VIDEO: Watch Rutter's Take Gold in New Foodservice Competition

LAS VEGAS – Twelve of the convenience store industry's most accomplished foodservice retailers were honored earlier this month during the 2012 NACS Show at a special reception celebrating the inaugural Convenience Store News Foodservice Innovators Awards.

"Tonight, we will be recognizing 12 industry leaders who are raising the bar on quality, service and innovation in what is arguably the most important product area in the convenience store industry," Master of Ceremonies and CSNews Editor-in-Chief Don Longo said during the event, held Oct. 8 at the NACS Hunter Club in the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Two winners, chosen by CSNews' 14-member panel of How To Do World-Class Foodservice experts, were recognized in each of the six award categories.

Best Prepared Foods Innovator
Gold Winner: Sheetz; accepted by Louie Sheetz, executive vice president
Silver Winner: Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes; accepted by John MacDougall, chairman and CEO

Hot Beverages Innovator
Gold Winner: Quick Chek; accepted by Amanda Steindl-Kwiecien, coffee category manager
Silver Winner: Wawa; accepted by Lisa Wollen, consumer insights and brand strategy

Cold & Frozen Beverages Innovator
Gold Winner: QuikTrip; accepted by Mike Green, corporate beverage category manager
Silver Winner: 7-Eleven; accepted by Alan Beach, vice president of merchandising

Best New Foodservice Program (introduced in past year)
Gold Winner: Maverik; accepted by Kim Westover, FRESCH Foodservice Director
Silver Winner: Kum & Go; accepted by Roman Stone, vice president of foodservice

Best Foodservice Limited-Time Offer/Promotion
Gold Winner: Valero; accepted by Geoff DeCastro, foodservice director
Silver Winner: VPS Convenience Store Group; accepted by Chad Prast, director of foodservice

Foodservice Retailer of the Year
Gold Winner: Rutter's; accepted by Jerry Weiner, vice president of foodservice
Silver Winner: Casey's General Stores; accepted by Darryl Bacon, vice president of foodservice

The Foodservice Innovators Awards and reception were sponsored by Tyson Foods.

For more on how the winners were chosen and why, check out previous CSNews Online coverage of the awards.