Oct 31, 2006 9:00 AM, from staff and wire reports

Brinker International Inc has honored six companies with its annual Outstanding Vendor Awards. Honorees were selected from a pool of more than 700 vendors that provide thousands of products to Brinker and its four restaurant brands: Chili’s Grill & Bar, Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Maggiano’s Little Italy, and On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina.

Among the 2006 Outstanding Vendor recipients were:

•Ben E Keith, Fort Worth TX. This distributor of frozen, refrigerated, and dry foods has been a Brinker vendor for 16 years.

•Pilgrim’s Pride, Pittsburg TX. A Brinker supplier for more than 20 years, this firm ranks as the second-largest poultry company in the United States.

•Syracuse’s Sausage Co, Ponder TX. A family-owned-and-run company, it provides meatballs and sausage to several Brinker brands. The company has supplied Brinker for more than 13 years.