Brinker International awarded four dedicated supplier partners with the company's highest honor, the Supplier Partner of the Year Award. Through their respective services, these businesses continuously work to support Brinker's brands, reducing costs and executing integral company initiatives, both domestically and abroad.

The Supplier Partner of the Year Award recognizes outstanding Brinker supplier partners who offer innovative business ideas and solutions to create a great experience for guests and team members.

"Each of these dedicated partners demonstrated their ability to meet our business needs, providing invaluable strategic ideas which helps us continue to support our guests and team members," says David Parsley, senior vice president of supply chain management for Brinker International. "Out of the hundreds of suppliers we work with on a daily basis, these four companies stood out, positively impacting Brinker's bottom line; therefore, Brinker is honored to recognize them with our Supplier Partner of the Year Award."

The 2013 Brinker International Supplier Partner of the Year Award recipients include:

• Barilla America – Based Chicago, Barilla supplies high-quality pasta, including gluten-free products to Maggiano's Little Italy restaurants nationwide, as well as offers ongoing education around innovation, health and wellness to the brand's team members
• Danish Crown – This Cranford, New Jersey, company has provided Chili's Grill & Bar with their renowned Baby Back Ribs for more than 27 years. Danish Crown presented Chili's with a rib product to satisfy guests' cravings and also helped team members execute a more consistent rib prep procedure
• The Middleby Corporation – Headquartered in Elgin, Illinois, The Middleby Corporation played an instrumental part in the rollout of Chili's new kitchen equipment technology, which paved the way for culinary innovations like pizzas and flatbreads. The equipment also helped improve kitchen pace at company-owned and franchised restaurants throughout the country
• The Wasserstrom Company – Located in Columbus, Ohio, Wasserstrom fulfills day-to-day smallwares (table and kitchen supply) needs for both Chili's and Maggiano's market testing and nationwide menu launches.