Specialty Food Association Announces Leadership, Hall of Fame, and Lifetime Achievement Honorees for 2025; Bill Lynch Comments

The Specialty Food Association is thrilled to announce and celebrate the winners of its Leadership, Hall of Fame, and Lifetime Achievement Awards for 2025. Collectively known as the “People Awards,” these three programs recognize individuals who have shaped and are currently shaping the $207-billion specialty food industry.

This year, the Specialty Food Association (SFA) has adjusted the categories for the Leadership Awards, making room for two new award types: Next Generation Leader, of which there are three winners for 2025, and Volunteer of the Year, recognizing someone who has directly contributed to the Association’s success.

This year’s honorees are:

2025 Leadership Awards

• Equity & Opportunity: Felicia Vieira, Crafted Brand Company
• Citizenship: Collette Divitto, Collettey’s Cookie Corp.
• Vision & Sustainability: Ayissi Nyembe, EMKAO FOODS
• Outstanding Buyer: Holly Long, Whole Foods Market
• Next Generation Leader: Caroline McGinley, Gringuita Cookies
• Next Generation Leader: Devin Powell, Protein Candy
• Next Generation Leader: Rina Perrault, Sun World International
• Volunteer of the Year: Sarabjit Sawhney, South Amboy Kitchen, LLC

Click here to learn more about the 2025 Leadership Award winners.

2025 Hall of Fame

• Case D. Fischer, Fischer & Wieser Specialty Foods, Inc.
• Patrick Ford, Bone Suckin’ Sauce
• Karta Owens, Associated Buyers, Inc.
• Kerry Bamberger, BWI, Inc.
• Mitchell Berliner, MeatCrafters, Inc.
• Matt Nielsen, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas
• Heather Paul, Specialty Food Association
• Norm Jelsma, Milo’s Whole Gourmet, LLC

Click here to get to know the 2025 Hall of Fame inductees.

2025 Lifetime Achievement Awards

• Annie Chun, Annie Chun’s, Inc./gimme Health Foods, Inc.
• Stephen Broad, Annie Chun’s, Inc./gimme Health Foods, Inc.
• Becky Renfro-Borbolla, Renfro Foods, Inc.
• Doug Renfro, Renfro Foods, Inc.
• Pamela Barefoot, Blue Crab Bay Co.
• James Stott, Stonewall Kitchen
• Jonathan King, Stonewall Kitchen
• Ari Weinzweig, Zingerman’s

Click here to explore the bios for the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award winners.

"One of our most important roles at SFA is celebrating the specialty food industry's successes, and the people behind them. We're proud to recognize accomplished leaders each year through our People Awards programs," said Bill Lynch, SFA President, in a recent press release. "This year, with the launch of the Next Generation Leader, and Volunteer of the Year Awards, we're evolving to reflect today's SFA. Congratulations and thank you to all the honorees!"

All 2025 honorees will be recognized at a special SFA People Awards ceremony, taking place on Monday, June 30th, at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City and hosted by Jeni Britton, co-founder of Floura and founder of SFA member brand Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams.

The Summer Fancy Food Show—June 29-July 1 at NYC’s Javits Center—will showcase thousands of specialty food products from domestic and international exhibitors, educational programming, networking opportunities, and more. Registration for the Show is open now for qualified members of the specialty food trade, industry affiliates, and journalists. For more information, please click here.