The Food and Beverage Association of America

What The Food and Beverage Association of America does

The Food and Beverage Association of America (FBAA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional association established in 1956 and headquartered at 111 East 14th Street, Suite 390, in New York City. It serves executives and professionals in the food, beverage, and allied hospitality industries of the Greater New York Metropolitan area, including restaurateurs, hotel F&B directors, caterers, and hospitality managers. Its membership base and geographic scope are explicitly regional, and it does not claim a global footprint.

FBAA operates four core product lines: a membership program granting access to networking and educational programming; event hosting (gala dinner dances, golf outings, monthly dinners, and Thanksgiving dinners); a scholarship and awards program administered through the Food and Beverage Scholarship Foundation Inc., which has funded $2.2M in scholarships since 1956; and corporate sponsorship packages for hospitality vendors. Notable academic partnerships include a $100,000 pledge to fund a learning center at NYU's Bobst Library (completed recently) and a $100,000, five-year scholarship commitment to NYC College of Technology's Hospitality Management Department. The association has also partnered with the Children's Aid Society for over 24 years on a Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner in Harlem, scaled from 150 to 2,000 attendees. Its digital presence runs on a WordPress website redesigned in 2022, targeting WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility.

FBAA generates revenue from four streams: recurring membership dues, corporate sponsorship income, ticketed event revenue, and tax-deductible donations. Distribution is entirely direct — through the website, in-person event sales, and word-of-mouth referral — with no reseller or channel partner model. The organization is led by a volunteer board headed by President Steven Gattullo (Gotham Hospitality Services, Zoo Food Group), Executive Director Jill Ostaszewski (since June 2014), and Chairperson Gladys Mouton Di Stefano (President of FBAA 1997–2014). FBAA has no parent company, no outside equity investors, and operates as an independent 501(c)(3).

Name

The Food and Beverage Association of America

Legal name

Food & Beverage Association of America

Website

https://fbassoc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Food and Beverage Association of America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1956 that serves hospitality industry executives and professionals in the Greater New York Metropolitan area through membership, events, scholarships, and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality Trade Association

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGAHAM

Corporate Catering, Staffing & Guest Services (F&B, Security, Ushers)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Corporate & Private Events (Galas, Product Launches)

SECONDARYTHAHABAC

Consumer & Public Shows (B2C) Organizers

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Exhibition & Trade Show Organizers

Keywords

• Hospitality industry association
• Professional networking events
• Industry scholarship programs
• Nonprofit trade organization
• Member association services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership dues from hospitality industry professionals in the greater New York Metropolitan area. Members receive access to events, networking opportunities, and scholarship programs.
2. Sponsorship Revenue: Corporate sponsorships from hospitality industry vendors and suppliers seeking visibility among association members.
3. Event Revenue: Revenue generated from ticketed events including gala dinner dances, golf outings, and monthly dinner meetings.
4. Donations and Philanthropy: Tax-deductible donations from members and supporters supporting the association's scholarship programs and community initiatives.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Food and Beverage Association of America (FBAA) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) professional trade association serving hospitality industry executives in the Greater New York Metropolitan area. Founded in 1956, it sells annual memberships that grant access to culinary networking events (gala dinners, golf outings, monthly dinners, Thanksgiving dinners), administers scholarship programs for hospitality students, and offers corporate sponsorship packages. The association is governed by a volunteer board of officers and an executive director.

Product overview

The Food and Beverage Association of America is a nonprofit 501c3 professional organization that offers a membership program, event hosting services, scholarship programs, and sponsorship opportunities. The organization primarily serves hospitality industry professionals in the greater New York Metropolitan area, facilitating networking through events such as Gala Dinner Dances, Golf Outings, Monthly Dinners, and Thanksgiving Dinners. The association also supports the future of the hospitality industry through its Scholarship and Awards Programs, offering financial assistance to students pursuing hospitality careers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Program Annual membership for hospitality industry professionals providing access to culinary events, networking opportunities, and industry resources in the Greater New York area.
• Event Hosting Organization and hosting of culinary events including Gala Dinner Dances, Golf Outings, Monthly Dinners, and Thanksgiving Dinners throughout the Greater New York area.
• Scholarship and Awards Program Financial assistance programs offering scholarships to future hospitality professionals who have demonstrated need and scholastic superiority.
• Sponsorship Opportunities

Quantifiable outcome

• $2.2M in scholarships funded since 1956
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• New York University (Center of Hospitality and Tourism)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe association is a sponsor of NYU's Center of Hospitality and Tourism and Travel. In 1997, FBAA committed $100,000 over five years to fund a learning center in the name of The Food and Beverage Association of America at the Bobst Library of New York University.
• New York City College of TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe association has committed student scholarship monies totaling $100,000 to the Hospitality Management Department at NYC College of Technology over five years, helping students complete their academic requirements toward college degrees.
• Children's Aid SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFBAA has partnered with the Children's Aid Society for over 24 years, organizing a Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner for the Harlem community. The event has grown from 150 to 2,000 attendees.
• Partridge-Invitation Scholarship FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation members serve on the board of this foundation, which raises scholarship funds for institutions providing training for students pursuing careers in the hospitality industry.
• Organiq MediaminorOthersOrganiq Media, a boutique creative agency in New York City since 1998, donated the 2022 WordPress website redesign for the association.
• Logo Design NYCminorOthersDesigned the Food and Beverage Association of America's logo. Offers custom logo design, graphic design and packaging to small businesses across all industries.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• National Restaurant Association: The largest US restaurant industry trade body, offering national advocacy, training, and the NRA Show. Comparable mission of advancing the F&B industry but at vastly larger scale and broader scope than the FBAA's regional model.
• Food Industry Association (FMI): Trade association serving food retailers and wholesalers across the US. Operates in the broader F&B value chain adjacent to the FBAA's hospitality/restaurant focus and offers comparable education, events, and advocacy programs.
• American Hotel & Lodging Association: National trade association for the US lodging industry, including hotel F&B operations. Comparable member services and advocacy scope but operating nationally rather than focused on a single metro.

Direct peers

• NYC Hospitality Alliance: NYC-based nonprofit trade association representing the city's restaurant, bar, and nightlife industry. It is the most direct geographic peer to FBAA, serving the same NYC hospitality community with advocacy, events, and member services.
• American Culinary Federation: Professional chefs' organization offering certification, events, and networking to culinary professionals. Adjacent membership base to the FBAA's F&B operators and comparable event-driven engagement model.
• Greater New York Hotel Association: Regional hotel industry association serving NYC-area hotels, many of whose F&B leaders sit on the FBAA board. Closely comparable membership profile, event programming, and geographic footprint.
• Club Managers Association of America (CMAA): Professional association for club managers in the hospitality, country club, and private club sectors. Overlaps with FBAA's executive F&B leader audience and offers comparable education, networking, and certification programming.

Regional players

• New York State Restaurant Association: Statewide trade association representing the restaurant industry across New York. Overlaps with FBAA's restaurateur membership base but operates at a broader geography and with a heavier lobbying and compliance focus.
• NYC Tourism + Conventions: Official NYC destination marketing organization. Comparable regional focus on NYC hospitality, shares many of the same operator members, and convenes overlapping events and promotional programming.

Emerging players

• Les Dames d'Escoffier International: Invitation-only society of women leaders in food, beverage, and hospitality. Comparable mission of supporting hospitality professionals through networking, scholarships, and education, though more niche and selective in membership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FoodandBeverageAssociationofAmerica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-food-and-beverage-association-of-america

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Food and Beverage Association of America