It’s been a Tough but Award-Winning Year for Burnbrae Farms
President's Blog
President, Burnbrae Farms
4th Generation Farmer
2020 has been a very challenging year for Burnbrae Farms, as it has been for so many families and businesses. However, this on-going test has also reinforced how strong and adaptable we can be. I’m extremely proud of how hard everyone at Burnbrae Farms has worked to support our customers and to help keep eggs moving across our great country. It is particularly rewarding when our efforts are recognized. 2020 was a banner year for us on the award front and we are very humbled yet proud of the recognition we’ve received. I thought that I would kick off 2021 with an overview of those accolades.
I had the incredible honour of being chosen as one of this year’s recipients of the Golden Pencil Award. I was recognized this year along with the Co-CEO’s of Farm Boy, Jean Louis Bellemare and Jeff York at the Food Industry Association of Canada’s virtual gala in November. The Golden Pencil Award is the Canadian grocery industry’s highest honour for lifetime achievement. Since 1957, it has been given annually to a deserving leader from the grocery retailer community and one from the grocery supplier community. My father Joe Hudson was selected for this honour in 2001. Dad and I are the only father daughter duo to have won this prestigious industry award in it 63-year history. The success of Burnbrae has truly been a group effort, and in my remarks to the industry I was so proud to recognize my family and colleagues at Burnbrae for having contributed to the success of the business over these many years.
The Retail Council of Canada awarded Green Valley Farms (a division of Burnbrae Farms) with the prestigious Innovation and Originality Award for our Free-Range Solar Powered Eggs produced at our RALOS solar farm in Woodstock Ontario. This is the 14 th Grand Prix New Product Award that Burnbrae has won since they launched 28 years ago.
On September 23 rd , the London Chamber of Commerce hosted a virtual gala for their 37 th Annual Business Achievement Awards which recognizes and celebrates high achievement in the Greater London business community. Burnbrae Farms was recognized as the recipient of the Environmental Leadership Award for our Township of Norwich - Oxford County solar farm and the environmental initiatives at our Strathroy grading facility.
Less than a week later, Burnbrae Farms was awarded the Central Ontario Family Enterprise of the Year Award (FEYA) by the Family Enterprise Exchange and is now in the running for the National honour. Established in 1986, this award is given annually by FEX to recognize, celebrate and promote the achievements of Canadian family businesses and the considerable contribution they make to both their local communities and our national economy.
The good news kept coming in October. Minister Ernie Hardeman from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture kicked off Ontario Ag Week by announcing Ralos our solar egg farm as the recipient of the Minister’s Excellence in Agriculture Award . The festivities were hosted in his home riding at our innovative solar farm in Oxford County, which had its grand opening only a year prior.
That was immediately followed by a Vendor Improvement Process (VIP) Award from our long-time customer/partner Gordon Food Services (GFS). They have been supplying restaurants, universities, health care facilities, hotels, and other customers with quality products for more than 120 years. In presenting the award, GFS referenced all the extra efforts taken to support them over the past 12 months particularly throughout the on-going COVID pandemic.
This year, Burnbrae Farms and our fellow partners in agriculture have been recognized by Farm and Food Care and Feed Ontario with the prestigious Paul Mistele Memorial Award recognizing agricultural partners who have shown a significant and enduring commitment to end hunger. Burnbrae Farms and the Hudson family have always supported the communities in which we do business. Giving back has always been part of our values and culture as a family and as a business. During the crisis, we donated nearly 4 million eggs and egg products to more than 30 Canadian charities. The Burnbrae Farms Foundation donated $55,000 to eleven hospitals in the communities where we do business across Canada.
Finally, Burnbrae Farms is very proud to be selected as the #1 Most Trusted Egg Brand in Canada. The BrandSpark Most Trusted Award (BMTA) offers insight into which companies Canadian consumers trust the most in 150 categories. The awards were created to help consumers make informed purchasing decisions, encourage excellence and help brands identify themselves as leaders in their respective categories. Over 18,000 Canadian shoppers voted for the BrandSpark Most Trusted Award Winners for 2020 . Now, we are so proud to have received this prestigious recognition from BrandSpark on behalf of our loyal consumers.
We are so grateful to the various organizations and companies that have honoured us with these awards. We are also immensely proud of our teams across the country that work tirelessly to support the values that are so important to each of us.
Margaret Hudson
President, Burnbrae Farms