George Gellert of Atalanta Corporation Will Be Inducted into the Specialty Food Association Hall of Fame At The Summer Fancy Food Show

NEW YORK (June 1, 2016) – The Specialty Food Association announces a new group of honorees for the 2016 class of the Specialty Food Hall of Fame. The 47 individuals have been instrumental in building and shaping the $120.5 billion specialty food industry into the thriving business it is today. 

Inductees include George Gellert, Atalanta Corporation, Gary Guittard, Guittard Chocolate and Daniel Lubetzky, KIND. Those honored were nominated and selected by Association members and the Hall of Fame Committee. 

Established in 2015, the Hall of Fame's mission is to "honor individuals whose accomplishments, impact, contributions, innovations, and successes within the specialty food industry deserve praise and recognition." The inaugural class included 115 people. The 2016 class, inducted at the Winter and Summer Fancy Food Shows, includes an additional 94. 

"The specialty food industry has become a significant part of American cuisine thanks to the tireless efforts of manufacturers, importers, retailers and culinary leaders who formed and evolved the specialty food industry in the l950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s," says Ron Tanner, vice president of philanthropy, government and industry relations for the Association. 

See the full list of inductees. 

The inductees will be honored on June 27, 2016, at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York as part of a special event that also includes the Association's Lifetime Achievement Awards.