FABI Award Application Process Open

The National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, the premier event to learn about unique ingredients and emerging trends in the restaurant industry, is now accepting applications for the 2022 Food and Beverage (FABI) Awards. Each year, the FABI Awards celebrate the year’s food and beverage products that are breaking new ground in taste, creativity, and profit potential. The FABI Award recipients will be recognized at the 2022 National Restaurant Association Show, which runs May 21-24, 2022, at McCormick Place in Chicago.

“The 2022 FABI Awards are sure to be like no other, and we can’t wait to showcase the most outstanding new-to-market food and beverage products at the National Restaurant Association Show in May!” said Tom Cindric, President of Winsight Exhibitions. “This prestigious program highlights the new products that are generating industry growth and unique benefits for operators by delivering irresistible flavors that revitalize menus and keep guests coming back for more.” 

All FABI Awardees receive industry-wide exposure before and after the Show, with enhanced opportunities to reach attendees through increased awareness and booth traffic. Each of the recognized products will be featured at the Show, which gives attendees the opportunity to discover many of the products in one place. FABI Awarded products will also be identified throughout the Show floor with prominent signage, further driving attendees to visit their booths. FABI Award benefits include:

• Prominent placement (company name and product information) in pre-Show promotional efforts
• Placement of the company logo, product name, and 50-word description of the product on the official Show Website
• Inclusion in the official press release announcing FABI recipients
• Extensive coverage via Show public relations efforts, including pre-Show pitches and at-Show inclusion in daily media alerts
• Priority placement in on-site media opportunities with broadcast media (subject to adherence with talent/segment objectives)
• Portable standing banner promoting the product
• Crystal award to be presented on-site
• Award logo for marketing efforts for the life of the product

Dara Schuster, Kellogg's Senior Director of Marketing, Away From Home, said, "We appreciate FABI for recognizing and celebrating product innovation as we're all striving to help operators stay ahead of the crave."

Each FABI Award submission will be evaluated by an independent panel of judges from across the foodservice industry who represent some of the most well-known brands and organizations. The award recipients are selected for their exciting new tastes, uniqueness in the market, appeal to the operator community, creative approach to operator challenges, or introduction of new opportunities and profit potential.

The FABI Award recipients will be selected by an independent panel of judges comprised of culinary experts and internationally recognized industry leaders. The 2022 FABI judges are:

• Zia Ahmed (Senior Director, The Ohio State University)
• Pat Cobe (Senior Editor, Restaurant Business & Foodservice Director)
• Marion Gibson (Culinary Development Director, Aramark)
• Aimee Harvey (Senior Managing Editor, Technomic)
• Farley Kaiser (Director of Culinary and Innovation, GetGo Café+Market)
• John Li (Vice President Culinary Innovation, The Wendy’s Company)
• Robin Rosenberg (Vice President, Chef de Cuisine, Levy Restaurants)
• Bret Thorn (Senior Food & Beverage Editor, Nation’s Restaurant News)

The deadline to apply is Wednesday, January 19, 2022. To qualify, all FABI submissions must have been introduced within 24 months prior to the 2022 Show. Application information for the 2022 FABI Awards is available online.