OAK BROOK, Ill. -- The Foodservice at Retail Exchange (FARE), produced by CSP Business Media, has announced the honorees of its fourth annual Leaders in Retail Foodservice awards. The award winners represent the innovation and best-in-class practices found in the foodservice-at-retail segment.
This year's Leaders in Retail Foodservice are Centerplate, University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center, Vanderbilt University and Wawa.
Attending FARE to accept the awards and participate in a general session panel discussion are Dan Henroid, director of nutrition and food services, UCSF Medical Center; Camp Howard, director of campus dining, Vanderbilt University; Bob Pascal, chief marketing officer, Centerplate; and Michael Sherlock, vice president of fresh food and beverage, Wawa.
"The Leaders in Retail Foodservice awards began as a way to celebrate the cross-segment networking and idea-exchange that happens at FARE," said CSP's Abbie Westra, who worked with FARE Advisory Board members to determine this year's winners. "It has evolved into a showcase for some of the most forward-thinking operators in the industry who are ever-focused on delivering quality and convenience in every foodservice interaction."
Leaders in Retail Foodservice must balance culinary creativity with a greater business plan; exemplify the evolution and potential of foodservice at retail; and are already seen as leaders within their respective channels.
Arguably the pinnacle of convenience store foodservice, Wawa's foodservice legacy goes back to when the chain began offering deli meats and cheeses in the 1960s. It has evolved through the years with its iconic made-to-order hoagies and barista-manned coffee bars, developing a cult customer following.
Centerplate stood out for its unique technology initiatives including pioneering mobile payments; its strong community connections in the cities where it works across the country; and its culinary creativity, reflected in partnerships with chefs and restaurateurs to bring a local flair to its foodservice offerings.
UCSF meanwhile has made retail foodservice a priority, helping change the face of healthcare dining. Its focus on retail operations with customer-driven concepts and business-driven solutions exemplifies what FARE is all about.
What set Vanderbilt apart is its balance of convenience that today's consumer demands, with the strong fostering of community. Foodservice is not just a transaction at Vanderbilt--it's an experience. All that is matched with a high attention to quality ingredients, unique concepts and a variety of operational styles.
The 2013 honorees will attend the sixth-annual FARE conference, held June 18-20 at the Renaissance Schaumburg just outside Chicago, to accept the honor and engage in a panel discussion about the challenges and opportunities of their respective channels.
This year's Leaders in Retail Foodservice join an esteemed group of past winners:
- Michael DeFazio, senior director of store concepts, Walgreens/Duane Reade.
- Steve Hammel, dining services program manager, Navy Region Southwest.
- Byron Hanson, director of deli, bakery and food services, Lunds and Byerly's.
- Kris Klinger, director of hospitality, University of Southern California.
- John MacDougall, CEO and owner, Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes.
- Angelo Mojica, director of food and nutrition services, UNC Healthcare.
- Terri Moreman, associate director, food & nutrition services, US Olympic Committee.
- Ken Toong, executive director of auxiliary enterprises, University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
- Jennifer Vespole, director of foodservice, QuickChek Corp.
- Jerry Weiner, vice president of foodservice, Rutter's Farm Stores.
- Dean Wright, director of dining services, Brigham Young University.
FARE is the only event of its kind that brings together the dynamic, fast-growing foodservice-at-retail industry. Operators and suppliers gather to discuss the changes, challenges and opportunities facing foodservice across retail channels. Attendees include operators in convenience, grocery, drug, recreation, college & university and healthcare. The 2013 FARE conference will be held June 18-20 at the Renaissance Schaumburg, just outside Chicago. For more information, visit www.foodserviceatretail.com.
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