The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) has selected Kwik Trip, Inc. as the 2026 recipient of the Black Pearl Award, which will be presented at IAFP’s Annual Meeting, taking place July 26–29 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The Black Pearl Award is given annually to one company for its efforts in advancing food safety and quality through consumer programs, employee relations, educational activities, adherence to standards, and support of the goals and objectives of IAFP.

Kwik Trip Inc. is a family-owned company founded in 1965 in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The company operates 925 retail convenience stores across the Midwest, serving more than 12 million customers each week. Kwik Trip Inc. operates under the Kwik Trip name in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and northern Michigan, and under the Kwik Star name in Iowa, Illinois, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

Over the past two decades, Kwik Trip, Inc. has expanded foodservice through a vertically integrated business model that includes company-owned production facilities, distribution centers, transportation, retail operations, and an A2LA^®‑accredited Food Protection Laboratory. The majority of food and beverage products offered in its stores are produced and supplied daily by Kwik Trip Inc., providing direct oversight of food protection and quality standards, traceability, and active managerial control.

Kwik Trip, Inc. attributes its success to the dedication of its people, including more than 38,000 employees who help ensure food protection and operational excellence across its operations. That work is reinforced by the trust of its customers, support from communities, and collaboration with regulatory and supplier partners.