NEW
YORK, May 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Specialty
Food Association (SFA) has revealed the winners of its
52nd annual sofi™ Awards. Well-known and coveted markers of
quality in the food industry, the sofi Awards are a celebration of
creativity, innovation, and culinary excellence.
The sofi Gold Award-winning products represent the best of the
best in each of 48 specialty food and beverage categories, from
Appetizers & Snacks to Meat & Poultry to Water &
Functional Beverages. Click here to view all 48 winners.
Characteristics such as spicy-sweet flavor profiles, global
ingredients, and gluten-free formulas were shared among multiple
Gold Award-winning products, indicating key trends to watch across
the food industry. From a vegan, gluten-free tamarind-flavored
recipe that took the Barbecue Sauce category to the smoky paprika
and fleur de sel potato chips that won the red-hot Chips, Pretzels,
Rice Cakes, & Salty Snacks category, bold flavors in unique
combinations can be found throughout the list of winners.
"Congratulations to all of the 2024 Gold Award winners for
receiving the top scores in extremely competitive categories," said
Phil Robinson, Senior Vice President
of Member Development at SFA. "The level of innovation, creativity,
and quality among the pool of entries we received this year was
remarkable, and underscores the dynamism of specialty food and
beverage makers across the industry and the world."
Available only to product-qualified members of SFA, the sofi
Awards were judged at the Food Innovation Center at
Rutgers University (FIC), SFA's partner
for the awards. FIC experts as well as specialty food buyers,
influencers, and members of the media evaluated products in
anonymous tastings using criteria that included flavor, appearance,
texture, aroma, ingredient quality, and innovation.
The 2024 sofi Gold Award winners will be showcased in a
dedicated area of the 2024 Summer Fancy Food Show, running
June 23-25 at the Jacob Javits Center
in New York City. Additionally,
the five top-scoring products from each category will enter into an
anonymous-tasting round, live at the Show, for the chance to take
home one of the sofi Grand Honors Awards: Product of the Year/Food,
Product of the Year/Beverage, Outstanding New Product, Outstanding
Classic, and Outstanding Packaging.
SFA will celebrate the 48 Gold Award winners and announce the
five Grand Honors Award winners at the inaugural sofi Awards Gala
during the Summer Fancy Food Show. Taking place in the evening of
Monday, June 24, and hosted by
Kristen Kish of Bravo's Top
Chef, the Gala is a ticketed event open to all Summer Fancy
Food Show participants. Click here for more information and tickets
to the Gala.
About the Specialty Food Association
The Specialty Food Association (SFA) was founded in 1952 and is the
not-for-profit trade association of the $207-billion specialty food industry.
Representing more than 3,800 businesses worldwide, SFA champions
industry participation and success for a diverse community of
makers, buyers, importers, distributors, and service providers by
developing resources, information, education, and events
that celebrate innovation and inclusivity. SFA owns and operates
the Fancy Food Shows as well as the sofi™ Awards,
which have honored excellence in specialty food and beverage
annually since 1972. The SFA also produces the e-newsletter SFA
News Daily, the Trendspotter Panel annual predictions
and Fancy Food Show reports, the State of the Specialty Food
Industry Report, Today's Specialty Food Consumer
research, and the Spill & Dish podcast. Find out more
online and connect with SFA on Facebook, X,
Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
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SOURCE Specialty Food Association