Califia Farms Iced Coffee Earns Best Of Show Award & What's Next Nomination

Bakersfield, CA. – Califia Farms Iced Coffee with Almondmilk was named as one of the year’s top new vegan products at the nation’s largest natural products trade show, EXPO West. Held March 8-10 in Anaheim. The Best of Show Awards are the only one of its kind at the event that attracted 63,000 attendees and 2,500 exhibitors. Califia Farms’ booth was packed from Day One’s “Hot Product” early floor opening until Day Three’s chaotic close, with a buzz-worthy “not milk.” campaign attracting attendees to sample Iced Coffee, Almondmilk, and Juice.

“We’re excited about these EXPO accolades,” said Greg Steltenpohl, CEO of Califia Farms. “Califia Farms drinkers have known all along that we make a better beverage, but after EXPO, we’re on everyone’s radar as VegNew’s Best of Show.”

“Califia Farms is a leader in the natural food industry and continues to develop high-quality vegan products. We are pleased to honor your accomplishments with a VegNews Best of Show Award,” says VegNews co-founder Colleen Holland.

Califia Farms line of Almondmilks have been hot ever since the day they hit Northern California store shelves just six months ago. Beverage guru Steltenpohl wanted to continue the line’s successful response to the quintessential “vegan problem” – how to enjoy coffee without a dairy or soy creamer – with three delicious, decadent, and healthy Iced Coffee with Almondmilk flavors: Café Latte, Mocha, Double Espresso. Made with Organic Fair Trade Coffee that is Cold Brewed to smooth perfection, Califia Farms Iced Coffee is all of the indulgence with none of the guilt. “There’s finally a great-tasting low-calorie, lactose-free Iced Coffee on the market for coffee aficionados,” said Steltenpohl. “I’m proud of what we’ve created, and our Delicious Living ‘Nexty’ award nomination proves that the Natural Products Industry knows what’s up.”

This is the eighth annual VegNews Magazine Best of Show Awards, but the first time the editorial team nixed a booth to accept entries and instead walked the floor in order to find their own Best of Show. Their fun and exciting approach was the buzz at EXPO West, and the awards are already being anticipated for 2014. Winners receive bragging rights plus a framed Best of Show award, a feature in the July+August 2013 issue of VegNews, and further publicity generated through the prestigious awards. The Best Of feature will also be included on the magazine’s award-winning website, vegnews.com.

ABOUT CALIFIA FARMS
Califia Farms was founded in 2010 by the growers of Cuties tangerines to share more of their California bounty year-round. Headed by beverage visionary and Odwalla founder Greg Steltenpohl, the company produces all of its products locally in California, celebrating the state's natural abundance. Califia Farms' new plant is eco-friendly, energy efficient, clean-water responsible and repurposes more than 90 percent of its post-production byproduct. The name Califia comes from a Spanish legend, telling of warrior queen Califia who ruled over a kingdom of women living on the mythical island of California. Spanish conquistadors believed they had discovered Califia's bountiful island when they first explored California.

ABOUT VEGNEWS
With VegNews, America's premier vegan lifestyle magazine, has a readership of 240,000 and is read around the world. Each issue is filled with the latest in vegetarian news, global events, tantalizing recipes, nutrition updates, hot new veg products, must-read books, celebrity buzz, and even vegetarian weddings. It has won nearly every major industry magazine award.

ABOUT THE NEXTY AWARDS
The NEXTY Nominations are given our each year at Natural Products EXPO West by the NEXT Forecast research team, which visits every exhibitor at the show to identify stand-out natural products, thought leaders and innovators. The NEXT Forecast team will choose one Editor’s Choice winner in the following three categories: Food and Beverage, Supplements, and Natural Living. The winners will be announced in June with the publication of the 2014 NEXT Forecast report. The NEXT Forecast is a joint venture between New Hope Natural Media and Sterling-Rice Group.

Source: Califia Farms