Award honors initiatives that deliver excellence through the joint efforts of a member and a supply partner working together to either solve a problem or achieve the desired outcome

ORBIS® Corporation, an international provider in reusable packaging, and Prairie Farms, a well-known farmer-owned dairy cooperative, were awarded the 2023 QCS Purchasing Cooperative Collaboration Award for their continued collaborative efforts in developing a reusable cheese container and delivery system that prioritizes sustainable practices and product integrity.

The QCS Best Collaboration Award is a prestigious honor that celebrates joint initiatives between a member and a supply partner that have excelled in addressing industry challenges or achieving desired outcomes. The award was presented at the 2023 QCS Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida, in October.

Since 1938, Prairie Farms has been committed to producing fresh dairy products of the highest quality and exceeding the expectations of customers, consumers and partners. Recognizing an opportunity to enhance product integrity, reduce waste and prevent contamination in the supply chain, Prairie Farms initiated a collaborative project with long-time collaborator, ORBIS Corporation. The objective was to create a reusable packaging solution for the dairy industry, specifically tailored to maintain product quality and safety.

“We do feel we have a true partnership with ORBIS,” said Chris Hackman, chief operating officer at Prairie Farms.

ORBIS Corporation, with its extensive experience serving the dairy industry, has a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and reducing its customers’ environmental impact.

“This innovative system not only replaces single-use material, but also offers enhancements in efficiency, output capacity and the overall utilization of the production facility,” said Matthew Beeman, VP Sales RSC at ORBIS Corporation. “We are honored this initiative was recognized by QCS. At ORBIS, we remain committed to not only addressing customer challenges but also setting a new standard across industry sectors.”

Through this collaboration, Prairie Farms and ORBIS Corporation have demonstrated the power of partnership in delivering solutions that benefit the entire supply chain.

In 2019, ORBIS and Prairie Farms were also nominated and won the QCS Best Collaboration Award for work they did with a leading national grocery retailer to optimize delivery of fluid milk in-store. The solution was the ORBIS XpressBulk™ Milk Dolly & Tray System, a retail-ready fully reusable delivery system.