NRA Honors Five Operators As Top Innovators

Among the many handshake deals and contract signings, educational seminars, food tastings, networking and “swag” collecting that kept exhibitors and attendees busy at last week’s NRA Show, was the announcement of winners in the association’s second annual Operator Innovations Awards. Kennesaw State University took home top honors with the Innovator of the Year award. Selected by an independent panel of expert judges, the winners were recognized for their achievements in driving advancement in the foodservice industry.

The 2013 Operator Innovations Awards winners are:

Food Safety: Ninety Nine Restaurants (Woburn, Mass.) has an allergy alert system that combines staff training and involvement with clear communications via ordering, display systems and tracking.

Health & Nutrition: United States Air Force (San Antonio) developed a Food Transformation Initiative that revolutionizes food selections, cooking methods, meal availability and merchandising to guide customers toward healthier choices.

Menu Development: HMSHost (Bethesda, Md.) designed a custom online tool for the company’s 100+ airport operations that provides local operators access to hundreds of menu items.

Sustainability (and Top Honoree): Kennesaw State University (Kennesaw, Ga.) incorporates a comprehensive, closed-loop waste-management program for its campuswide, 5,000 guest-per-day dining operation.

Technology: Walt Disney Parks and Resorts (Lake Buena Vista, Fla.) utilizes a unique system capable of automating elements throughout the operation, including RF table locators, ordering, checkout and back-of-the-house workflow to serve more than 3,000 meals at lunch daily.