTO CAPTION: (From left to right) Bob Ogren, Vice President, Birko Equipment; Mike Gangel, Consultant, Former President of Chad Equipment; Barry Carpenter, President and CEO, NAMI.; Mark Swanson, Chief Executive Officer; Kelly Green, Chairman of the Board, President and 3rd Generation Owner; Dave Premo, VP Business Development, Birko)

Birko, a leader in providing food safety solutions for the protein, protein harvest, further processing, produce, and brewing and distilling industries, is proud to announce that it received the prestigious ‘Supplier of the Year’ award from the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) for its contributions to the meat and poultry industry.

Birko was selected as the 2017 Supplier of the Year for its leadership in providing the most advanced and innovative solutions to meat and poultry processors to ensure the safety of their products. The company was also chosen for its partnerships with academic institutions to identify new methods to reduce pathogens in meat and poultry.

“This award is a tremendous honor and a testament to the work and expertise of our entire team,” said Kelly Green, Birko president, chairman of the board and third-generation owner. “For 65 years, Birko has delivered cutting-edge food safety solutions and we’ve played a key role in helping companies deliver safe food to consumers. My grandparents founded Birko to ensure the safety of the food supply and I am proud that we continue to achieve this mission, and are being recognized for it.”

Birko CEO Mark Swanson added, “We are overjoyed that NAMI selected Birko out of a lengthy list of companies who supply products to the meat and poultry industry, and that our customers nominated us for this award in the first place. This award affirms what we’ve always known to be true – Birko is the leader in providing food safety chemistry, equipment and solutions to meat and poultry processors.”

The award was presented during the Meat Institute’s annual awards luncheon during the International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta, Georgia.

Visit www.birkocorp.com for more information.