The Specialty Food Association's Lifetime Achievement Awards celebrate individuals who are widely recognized as having grown the industry, improved the Association, inspired companies, and nurtured individuals over long careers in specialty food. Unlike SFA’s Leadership and Hall of Fame Awards, Lifetime Achievement honorees are not nominated but rather selected by the SFA Recognition Council from past SFA Hall of Fame inductees. 

From the trio who founded Dean & Deluca to the specialty tea evangelists behind Bigelow Tea and many other pioneers, SFA’s Lifetime Achievement Award winners have all had a hand in making specialty food into the booming business it is today. 



Meet the Past Winners

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  • 2022 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    Mike Grazier

    Busseto Foods
    2022
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  • 2022 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    Rex Howell-Smith

    Central Market-Texas
    2022
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  • 2021 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    Sotiris Kitrilakis

    Big Picture Foods
    2021
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  • 2021 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    Trish Pohanka

    WaterBox LLC
    2021
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  • 2020 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    Dan Cohen

    Clearbrook Farms
    2020
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  • 2020 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins

    The Silver Palate
    2020
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  • 2020 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    Shawn McBride

    Foah International, LLC
    2020
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  • 2020 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    Tim Metzger

    Metzger Specialty Brands/Tillen Farms
    2020
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  • 2019 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    Ariane Daguin

    D'Artagnan
    2019
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  • 2019 Lifetime Achievement award winner

    Benny Curl

    Byrd Cookie Company
    2019
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