National Restaurant Association Show Accepting Submissions for 2027 FABI Awards

CHICAGO (Oct. 21, 2026) — The National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show® is accepting submissions through Jan. 27, 2027, for the 2027 Food and Beverage (FABI) Awards. The program recognizes food and beverage products that introduce new ideas to foodservice and reflect where consumer tastes are heading. Recipients will be honored at the 2027 Show, May 22–25 at McCormick Place in Chicago.

“FABI recognition speaks to what a product brings to foodservice, from the experience it creates for customers to the options it gives businesses,” said Tom Cindric, president of exhibitions for Informa Connect Foodservice Group. “The FABI Awards celebrate products that deliver on both, with distinctive flavors and ingredients or formats that give foodservice businesses new ways to expand their offerings.”

That mix of flavor and function shaped the 2026 evaluation, as judges weighed taste and menu relevance alongside operational practicality and profitability potential. The 28 recipients included dairy-free desserts, beverage concentrates and gluten-free snacks.

FABI Award recipients receive broad visibility through Show marketing, media exposure and on-site programming, along with lifetime use of the FABI Award logo for product packaging and promotion. Each recipient is featured in FABI Tasting sessions, giving attendees the chance to sample the year’s most notable food and beverage innovations.

From among the recipients, judges also designate a group of FABI Favorites, standout products recognized for exceptional creativity, appeal and potential industry impact. These products receive additional exposure through a dedicated tasting, Show coverage and a demonstration at The Culinary Experience.

“To learn that we were a FABI Favorite was extraordinary,” said Erica Plastino, chief revenue officer at Klimon, whose Churro Chata Dairy-Free Ice Cream Sandwich earned a 2026 FABI Award and was named a FABI Favorite. “It felt like we were finally heard in the sense that we are trying to create ingredients and menu options for operators that can transform menus and are easy and help support that incredibly enormous stack facing them.”

The 2027 FABI Awards will be judged by a panel that includes leaders in culinary development, operations and product innovation:

• Zia Ahmed (Associate Vice President of Residential Experience, The Ohio State University)
• Pat Cobe (Senior Editor, Informa Connect, Restaurant Business)
• Becky Davis (Vice President of Global Culinary Innovation, The Wendy’s Company)
• Marion Gibson (Senior Director of Culinary Development & Menu Enablement, Aramark)
• Paul Pszybylski (Vice President of Culinary Innovation, California Pizza Kitchen)
• Robin Rosenberg (Vice President, Chef de Cuisine, Levy Restaurants)
• Bret Thorn (Senior Food & Beverage Editor, Informa Food & Restaurant Group)

Submissions for the 2027 FABI Awards are open through Jan. 27, 2027. Awardees will be announced in March 2027 and recognized at the National Restaurant Association Show. For more information and to apply, visit the FABI Awards Application Page.

For additional insights on breakthrough food and beverage products and emerging consumer trends, read the National Restaurant Association Show’s 2026 Food & Beverage Trend Report.

About The National Restaurant Association Show

Awarded by Trade Show Executive as the 2024 Gold 100 Grand winner of the largest trade show managed by an independent organizer, the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show® is the Western Hemisphere's most influential foodservice event showcasing industry innovations and trends. Each year (starting in 1919), the Show brings together restaurant operators and foodservice professionals for four days of celebrity-led demos, exhibits, sampling, education, and networking. The Show unites a global community and enables exploration of the latest advancements in food, beverage, equipment, technology, and solutions driving the industry forward. The Show is owned and operated by Informa in partnership with the National Restaurant Association. Visit www.nationalrestaurantshow.com for more information.

About Informa

Informa is a leading international B2B live events, B2B digital services and academic markets group. We champion specialists, connecting businesses and professionals with knowledge that helps them learn more, know more and do more. Informa works in over 30 countries worldwide.

Informa Connect is a content-led, live and on-demand experiences business which connects professionals with knowledge, ideas and opportunities. Informa Connect, a community of over 2,000 colleagues globally, offers connection through events, media and research. They service a number of different industries including Foodservice, Technology, Finance, Life Sciences, Aesthetic Medicine, Pop Culture, Real Estate, and Construction. Visit www.informaconnect.com for more information.