The National Restaurant Association announced the recipients of the Food and Beverage (FABI) Awards, which recognize progressive food and beverage products that will make a significant impact in the restaurant industry.
Representing the largest number of products in the awards’ five-year history, the 28 winners represent leading food trends from new takes on gluten-free and vegetarian alternatives to local sourcing initiatives, including a revolutionary technology to freeze fruits and vegetables for up to three years.
An independent panel of experts, representing a variety of both commercial and non-commercial industry segments, selected the FABI Award recipients based on their exciting benefits to restaurant operators as well as the end consumer. The award recipients will be showcased throughout the exhibit halls at the 2015 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show on May 16-19 at Chicago’s McCormick Place.
“From my vantage point as both an owner and a chef, I find this year’s FABI Award winners incredibly exciting,” says John C. Metz, convention chair for NRA Show 2015 and CEO, Executive Chef, and co-founder of Marlow’s Tavern, Aqua Blue, and Sterling Spoon Culinary Management. “Our industry feels a continuous drive to innovate, to stay on trend, and to deliver on guest satisfaction, and this year’s FABI Awards showcase the companies and innovators that help chefs and foodservice operators deliver on that promise to our guests.”
The 2015 FABI Award winners are:
- Atalanta Corporation- Del Destino Pre-Cooked Quinoa
- Atalanta Corporation- Del Destino Ready-to-Eat Quinoa Salad
- Brands of Britain- Fever-Tree Hand-Picked Elderflower Tonic Water
- Bungalow 23- Culinary Cocktail Mixers
- Cane Simple- Liquid Sugar
- Cheatin’ Wheat-Gluten-Free Pancake Mix
- Cheatin’ Wheat- Gluten-Free Whoopie Pie
- The Coca-Cola Company- Coca-Cola Freestyle
- Cup4Cup- Gluten-Free Wholesome Flour Blend
- Dawn Food Products- Gluten-Free Cookies
- Dawn Food Products- Gluten-Free Muffins
- Earnest Eats- Energized Hot Cereal Cups
- Explore Asian- Organic Black Bean Spaghetti
- Hail Merry- Nut Hummus
- Heineken USA- BrewLock Draught Beer System
- Mr. Bey Foods Corp- Petit Gateau Chocolate Lava Cake
- Nice Fruit- Nice Fruit
- Oregon Cherry Growers- Traditional & Bordeaux Maraschino Cherries Food Service Pouch
- Oregon Fruit Products-Fruit in Hand Original Pourable Fruit
- The Original Cakerie- Inspired By Happiness Gluten-Free Two Layer Dreamin’ Cakes
- RP’s Pasta Company- Fully Cooked IQF Gluten-Free Pasta
- Sipp Eco Beverage Co.-Sipp Sparkling Organics
- Taft Foodmasters- Vegetarian Gyro
- Teart- The New Way of Drinking Tea
- Trident Seafoods- Alaskan Whitefish Burger
- Trident Seafoods- SeaFusions Pacific Cod Bites
- Wagshal’s Imports-Authentic Raw Spanish Ibérico Chorizo
- Waiakea- Waiakea Hawaiian Volcanic Water
The 2015 FABI judges are:
- Timothy J. Dietzler, director of dining services, Villanova University
- Christopher Koetke, vice president, The School of Culinary Arts, Kendall College
- John Li, senior vice president of RD, Bloomin' Brands
- Deborah McDaniel, senior director product innovation and development menu management, McDonald's USA
- Bret Thorn, senior food editor, Nation’s Restaurant News
- Jennifer Ziegler, director of purchasing, Aramark
- Robin Rosenberg, vice president, Chef De Cuisine, Levy Restaurants
