32 Products Ready to Transform Restaurant Menus Honored With 2019 Food and Beverage (FABI) Awards

(CHICAGO)— The National Restaurant Association Show today announced the recipients of the 2019 Food and Beverage (FABI Awards), recognizing food and beverage products that are breaking new ground in taste, creativity, packaging and profit potential. These industry-altering products will shape the future of food and beverage with flavorful and marketable items designed to delight diners and drive sales for years to come.

“The FABI Awards showcase the creative companies helping chefs and foodservice operators innovate in their businesses,” said Mike Hickey, executive vice president and president, Ecolab Inc. and 2019 Co-Chair of the National Restaurant Association Show. “The products showcased as 2019 recipients represent ‘what's new and next’ in foodservice.”

“The FABI Awards honor the year's most delicious, unique, and exciting food and beverage products that benefit restaurant operators, chefs, and bartenders alike,” said Scott Redler, chief operating officer and co-founder of Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers and 2019 Co-Chair of the National Restaurant Association Show. “Attendees of this year’s Show will have exclusive access to taste test, meet and greet, and learn more about these unique and trending products and companies, all in one place.”

Each award recipient and their product will be highlighted throughout the exhibit halls at the 2019 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show®, to be held May 18-21 in Chicago at McCormick Place.

In addition to visiting FABI Award recipient booths, Show attendees will be able to sample the products at FABI Awardee Tasting events, which will take place throughout the Show. The tasting events will feature multiple companies at a time to give maximum exposure to each recipient and greater opportunities for attendees to taste the award-worthy products.  

The 2019 FABI Award recipients include:

Atalanta Corporation

DeMedici Imports – A L’Olivier Basque Pepper Fruit Vinegar

This multi-purpose flavored vinegar is made from bell peppers and the famous Piment d’Espelette pepper of the Basque region with 40% fruit pulp and white wine vinegar. Use it to glaze a rack of lamb, poultry, vegetables, or calamari for a Mediterranean flavor. This vinegar also pairs well with basil and garlic thyme infused oils, in addition to extra virgin olive oil. The fresh fruit pulp’s vibrant flavor is consistent to the last of the bottle.

Before the Butcher

UNCUT Breakfast Sausage Patty

Savory with just enough spice, this 100% plant-based breakfast sausage patty looks, cooks, and tastes like a pork breakfast sausage patty, but it is 100% plant-based, gluten-free, and non-GMO. A perfect replacement or addition to any breakfast menu that appeals to meat eaters and veggie eaters.

Beyond Meat®

Beyond Beef®

This is a plant-based ground beef product that looks, cooks, and satisfies like traditional ground beef. It contains no cholesterol and 25% less saturated fat than 80/20 ground beef. It also contains no gluten, soy, or GMO’s. Beyond Beef® is made from simple, plant-based ingredients–peas, brown rice, and mung beans to provide protein. Coconut oil ensures mouthwatering juiciness and beets provide the meaty red hue.

Bravadough! by Wild Flour Bakery, LLC

Gluten Free Vegan Cookies

Gourmet, vegan, and gluten free: this cookie dough line lets operators offer freshly-baked, soft, and chewy cookies to all diners– without sacrificing taste or texture.  Available in Dark Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Cranberry, Double Chocolate Fudge, and Peanut Butter Bliss. Cookie dough pucks are 1 oz., frozen, ready to defrost and bake, or as a dry mix. This is a "baked in-house, white label approach" to help support the operator's branding and reputation for quality.

The Coca Cola Company

Odwalla Craft Ades

Odwalla Craft Ades are a line of premium ades (lemonades and limeades) infused with herbs, spices, and botanicals to deliver a delicious, artisan-inspired beverage experience. Available in six unique flavors, these specialty ades are sweetened with cane sugar and natural flavors. The beverages are available to foodservice operators in a frozen concentrate format. Once thawed, the product is mixed with water and dispensed through bubblers or handcrafted in small batches/pitchers. The new lineup is available in Blackberry Basil Lemonade, Lavender Mint Lemonade, Spicy Watermelon Lemonade, Tangerine Passionfruit Lemonade, Strawberry Guava Lemonade, and Pomegranate Limeade.

Corto Olive Oil Co.

La Padella Saute Oil

La Padella is crafted specifically for high-performance sautéing with authentic olive oil character.  Rice Bran Oil serves as the backbone of La Padella, delivering a superior high smoke point, while the Fresh Extra Virgin Olive Oil adds real olive oil flavor and aroma. The precision blend is completed with Avocado and Grapeseed Oils to make it the perfect choice for high-performance kitchens. This premium sauté oil ensures superior high-heat performance, flavor authenticity, for moist, clean tasting food.

Fora

FabaButter

FabaButter is a plant-based butter that bakes, clarifies, and browns just like dairy butter. It boasts a 360°F smoke point (considerably higher than dairy butter) and is made with upcycled aquafaba– a foodwaste ingredient that adds a layer of depth and flavor. Top chefs use FabaButter in the most technically demanding foods, from croissants to French mother sauces, for its superior functionality and sustainability benefits.

G.S. Gelato

Plant-Based Cold Brew Coffee Frozen Dessert

G.S. Gelato’s Plant-Based Cold Brew Coffee Frozen Dessert is gluten free, dairy free, and free from trans-fat. It contains no GMO ingredients, and it is Certified Vegan. Made with premium espresso from Colombia and crafted with the finest, clean label ingredients sourced from all over the world, it offers versatile uses, from a standalone dessert to an exciting addition to coffees, shakes, and other dessert options.

Grecian Delight® Foods

ReadyCarved^TM Al Pastor Pork Slices
Grecian Delight's ReadyCarved^TM Al Pastor Slices feature premium pork cuts marinated in a blend of savory chilies, garlic powder, and spices. The marinated pork cuts are then hand-stacked by artisan carvers to 500 lb. cones, flame broiled, robotically sliced and individually quick frozen to lock in that cone-carved freshness and flavor. This authentic Central Mexico street food is said to have arrived in Mexico with their Lebanese immigrants, based on the Mediterranean shawarma of their homeland. Free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. MSG free spice blend.

Grecian Delight® Foods

ReadyCarved^TM Natural Halal Shawarma Slices

Grecian Delight's ReadyCarved^TM Natural Halal Shawarma Slices feature whole muscle, premium cuts of meat marinated in a delicate blend of Mediterranean spices. The marinated Halal meat cuts are then hand-stacked by artisan carvers to 500 lb. cones, flame broiled, robotically sliced and individually quick frozen to lock in that cone-carved freshness and flavor. Free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. MSG free spice blend. Available in Chicken and Beef/Lamb.

Grecian Delight® Foods

Skhug Sauce

Grecian Delight Skhug Sauce or Four Pepper Cilantro Sauce, is a popular Middle Eastern condiment made with cilantro, garlic, a combination of four peppers (Serrano, Green Bell, Poblano, and Red Bell) and lemon juice. This trending green sauce adds color and a big global spice profile to a variety of menu applications. Use on a sandwich, with seafood, as a pasta sauce, drizzle on top of a pizza, or add Greek yogurt to create a creamy zesty dip, seafood topping, or pasta sauce. Also works as a mix-in to hummus. Free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. Vegan and Kosher.

Green Spot Foods

Jasberry® Rice

Jasberry® Rice is a new variety of rice with high antioxidant levels, and despite being 100% whole grain, is soft and aromatic. It's certified organic and non-GMO with antioxidant levels higher than many other ancient grains like quinoa, brown rice, and forbidden rice. It is easy to cook and is applicable in dishes from cuisines across the world. Jasberry® Rice contributed to a social enterprise project helping over 2,500 farmers’ families from Thailand grow their way out of poverty. This social enterprise is also certified B-Corp.

Impossible™ Foods

Impossible™ Burger

The new Impossible™ Burger is tastier, juicier, and more nutritious–featuring 30% less sodium and 40% less saturated fat than the original recipe and just as much protein as 80/20 ground beef from cows. It is more versatile than ever. Switching out wheat protein with soy protein, which is higher in “protein quality” (containing a more complete selection of essential amino acids), creates a beefier texture, and adds just a bit of dietary fiber. The addition of methylcellulose, a plant-based culinary binder, makes the new recipe juicer, and easier to handle, whether raw or cooked. Finally, adding sunflower oil reduces the amount of total and saturated fat in the Impossible™ Burger.

Kronos Foods

Turducken®

Kronos oven baked Turducken® roast is made with a traditional recipe of turkey, duck, and chicken paired with Cajun spices and cornbread stuffing. It recreates the taste and texture of a traditional Turducken® in a fully cooked loaf with layer upon layer of the savory, meaty flavors of a Southern favorite in a convenient heat and serve format. Kronos Turducken® is offered to operators as a whole loaf or as pre-sliced portions.

La Colombe Coffee Roasters

Cold Brew Shandy

Cold brew coffee with lemonade and cold brew coffee with grapefruit pair surprisingly well together. The citrus notes present in most high elevation, higher scoring coffee beans, was a natural fit to pair with the smooth taste of Pure Black cold brew. La Colombe Cold Brew Shandy Lemonade uses lemons sourced from centuries-old groves along the Mediterranean coast in Sicily. Cold Brew Shandy Grapefruit is made with light-roasted Colombian organic coffee and natural pink grapefruit juice. The cold brew in the Cold Brew Shandy line is produced using La Colombe's Colombian Light Roast blend, sourced from the Sierra Nevada mountains. It is Fair Trade Certified and organic.

LP Foods

Sauté and Serve

Individually portioned gourmet shrimp dishes in just seven minutes. All-natural products just like a chef would make, with fresh stocks, fresh vegetables, fresh herbs & spices, and all-natural shrimp. All natural, clean label, real stock made from fresh vegetables and spices. Sauté and Serve's unique design and delivery gives the user an exact recipe cost and provides ease of inventory management with zero waste.

Mama La’s Kitchen

Cajun Boudin Eggrolls

Creole with a twist!  Made from pork, pork liver, rice, Mama La's seasoning, parsley, and green onion, these eggrolls add a whole new flavor profile to appetizers. The Cajun Boudin Eggroll combines two cultures– Vietnamese and Southern. Mama La's very own boudin recipe comes rolled in a traditional eggroll skin which adds another layer of texture to the boudin mix. The extra crisp and crunch in conjunction with the flavor of Mama La's proprietary boudin recipe creates an explosion of flavor.

Natalie’s

Holistic Cold-Pressed Juice Line

Natalie's new line of holistic cold-pressed juices are mindfully crafted with functional botanicals, traditional spices, and superfood ingredients to promote health, wellness, and nutrition. Natalie’s uses only simple, authentically sourced ingredients maintaining the Natalie’s philosophy of producing juices that are made from 5 ingredients or less. No artificial ingredients, preservatives, or added sugars.

PepsiCo Foodservice

Half Naked

Naked Juice introduces Half Naked–a flavorful juice with 50% less sugar than the leading 100% juice smoothie. Featuring no added sugars or artificial sweeteners, Half Naked comes in three delicious flavors: Peach Ginger, Watermelon Passion Fruit, and Lively Greens. Half Naked is free from preservatives and is never diluted.

PepsiCo Foodservice

Sabra Breakfast

Featuring breakfast-inspired spreads paired with crispy, whole grain toasts, Sabra Breakfast items are the tasty way to help fuel busy, on-the-go routines. Each tray is between 190-240 calories and provides 13g of whole grains. These morning snacks are available in two delicious varieties: Avocado Toast and Everything Hummus Toast.

Rodula

Traditional Crinkly Greek Pie Vegan

This Greek Pie is unique and differentiated in the way the dough is produced and handled making the product look different but producing a unique outcome. There are three layers of dough; the pie crinkles which make it crunchier, the mix of natural herbs, and extra virgin olive oil. The ingredients are perfectly accompanied and capture the Greek culture in a single bite. Throughout the baking process the aromas travel from the upper levels to the bottom of the pies and have the power to enchant you, resulting in a delicious outcome that will tantalize your taste buds. It is free of preservatives, lactose, and dairy.

Sabinto Tartufi

Black Truffle Pate

Black Truffle Pate is a savory and earthy blend of black summer truffles, champignon mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, and sunflower oil in a pesto-like consistency. Use as a spread for canapes, drizzle onto pizza, or fold into cream sauces. Since it’s already blended into a pate, this product easily allows anyone to incorporate truffles into their dishes. It is in a foodservice size package imported from Italy.

Sevillo Fine Foods

Fire Grilled Edamame                                                                                                                   

Mukimame, or shelled edamame, is lightly seasoned with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. It is then fire grilled on an open flame resulting in a char-grilled appearance and flavor. Fire Grilled Edamame offers the bright green, protein-packed legume in a new and exciting way.  Vegetarian/vegan options get an added grilled flavor that’s perfect for bowls, salads, and soups. The grilled edamame blends well to make guacamoles, salsas, and veggie burgers or patties. Or use in any dish to add unique grilled flavor and bright, fresh color.

Sevillo Fine Foods

Slow Roasted Yellow Bruschetta

Sevillo Slow Roasted Yellow Bruschetta is a classic Italian bruschetta with an innovative twist. Vine ripened yellow tomatoes add a bright pop of color and a unique, sweet tomato flavor to a variety of recipes. Sevillo’s proprietary roasting process adds sophisticated flavor to this beloved topping. Yellow slow roasted tomatoes are diced and tossed with the finest oil, basil, and garlic, then quick-frozen for freshness. All natural, free of preservatives, and made in the USA.

Sud’n’Sol

Edamame Spread

This product is a mix of edamame with a hint of mint and lemon, which results in a fresh, light, and enjoyable guilt-free spread/dip. It is a clean label product, 100% vegan, gluten-free, no preservatives, non-GMO, and made in the Bordeaux region in the southwest of France, known for its culinary specialties.

Sud’n’Sol

Slow Roasted Green Tomato Segments

Is it jalapeño? Is it green pepper? Is it spicy? It is a rarely found green tomato, and its oven-roasted version is even scarcer. Once the green tomatoes are carefully chosen, they are partially dried in low temperature ovens in order to retain and enhance their organoleptic qualities, then lightly coated in oil and seasoned with aromatic spices to give them that distinctive Mediterranean flavor. It is a clean label product, 100% vegan, gluten-free, no preservatives, and non-GMO.

Trident Seafoods

10g Protein Noodles

Trident Seafoods 10g Protein Noodles are a protein rich and gluten-free noodle made with wild Alaska pollock. They are a versatile, flavor neutral, alternative to high-carb pastas. Protein Noodles are made with just eight all natural and non-GMO ingredients, and are fully cooked.  Simply thaw, prepare, and serve hot or cold. A 3 oz. serving contains 10g of protein, 7 carbs, and 70 calories. They are also gluten-free, fat-free, and contain 70mg of Omega 3s.

Tyson Foods Inc.

Jimmy Dean® Sausage & Gravy Stuffed Hash Brown

Warm and crispy, real-potato hash browns provide a crunchy and thick outer layer and gravy contains crumbles of authentic Jimmy Dean® sausage. With breakfast and all-day snacking on the rise, the Stuffed Hash Browns are a perfect fit for both. Cook frozen or thawed. Multiple cook platforms to suit your needs (Deep Fry, Convection Oven, Impinger, Pizza Oven, TurboChef).

Venice Bakery

Gluten-Free Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Fully plant-based and allergen-free, this new Gluten-Free Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Crust provides the growing vegan consumer population a chance to enjoy Venice's plant-based portfolio. Rich in natural antioxidants, cholesterol-free, and enhanced with chia, this flavorful crust provides a wholesome base for any vegan pizza creation.

Venice Bakery

Gluten-Free Beet Root, Sweet Potato, and Zucchini Pizza Crusts

The Gluten-Free Beet Root Pizza Crust has a vibrant red crust that provides a thick and hearty option for the pizza consumer. Its familiar subtle sweetness and speckles of parmesan and mozzarella cheese will ensure approval by all. The Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Pizza Crust brings a new color to the plant-based pizza crust category. It’s made with real sweet potato, two types of cheese, and fresh yeast. It will be hard to believe this crisp, yet hearty crust is also completely grain-free. The Gluten-Free Zucchini Pizza Crust is our latest approach to eating green. Made with crushed black pepper and parmesan cheese, this light and crispy crust will provide a pizza-eating experience you can feel good about.

Wagshal’s Imports

Caviaroli Drops by Albert Adria

Caviaroli Drops are liquid olives. These liquid spheres of approximately 20 mm diameter are a ready-to-use snack, dish, or drink enhancement. It is the creation of Spanish chefs Albert Adrià and his brother Ferran Adria who popularized them at their former #1 restaurant in the world, el Bulli. Encased in a light, gelatin shell, the spherical liquid olives takes five regular olives to comprise a creamy intense flavor-burst upon biting down.

Wagshal’s Imports

Caviaroli Flavor Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil Caviar and Caviaroli Vinegar Pearls

Caviaroli EVOO pearls are an encapsulation of extra virgin olive oil. Caviaroli Vinegar Pearls are an encapsulation of vinegar. These small capsules are made with monosodium alginate and calcium chloride, common ingredients in molecular cuisine, and allow the creation of a thin membrane of natural gelatin around a drop of oil (or vinegar). In this way, the oil and the vinegar can be used as a solid, conserving its liquid interior. The new oil flavors are Wasabi Infused, Truffle Infused and Basil Infused Caviar Pearls. The vinegar flavors are Pedro Ximenez, Modena, and Pomegranate Vinegar.

This year’s 32 FABI Award recipients were selected by an independent panel of experts from across the foodservice industry and represent some of the most well-known brands and organizations. The 2019 FABI judges are:

• Timothy J. Dietzler, Director of Dining Services, Villanova University
• Lori Estrada, Senior Vice President of R&D, Wendy’s
• Marion Gibson, Culinary Development Director, Aramark
• John Li, Vice President Culinary Innovation, Wendy’s
• Robin Rosenberg, Vice President, Chef de Cuisine, Levy Restaurants
• Cammie Spillyards-Schaefer, Vice President of Culinary and Menu Strategy, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store®
• Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor, Nation’s Restaurant News; Senior Food Editor, Restaurant Hospitality

As the premier tradeshow for the global foodservice industry, the National Restaurant Association Show brings together more restaurant and hospitality buyers, and equipment manufacturers than any other industry event. To register, please visit NationalRestaurantShow.com/Registration. For more information about the FABI program and this year's award recipients, visit NationalRestaurantShow.com/FABI.