Refrigerated Food Hall of Fame Inductees for 2025 Highlight Harris Teeter as a Prominent Figure

NFRA to Induct Joey Bates and Tom Robaczewski into Refrigerated Food Hall of Fame

The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) will be inducting two industry veterans, Joey Bates and Tom Robaczewski, into the Refrigerated Food Hall of Fame. The ceremony will take place during the Membership Luncheon at the 2025 NFRA Convention.

Joey Bates, the senior director of store development and strategy at Harris Teeter, has over 30 years of experience in the grocery industry. He has been a longtime advocate for the refrigerated category and played a pivotal role in rolling out innovative products and bringing emerging brands to Harris Teeter stores. Bates served on the NFRA board of directors from 2013 to 2023, chaired the Refrigerated Food Council from 2021 to 2023, and helped launch the NFRA Convention's Speed Meetings.

Tom Robaczewski, the retired director of sales at Bimbo Bakeries USA, has over 40 years of experience in the grocery industry, encompassing retail, brokerage, and manufacturing. He spent 23 years at Dominick's Finer Foods and became involved with NFRA during his 14 years in brokerage. Robaczewski led national refrigerated sales efforts for Bays Bakery, later acquired by Bimbo, and his responsibilities included managing the Lender's Bagels line. For 15 consecutive years, he attended the NFRA Convention as a one-person sales team, meeting with over 20 retailers annually. His attendance at the NFRA Convention contributed to 12 years of consistent sales growth.

The Refrigerated Food Hall of Fame was established by NFRA in 2010 to honour individuals who have contributed significantly to the refrigerated foods industry. The inauguration of the Refrigerated Food Hall of Fame for Joey Bates and Tom Robaczewski will take place on Sunday, June 22, 2025, during the NFRA Convention.

Harris Teeter, where Joey Bates works, is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Kroger Co., which is ranked No. 4 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer's 2025 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. The company employs 36,000 associates and operates over 250 stores and 70 fuel centers.

The ceremony will occur on Monday, Oct. 20, at the World Center Marriott in Orlando, Fla. This is a testament to the significant contributions made by Bates and Robaczewski to the refrigerated foods industry, and their induction into the Refrigerated Food Hall of Fame is well-deserved recognition of their achievements.

Refrigerated Food Hall of Fame Inductees for 2025 Highlight Harris Teeter as a Prominent Figure