Last updated on January 19th, 2015 at 11:13 am
The Specialty Food Association honored six people with its third annual Leadership Awards on Jan. 11, given to members who have gone “above and beyond” in advancing food standards in society—and society itself—by creating social, economic and environmental impact through innovation and vision.
Their achievements range from employing women in Kenya, to bringing halal foods to the American mainstream, to taking on U.S. agencies to change import laws.
The winners are:
Business leadership
• Adnan Durrani, Saffron Road
• David Gremmels, Rogue Creamery
Citizenship
• Ahmed and Reem Rahim, Numi Organic Tea
• Sara Holby, Ajiri Tea
Vision
• Jeni Britton Bauer, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream
• James May, Wisdom Natural Brands
“The specialty food industry is fueled by passionate entrepreneurs who seek to make a difference through the products they bring to market. These leaders are making an even greater impact by pioneering new business practices, empowering workers and taking risks,” says Ann Daw, president of the Specialty Food Association.
Read more about the Leadership Award winners here.
The awards were presented at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, following a keynote address by Seth Goldman, co-founder and CEO of Honest Tea.
Nominations for the awards were made by members of the Specialty Food Association and others in the specialty food industry. A panel of judges composed of industry experts and influencers selected the honorees from dozens of nominees across the three categories.
The judges included David Gagnon, Organic Trade Association, Brattleboro, Vermont; John Raiche, UNFI, Providence, Rhode Island; Donna Daniels, Social Venture Network, San Francisco; Rory Treats, City Harvest, New York; and Errol Schweizer, Whole Foods Market, Austin, Texas.
