2026 Esrocky Awards: The Best of the Best of the NRA Show
The curtain has closed on the 2026 National Restaurant Association Show. Now, we’re hitting rewind to replay the hits from the show floor. The Esrocky Awards highlights the best of the best—everything from new products and functional beverages to booth experiences and culinary demos. These are the moments that made the show unforgettable.
Most Exciting Beverage
Kültee by Zentis Group
If you have asked us what’s poppin’, we’d say boba. Conveniently located in the heart of The Beverage Room, the Kültee booth captivated our team. Their Kültee Kaviar™ offers to revolutionize popping boba. It’s made with all natural juices stored inside a seaweed extracted, ultra-thin skin that leaves no lingering shell or chewiness. The enjoyable samples offered at this booth included a Tequila Sunrise with Cherry Boba and a Bloody Mary with Pickle Boba.
1/9
Best Functional Beverage
Nestlé Professional Solutions
Consumers want their bevvies to have real benefits. That’s where Nestlé Vitality Glow comes in. With just 35 calories and 5 grams of sugar, this product line is a flavorful way to stay hydrated. That’s why our Esrockers made plenty of stops at the Nestlé booth while taking a break from getting our steps in. These made-from-concentrate beverages are a simply delicious, refreshing delight for both commercial and non-commercial operations.
2/9
Best Culinary Experience
Kraft Heinz Away From Home
The team at Kraft Heinz brought the mighty culinary minds behind the local Chicago FoodLab, their innovation hub and test kitchen, to the show. Booth visitors enjoyed chef-led tastings, featuring creative applications of their products, along with fresh inspiration and menu ideas. Some highlight sessions included What’s Now and What’s Next for Global Flavors and Capturing Cultural and Social Trends Through Culinary Innovation.
3/9
Best New Product Innovation
Scoot
A slushie to go. By George, that’s it! Scoot Frozen Lemonade comes in three flavors: original, strawberry and peach. We couldn’t begin to count the number of people we saw walking the show floor sipping on these. So, we lined our pockets with a few when we had the chance. It’s a remarkable product that can be thawed, then refrozen, for the pinnacle of travel cooler convenience and sitting through little league games.
4/9
Favorite Flavor Innovation
Oatly
Oatly brought their new products and an active production line installation to their booth. All down the line, they displayed the new flavors of their Barista Edition items. Available in options like caramel, coconut, vanilla, churros and popcorn, these really help make a morning coffee an everyday indulgence.
5/9
Best Booth Experience
Tractor Beverage Co.
Where most booth footprints seemed to be shrinking, Tractor continued to innovate with its space. That’s why they’re the back-to-back winner of the Esrocky Award for Best Booth Experience. Ice cream floats over lunch, tastings of the FABI award-winning Haymaker Line (an apple cider vinegar-based sparkling tonic) and a happy hour social. What more could you ask for? Well, how about a photogenic booth that’s the perfect backdrop for profile pics? They really had it all.
6/9
Most Innovative Equipment
Waring
Culinary fermentation is coming soon to kitchens near you. The Planit POD Fermentation Chamber from Waring will allow chefs and operators to unlock the potential of plant-based proteins for their back of house. It’s an opportunistic solution for crafting tempeh, koji and other blends, while offering difference-making consistency, safety and ease of use. This equipment unlocks a unique combination of flavor, nutrition and sustainability for menus who dare to innovate.
7/9
Foodservice Excellence
Middleby
This year, the Kitchen Innovations Awards display turned into a Middleby victory lap. Their “Innovation Trifecta” scored big buzz on the show floor: the Imperial MFG Pro Series Electric Wafer Plate Range, the Marco Beverage Systems SYPP and the Southbend Steam Shell Griddle. Again and again, year after year, the Middleby team has showed their commitment to deliver innovative solutions that address the latest trends and operational challenges. That’s the definition of excellence.
8/9
Best New Restaurant Technology
SoundHound AI
Agents are all the rave, but the latest advancements from SoundHound AI really caught our attention. Their demo of AI-powered agents showcased a dynamic drive-thru experience intentionally designed to simplify and streamline. This technology promises seamless ordering, intelligent automation and real-time insights across the front of house, back of house and off-premise channels, putting data at your fingertips to make important decisions.
9/9
Courtesy of Esrock Partners, a food marketing agency located near Chicago, Illinois that specializes in the food, beverage and foodservice industries and their current market trends. For a close-up of our capabilities, see our services.
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