Lifetime Achievement Awards, Hall of Fame Induction to Take Place at Specialty Food Association’s 68th Summer Fancy Food Show
NEW YORK (April 29, 2024) – The Specialty Food Association will honor industry trailblazers for their contributions to the $207-billion specialty food industry on Monday, June 24 at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City.
This year’s honorees are:
2024 Lifetime Achievement Award Winners
Michael Barefoot and Tim Manale, A Southern Season
Dennis Deschaine, Al Dente Pasta Company
George G. Gellert, Atalanta Corporation
Allison Hooper and Bob Reese, Vermont Creamery
Paula Lambert, The Mozzarella Company
2024 Hall of Fame Class
Jack Acree, Saffron Road Foods
Bob Bruno, R.J. BRUNO INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Gary Chandler, Chandler Foods Sales
Cristiano Creminelli, Charcuterie Artisans/Creminelli
Maha Freij, Village Gourmet
Phil Gatto, True Story Foods
Ron Tanner, Specialty Food Association/Tanner Food Group
“I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of the Hall of Fame inductees and Lifetime Achievement Award winners for their years of service, vision, and contribution to the specialty food industry,” said Bill Lynch, SFA president. “These outstanding leaders have helped advance not just our industry, but also SFA and all of its members. Congratulations to all of the honorees on well-deserved recognition.”
The 2024 Hall of Fame inductees and Lifetime Achievement Award winners will be recognized alongside the 2024 winners of the sofi™ and SFA Leadership Awards at the inaugural sofi Awards Gala, a special event hosted by SFA on Monday, June 24, at Lavan Midtown in New York City.
The Summer Fancy Food Show—June 23-25 at NYC’s Javits Center—features thousands of specialty food products from domestic and international exhibitors, educational programming, special events, and networking opportunities. The Show is open only to qualified members of the specialty food trade, industry affiliates, and journalists. For more information, please click here.
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About the Specialty Food Association
The Specialty Food Association (SFA) was founded in 1952 and is the not-for-profit trade association of the $207-billion specialty food industry. Representing more than 3,800 businesses worldwide, SFA champions industry participation and success for a diverse community of makers, buyers, importers, distributors, and service providers by developing resources, information, education, and events that celebrate innovation and inclusivity. SFA owns and operates the Fancy Food Shows as well as the sofi™ Awards, which have honored excellence in specialty food and beverage annually since 1972. The SFA also produces the e-newsletter SFA News Daily, the Trendspotter Panel annual predictions and Fancy Food Show reports, the State of the Specialty Food Industry Report, Today's Specialty Food Consumer research, and the Spill & Dish podcast. Find out more online and connect with SFA on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
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