The Specialty Food Association's Lifetime Achievement Awards celebrate individuals who are widely recognized as having grown the industry, improved the Association, inspired companies, and nurtured individuals over long careers in specialty food. Unlike SFA’s Leadership and Hall of Fame Awards, Lifetime Achievement honorees are not nominated but rather selected by the SFA Recognition Council from past SFA Hall of Fame inductees. 

From the trio who founded Dean & Deluca to the specialty tea evangelists behind Bigelow Tea and many other pioneers, SFA’s Lifetime Achievement Award winners have all had a hand in making specialty food into the booming business it is today. 



Meet the Past Winners

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  • 2024 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    Allison Hooper and Bob Reese

    Vermont Creamery
    2024
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  • 2024 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    Dennis Deschaine

    Al Dente Pasta Company
    2024
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  • 2024 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    George Gellert

    Atalanta Corp.
    2024
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  • 2024 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    Michael Barefoot and Tim Manale

    A Southern Season
    2024
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  • 2024 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    Paula Lambert

    Mozzarella Company
    2024
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  • 2023 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    Alain Sinturel

    3 Little Pigs/Les Trois Petits Cochons
    2023
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  • 2023 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    Donato Cinelli

    Universal Marketing S.R.L.
    2023
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  • 2023 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    Eli Zabar

    Eli's Bread
    2023
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  • 2023 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    Lou Foah

    Foah International LLC
    2023
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  • 2023 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    Sam Mogannam

    Bi-Rite Family of Businesses
    2023
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