Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/802137
2017 Leadership Award Winners Honored at Winter Fancy Food Show T he winners of this year's Specialty Food Association Leadership Awards were honored at a special event at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. This is the fifth year the Leadership Awards have recognized industry front runners for showing: business leadership—advancing best practices across a spectrum of workforce issues to benefit personnel; citizenship—improving the lives of people and commu- nities by advancing environmental and social sustain- ability knowledge and practices; or vision—pioneering new approaches, innovative products, and business models that have set in motion positive change and progress. Specialty Food Association President Phil Kafarakis spoke of the SFA's ongoing role in recognizing industry leadership in this, its 65th year. "Many of these leaders have helped not just our industry, but our world," he said. Addressing the crowd, keynote speaker Marcus Bendetti of Clover Stornetta Farms spoke of the impor- tance of entrepreneurship and the role of family busi- nesses in making a difference to the wider community. "Nobody wakes up a leader, a pioneer, you have to work to get there. For me, leadership begins with a grounding in family," he said. The winners in Business Leadership were James Faison of Milton's Local; and Mike Brady of Greyston Bakery and Greyston Foundation, who spoke of the importance of marrying social justice and business. (Read more about Greyston's efforts on p. 70.) In Citizenship, awards went to Mark Tilsen of Native American Natural Foods, and Ken Lee of Lotus Foods. Albert Straus of Straus Family Creamery, and Laura Johnson and Norah Eddy of Salty Girl Seafood were honored with awards for Vision. The latter thanked the judges for recognizing "a strong female brand in a male-dominated industry."—R.C. Read more about each of this year's winners at specialtyfood.com/awards/leadership/2017-winners. association news Specialty Food Association Hosts First-Ever Foodservice Product Pitch Competition T his year's Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco featured the inaugural Front Burner: A Foodservice Pitch Competition presented by the Specialty Food Association's Foodservice Council. The event educated suppliers and buyers about what makes a foodservice product successful. Three foodservice exhibitors presented their products to a panel of four expert judges: Kim Alter, chef and owner of Nightbird and Linden Room; Todd Carell, vice presi- dent of sales and procurement for Food Innovations; Massimiliano Conti, chef and owner of La Ciccia; and Clark Guittard, international director and brand man- ager of Guittard Chocolates. After a tasting portion for judges, the three com- petitors—Melanie Bartz, Garcia Bartz Mojama Salt Cured Tuna Loin; Lance Avery, Big Fork Brands Bacon Hot Dog; and Alon Kruvi, Baruvi Fresh Hummustir— gave a five-minute pitch discussing why their product is the ideal foodservice item. Judges then gave a score of one through four for each category, considering innovation, quality, and readiness for foodservice. Hummustir, was crowned the winner of the com- petition. (Read more about Kruvi and Hummustir on p. 58.) The judges were impressed by the innovative idea behind the product, as well as the smooth and creamy consistency. The next Front Burner foodservice pitch competi- tion is slated to be held at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York, June 25 – 27, 2017. —Róisín Cameron 22 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com