FABI Awards celebrate flavor, creativity in foodservice products

Innovative products will be highlighted at the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show.

Logo courtesy National Restaurant Association

The National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show will showcase the 35 recipients of the 2024 Food and Beverage (FABI) Awards.

Each year, the FABI Awards program celebrates groundbreaking products that not only shape the future of food and beverage but also set new standards for innovation and excellence in the industry.

This year, 10 of the FABI Awardees earned the title of FABI Favorites by the judges, underscoring their unmatched influence and visionary contributions to the industry. The National Restaurant Association Show will take place May 18–21 at McCormick Place in Chicago and brings together more restaurant and hospitality buyers and equipment manufacturers than any other industry event.

“These 35 exceptional products, including the 10 FABI Favorites, have truly captured the essence of innovation at the show, pushing the boundaries of culinary creativity and setting the stage for emerging trends in food and beverage," said Tom Cindric, president of the National Restaurant Association Show. "From AI-generated plant-based formulas to innovative flavor combinations these products showcase the dynamic landscape of cuisine and promise to shape the ongoing evolution of the industry.”

The FABI Awards spotlight the most innovative and forward-thinking flavors of the year, driving trends and satisfying today’s consumer demands for more sustainable and eco-friendly products. Each FABI Award submission was evaluated by an independent panel of judges from across the foodservice industry who represent some of the most well-known brands and organizations, including Wendy’s, Aramark, and Pizza Hut Global. Recipients are chosen based on their novel flavors, market uniqueness, appeal to operators, innovative solutions to industry challenges, and profit potential.

Introduced at the 2023 Show, the FABI Favorites designation offers special recognition to food and beverage products that excel within an already extraordinary lineup, exemplifying creativity, ingenuity, and the ability to expand menu options industry-wide. These products stood out as the judges' top selections, showcasing unparalleled innovation and culinary excellence. Attendees will have the exclusive opportunity to savor these outstanding products by tasting both FABI Favorites and FABI Awardees at the Connections space, situated within The Culinary Experience, throughout the Show.

This year's FABI Favorites in the bakery and snack space include:

Jiffy Foodservice, Jiffy Sweet Cream Pancake and Waffle Mix — Jiffy Sweet Cream Pancake and Waffle complete (add water only) baking mix is specifically formulated with real sweet cream, real eggsm and oil without any added colors—giving consumers cost containment without compromising quality and taste. Back-of-house simplicity creates day-part versatility.
Oggi Foods Inc., Gluten Free Roman-Style Pinsa Flatbread — Oggi's Gluten-Free signature Roman-Style Pinsa flatbread is hand stretched and stone baked to perfection. This crust is made with premium quality flours while leaving out gluten and GMOs. The gluten-free crust reportedly has the taste and texture of traditional authentic, artisan-style flatbread pizza.

View the full list of FABI Favorites here.

This article was originally posted on www.provisioneronline.com.

Liz Parker Kuhn is the senior editor of Candy Industry and Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, and has worked at BNP Media since 2012. She has written for CBS Detroit as well as for her own blogs. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. Liz can be contacted at (248) 839-7156 or at parkere@bnpmedia.com.

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