They dared to accelerate while others hit the brakes, and went all in despite the pandemic. New products, bold campaigns and an unpretentious, customer-focused company culture took Dafgårds all the way to victory as Supplier of the Year at Dagligvarugalan.
The prestigious Supplier of the Year 2021 award was presented in a packed Blue Hall at Stockholm City Hall on 15 November. Among those there to receive the award, which was presented in partnership with Clearon and Nielsen, was Dafgårds’ Head of Sales Jimmy Riberus, who was visibly moved by the win.
“It feels absolutely fantastic! We’re so happy and delighted about this award. It’s like proof that all the hard work we’ve put in really means something.”
There were several reasons why the jury chose the family-owned company Dafgårds. The nomination mentions, among other things, Dafgårds’ bold decision to put a great deal of effort into its marketing at a time when many other companies chose to slow down and hold back. During 2020, Dafgårds increased its presence on both social media and TV advertising, and also ran several major campaigns.
“It was certainly an uncertain time, but our reasoning was that it’s hardly smart to brake on an uphill stretch, so we decided to accelerate. We had never done as much marketing as we did in 2020, but it turned out to be very successful and helped both keep the market going and drive it forward,” says Jimmy Riberus.
Dafgårds also showed great courage and drive in 2020 by investing heavily in new vegetarian, sustainable foods, which has made them one of the most prominent players in the freezer aisle. The initiative included, for example, a major investment in an entirely new vegetarian production hall.
The jury’s citation also mentions the company’s values-driven philosophy, which showed both when they reached out a helping hand to industry peer Polarbröd in their time of need, and when they reorganised their logistics flows to help stores at the start of the pandemic.
“Polarbröd’s factory burned down in August last year. We also went through a major fire, at the end of the 1980s, and know how devastating it is. So we asked them if we could help in any way. In the end, we produced their bread – Polarkakan – in our bakery for just over a year,” says Jimmy Riberus, adding:
“And when stores were struggling to fill their shelves at the start of the pandemic, as many consumers were stockpiling, we offered to deliver products directly to the stores instead of via the wholesaler. Our sales reps also helped fill the shelves in the stores. For us, contributing in every way we can goes without saying.”
Clearon’s senior key account manager, Sofia Schöldström, was one of the jury members for the Supplier of the Year category.
“We’re very pleased to be able to present Dafgårds as the winner. With their unpretentious company culture and their courage, they are a fine role model for others in the industry and well deserving of the award.”
“In a highly unusual year, the winner has, in an exemplary way, managed to keep up the momentum and step up the pace when many others chose to slow down. With an unpretentious company culture and a focus on the customer, this year’s winner has succeeded in developing its in-store concepts while investing heavily in new, more sustainable foods, making it one of the most prominent players in the freezer aisle. Not least during the COVID-19 pandemic, the family business has shown that it is a values-driven company, choosing to redirect its logistics flows to help stores and, not least, reaching out a hand when its peer Polarbröd was in need.”
Dagligvarugalan is the grocery industry’s big gala evening, celebrating talented employees and companies in the grocery trade across Sweden. At the gala, awards are presented in 20 different categories – everything from Store of the Year and Employer of the Year to Eco Initiative of the Year and Supplier of the Year. The gala is organised by the trade magazine Fri Köpenskap.
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