I want to interrupt this editor’s viewpoint to insert a shameless plug … about YOU.

Refrigerated & Frozen Foods is preparing to honor a food processor-shipper with the magazine’s second annual “Sustainable Supply Chain” award.

This award recognizes a refrigerated or frozen food processor’s year-over-year efforts to reduce carbon footprint in transportation and warehousing activities. With its initial program last year, R&FF recognized two companies, frozen potato processor H.J. Heinz (principally, the Ore-Ida business) and turkey processor Butterball LLC. Due to overwhelming interest and several additional related improvements, I want to use this space to tell you more about our 2012 plans.

Voting: Proud of what your supply team has accomplished? We encourage food processors to nominate their logistics / supply chain departments. Alternatively, we encourage third-party carriers (truck, rail), warehouse operators and logistics consultants to nominate food processor customers.

Award criteria: We’re looking for hard examples of year-over-year improvements (2011 vs. 2010) in one or more of the following seven categories:

•    front-end transportation savings (raw materials shipping, field or plant-to-plant)
•    warehouse network optimization
•    transportation mode savings (truck-to-rail savings)
•    transportation optimization (ie., equipment upgrades, SmartWay Partnership program)
•    packaging optimization (slimmer or lighter packaging, etc., to ship more per truck)
•    warehouse improvements (ie., solar energy, lighting, AS/RS-related energy savings)
•    extended supply chain involving third-party partners’ noteworthy efforts

Judging: Judging this year’s entries will be 30-year-plus logistics veteran Jack Ampuja, president and CEO of Supply Chain Optimizers, Buffalo, N.Y. Readers may reach Jack (profiled on page 10 of this month’s issue!) at jtampuja@supplychainoptimizers.com or  (716) 689-4601.

Award & magazine coverage: R&FF will profile its Sustainable Supply Chain honoree in its May 2102 cover feature. The magazine also will present its award – in person – during the second annual Food Logistics Forum (FLF), June 3-5 at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in New Orleans. FLF is sponsored by the American Frozen Food Institute and Global Cold Chain Alliance.