Italian Food Awards Come to Summer Fancy Food Show

This Sunday the Javits Center, nestled appropriately enough on the outskirts of Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen, will be taken over by aromas from around the world with the 2017 Summer Fancy Food Show. The Specialty Food Association (SFA) presents this food industry event—the largest in North America—annually and though this year’s partner country is Turkey, Italy will also be taking the spotlight.

Presentation of the award to the American community, April 2017 - New York

The Italian Trade Commission, Consulate General of Italy, and Vinitaly International at the 2016 Summer Fancy Food Show

With Italy representing the largest international presence at our Show, it’s fitting for the SFA to join with Gruppo Food in highlighting extraordinary achievement in Italian food. - Phil Kafarakis

After its successful worldwide editions, the Italian Food Awards will shortly arrive in the United States by way of New York City. The ceremony is set to take place from 5-7pm on June 25 in the Italian Pavilion at booth 2704, and will celebrate the most innovative Italian food and beverage products on the US market.

Gruppo Food’s Italianfood.net organized the program in collaboration with Universal Marketing and the SFA, whose president, Phil Kafarakis, shared: “The Specialty Food Association is very honored that Gruppo Food will be presenting the Italian Food Awards USA 2017 at our Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City. This marks the first time this prestigious global award is being presented in America.” He continued, “With Italy representing the largest international presence at our Show, it’s fitting for the SFA to join with Gruppo Food in highlighting extraordinary achievement in Italian food. The Italian Food Awards will certainly add to the excitement and innovation celebrated at the Show.”

Barbara Bosini, Project Manager at ItalianFood.net, also shared: “We are really honored that the first US edition of the Italian Food Awards will take place at the Summer Fancy Food Show and that this event will give voice to the most innovative Italian products. For us it’s also very interesting to see how food retail operators in the United States, which is the world’s most receptive market for trends and innovation, interpret new Italian products in every category of the food and beverage sector.”

The Selection Process and the Ceremony

Italianfood.net received a total 191 nominations from 112 Italian companies participating in the Summer Fancy Food Show. The organizers accepted maximum two candidate products from each participant and the products had to be new to the US market or launched during the previous 24 months. An all-American jury composed of selected operators of retail and foodservice, importers, and distributors then selected the winners from 10 categories: Bakery and Snacks; Beverage; Frozen Food; Olive Oils and Condiments; Pasta; Preserves and Sauces; Rice and Cereals; Salumi and Cheeses; Sweets and Confectionery; and Vinegars and Dressings. In addition to this, 3 special prizes dedicated to Packaging, Innovation-Creativity, and Sustainability will be given to 3 products among all the participants in the awards.

The winners will be unveiled in the presence of famed personalities of the Italian food business community, including Kafarakis, Eataly’s Dino Borri, and US Food’s corporate chef, Mike Miello. Furthermore, a representative from olive oil brand Filippo Berio, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary, will present the “Welcome to USA” award.