WASHINGTON – The winners of the 40th sofi Awards for the outstanding specialty foods and beverages of the year were announced this evening at the Summer Fancy Food Show at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
The awards, from the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT), were presented at a red-carpet ceremony hosted by Chef Jose Andres, the noted chef and culinary innovator. A sofi Award is considered the top honor in the $75 billion specialty food industry. "sofi" stands for specialty outstanding food innovation.
The 2012 sofi Gold Winners are listed at http://foodspring.com/sofiawards and below:
- Appetizer, Antipasto, Salsa or Dip – Sullivan Harbor Farm Smokehouse – Dave's Bacon
- Baked Good, Baking Ingredient or Cereal – Stonewall Kitchen – Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut Mix
- Cheese or Dairy Product – Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery – Bonne Bouche
- Chocolate – Chocolat Moderne – Lime Moderne Bar
- Classic – DeMedici Imports, Ltd. – Villa Manodori "Artigianale" Balsamic Vinegar
- Cold Beverage – Brands of Britain – Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic
- Condiment – Fruit of the Land Products – Tishbi Onion Cabernet
- Confection – Big Picture Farm L3C – Farmstead Goat Milk Caramels
- Cookie – Lark Fine Foods – Lady Birds – TIE
- Cookie – Natural Nectar – Sea Salt Caramel Crispy Crepes – TIE
- Cooking Sauce or Flavor Enhancer – Ashman Manufacturing Co. – KIMKIM Korean Hot Sauce
- Cracker -Lark Fine Foods – Scourtins – TIE
- Cracker -Polka Dot Bake Shop – Sweet Potato Crackers – Cracked Black Pepper – TIE
- Dessert or Dessert Topping – Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams – Lemon Frozen Yogurt
- Diet and Lifestyle Product – WOW Baking Company – Lemon Burst Cookies Wheat & Gluten Free
- Food Gift – Back to the Roots – Grow-Your-Own Mushroom Garden
- Frozen Savory – Sukhi's Gourmet Indian Foods – Chicken Samosas & Chutney
- Hot Beverage – HERNÁN – HERNÁN Mexican Hot Chocolate
- Innovation in Packaging Design or Function – Ajiri Tea Company – Kenyan Black Tea – Loose
- Jam, Preserve, Honey or Nut Butter – Sabatino North America – Pistachio Cream
- Meat, Pate or Seafood – Fermin USA – Fermin Iberico Smoked Panceta Slices
- New Product – Cable Car Delights, Inc. – The Latest Scoop Ginger Pear Sorbet
- Non-Food Specialty Item -PaperChef – Culinary Parchment Lotus Cups
- Oil – The Sandy Butler Group – Fernado Pensato Olio di Oliva Extra Vergine Tartufo
- Pasta Sauce -Ritrovo Italian Regional Foods – Ritrovo Selections – Casina Rossa Puttanesca Pasta Sauce
- Pasta, Rice or Grain – The Rogers Collection – Les Moulins Mahjoub M'hamsa Whole Wheat Couscous
- Perishable Foodservice Product – Nueske's Applewood Smoked Meats – Nueske's Applewood Smoked Boneless Chicken Breast – TIE
- Perishable Foodservice Product – Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery – Cultured Butter with Sea Salt Crystals 1 oz. Minis -TIE
- Product Line – Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery – Product Line
- Salad Dressing – Lucini Italia – Delicate Cucumber & Shallot Artisan Vinaigrette
- Shelf-Stable Foodservice Product – Chaparral Gardens – Champagne Mimosa
- Snack Food – New England Herbal Foods – Danielle Roasted Coconut Chips
- Soup, Stew, Bean or Chili – The Healthy Pantry – cooksimple Tamale Pie
- USDA-Certified Organic Product – Rogue Creamery – Flora Nelle
- Vinegar – O Olive Oil – O Fig Balsamic Vinegar
The sofi Awards are open to members of the NASFT, a not-for-profit trade association for food artisans, importers and entrepreneurs. This year's contest was the most competitive yet, with a record 2,520 entries across all 32 awards, including 374 for Outstanding New Product.
"This year's winners are a true example of the creativity and innovation that is driving the specialty food industry today," says NASFT President Ann Daw. "With such strong competition, the people behind these wonderful products should be especially proud."
This spring, a national panel of specialty food professionals narrowed the field to 125 Silver Finalists in eight days of judging at NASFT offices in New York City. The winners were selected by more than 200 buyers at the Summer Fancy Food Show, who evaluated the products and their votes in the past two days. The results were tabulated by an outside accounting firm this afternoon. The Summer Fancy Food Show ends tomorrow, June 19, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
About the NASFT
The NASFT is celebrating its 60th anniversary. It is a not-for-profit trade association established in 1952 to foster commerce and interest in the specialty food industry. Today there are more than 2,900 members in the U.S. and abroad. The NASFT's website for consumers, foodspring.com, provides an insider's look at specialty foods and the companies, food entrepreneurs and artisans behind them. For more information on the NASFT and its Fancy Food Shows, go to specialtyfood.com.
Source: NASFT