Sysco Partners with Arkansas River Rice Mill: Supporting Black-Owned Suppliers

At Sysco, we take pride in collaborating with diverse suppliers to deliver high-quality products to the market. We're excited to feature Arkansas River Rice Mill, the only Black-owned rice mill in the United States, based in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. This cutting-edge facility, owned by PJ Haynie and Billy Bridgforth, is renowned for its exceptional quality and customer service. 

Arkansas River Rice was launched through Sysco’s Northern California Region and has received praise from university chefs for its remarkable flavor and texture. This partnership came to Sysco through Stanford Residential & Dining Enterprises’ Equitable Harvest and the Black Farmers Initiative, which supports Black farmers in accessing wholesale markets and helps foodservice organizations diversify their suppliers by engaging with Black-owned farms.

Click here to know more about the initiative.