Meat Institute Recognizes 2025 Environmental, Worker Safety and Community Impact Award Winners

The Meat Institute recognized nearly 100 meat and poultry facilities at the 2026 Environmental, Labor and Safety+ Conference in Houston, Texas, for showcasing their commitment to continuous improvement in the areas of environmental achievement, worker safety and community impact.

“This year’s award winners reflect the innovation, commitment and leadership that define the meat and poultry industry,” said Julie Anna Potts, president and CEO of the Meat Institute. “Their work to advance worker safety, environmental stewardship and strong communities demonstrates how our member companies...

Cargill Wins Two 2026 Edison Awards, Extending Four-Year Innovation Streak

Cargill has earned two 2026 Edison Awards, marking its fourth consecutive year of recognition from the global innovation program in the Consumer Food Innovations and Sustainable Industry Solutions categories.

The Edison Awards™, named after inventor Thomas Edison, honor some of the world’s most innovative products and business leaders. Winners are selected by a panel of peers from industry, academia and the innovation sector, based on concept, value and impact.

This year, Cargill was recognized for two innovations. 

NextCoa™, which received a Gold award...

American Egg Board CEO Emily Metz named Ag Association Leader of the Year

The American Egg Board announced that its president and CEO, Emily Metz, has been named Ag Association Leader of the Year by the National Agri-Marketing Association, an honor recognizing senior executives who demonstrate exceptional leadership within agricultural organizations and associations.

Metz received the award during the organization’s 2026 Agri-Marketing Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 16.

The recognition comes at a notable moment for the US egg industry. Recently, the American Egg Board gained national visibility with...

Applegate Recognized for Progress in Regenerative Agriculture

In addition to hosting a busy booth where the team served products and connected with customers, the brand received an honorable mention in the category of Regenerative Agriculture Leadership at the 2026 Climate Leaders Awards.

Back in March 2024, the Applegate team set an ambitious commitment to source 100% of the beef used in its hot dogs from certified regenerative farms by the end of 2025 — aiming to help transition 6 million acres of farmland. In just one year, the brand team surpassed that goal...

QDOBA Honors Franchisee Excellence at Annual Brand Conference

QDOBA, America's rapidly growing #2 restaurant brand in the Mexican fast-casual category, presented awards in 50 categories and recognized three standout franchise partners at its annual Brand Conference:

• Winters Group — Franchise Partner of the Year
• Carmen Reyes-Ibarra, General Manager of Roaring Fork — General Manager of the Year
• Froccaro Group — Operator of the Year

With more than 825 restaurants across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, and nearly 600 new restaurants in development, these awards underscore how the brand's tremendous growth is underpinned by a franchise-first...

222 Poultry Facilities Recognized by Joint Poultry Industry Safety & Health Council

The Joint Poultry Industry Safety & Health Council recognized 222 chicken and turkey facilities with safety awards at the National Safety Conference for the Poultry Industry in Destin, Fla. The facilities were honored in recognition of their outstanding performance through the implementation of innovative and effective employee safety and health programs.

Award consideration was based on injury statistics from the 2022–2024 period and a review of written applications evaluated by academia and other safety experts.

This year, 49 facilities earned the highest level of recognition...

Datassential Lists Chick-fil-A as America's Favorite Chain Restaurant

On June 12, 2025, food and beverage intelligence platform Datassential announced the winners of the first-ever Datassential 500 Awards, showcasing the most dynamic foodservice brands in the United States. Notable winners include Chick-fil-A (favorite chain), Crumbl (most unique restaurant menu), and CAVA (best healthy chain).

Founded in 2001, Datassential has been providing food and beverage brands with intelligence tools and consumer insights for more than two decades, including quintessential companies like Starbucks, General Mills, Land O' Lakes, Pepsi, Burger King, and Target...

Expana Honors an Industry Legend and the Next Generation with Awards

The award ceremony at this year’s Executive Conference, the event for leaders in the animal protein sector, featured the annually presented Rising Star Award sponsored by Farm Credit, and the Lifetime Achievement Award.

In its third year, the Rising Star Award is presented to a protein industry newcomer who is striving towards innovation, collaboration and success for not only their business but the wider sector. The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to an individual who has had a multi-faceted and distinguished career in...