Gourmet News

Groix & Nature Sardines in Lobster Oil Wins sofi Gold Product Award

Published May 16, 2023

Groix & Nature Sardines in Lobster Oil has been named the 2023 sofi Gold Product Award Winner in the Seafood category. The Specialty Food Association’s sofi Awards, which have been bestowed annually since 1972, are a top honor in the $175 billion specialty food industry.

The 2023 sofi Awards recognized a Gold Winner and a New Product Winner in each of 53 specialty food and beverage product categories. Nearly 2,000 products from domestic and international makers entered the 2023 competition.

“We are honored that our Groix & Nature Sardines in Lobster Oil has won a sofi Gold Product Award,” says Gisele Oriot, founder of The French Farm. “Our supplier, Groix & Nature, creates the best possible product for our customers, and this Award is one of the ultimate stamps of approval.”

Groix & Nature Sardines in Lobster Oil can be found at www.wholesale.thefrenchfarm.com.

Groix & N ature Sardines inL obster Oil will now compete against other category winners for the 2023 sofi Gold Product of the Year Award, which will be selected and announced at the Summer Fancy Food Show, June 25-27 in New York City. The Summer Fancy Food Show is the largest B2B-only specialty food industry event in North America.

“The sofi™ Awards recognize the best, most innovative products in the Specialty Food Industry and the creative, passionate people who make them,” said SFA President Bill Lynch. “Winning a sofi Award can open doors to new markets and expanded business opportunities for the winners, which is central to the SFA’s work on behalf of its member makers and manufacturers.”

The sofi Awards competition is open to product-qualified SFA members in good standing. Gold and New Award Winners in each category are featured in the sofi Spotlight Pavilion at the Summer and Winter Fancy Food Shows. Winning a sofi Award creates added exposure for products with food buyers from top names in supermarkets, specialty retailers, food service, distributors, and the media.

SFA partners with Rutgers Food Innovation Center in Bridgeton, NJ for sofi Awards judging and logistics management. Entries were judged strictly on a blind basis—without packaging, pricing, or any brand identification. Products were judged on taste—including flavor, appearance, texture, and aroma—ingredient quality, and innovation.

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Sunday Night Foods Celebrates 2nd sofi in 2 Years

Published May 12, 2023

Sunday Night Foods has won the New Product Award for the second year in a row in the Dessert Toppings category as part of the Specialty Food Association’s 2023 sofi Awards, a top honor in the $175 billion specialty food industry. Sunday Night will be showcasing its award-winning sauce June 25-27 at the Summer Fancy Food Show in Booth #1354 at the Javits Center in New York.

Sunday Night’s Dark Chocolate + Peppermint Premium Dessert Sauce was one of the winners selected by a panel of specialty food experts from nearly 2,000 entries across 53 categories. Products were judged on taste – including flavor, appearance, texture and aroma – ingredient quality and innovation. All tastings were anonymous and held at the Rutgers Food Innovation Center.

Sunday Night also won a New Product sofi™ Award in 2022, with its Dark + Decadent Chocolate Premium Dessert Sauce, just seven months after launching the company.

“Winning a sofi Award is a testament to our craft in perfecting a silky, glossy chocolate ganache from the finest pure ingredients,” said Eileen Gannon, founder and CEO of Sunday Night Foods. “We are honored and grateful to win one of the highest awards in specialty food for the second time.”

“The sofi Awards recognize the best, most innovative products in the Specialty Food Industry and the creative, passionate people who make them,” said SFA President Bill Lynch. “Winning a sofi Award can open doors to new markets and expand business opportunities for the winners, which is central to the SFA’s work on behalf of its member makers and manufacturers.”

Sunday Night’s luxurious, velvety sauces are made without corn syrup, preservatives, palm oil or emulsifiers. The premium ingredients allow the pure flavors to shine through: Rich, robust chocolate with fragrant, fresh-brownie cocoa notes and an essence of ripened fruit and warm spices, with hints of buttery caramel, pure vanilla and sea salt.

“Consumers want better food, but they are busy,” said Gannon. “We created our sauces so people never have to compromise on taste and quality, even when they don’t have time.”

More than just for ice cream, Sunday Night sauces can be quickly transformed into homemade cakes, pies, puddings, frostings and drinks by adding just a few ingredients. More than 50 recipes and sweet inspirations can be found at SundayNightFoods.com.

“Our brand isn’t just about the food – it’s about helping people connect around a table or a couch or a campfire, whether it’s in person or on a video call thousands of miles apart,” said Gannon. “We created the Sunday Night brand so people can easily enjoy that same feeling of comfort, care and kindness any time they wish.”

Sunday Night donates 1 percent of sales to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Sunday Night’s Premium Dessert Sauces are available at select supermarkets, specialty stores and online at SundayNightFoods.com. To find stores, visit: https://sundaynightfoods.com/pages/store-locator

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Niman Ranch Calls Prop 12 Ruling ‘Watershed Moment for Animal Welfare’

Published May 12, 2023

Chipotle Young Farmers Initiative full rights photography

Niman Ranch, the humane animal care leader, today released the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Proposition 12.

“This is a truly watershed moment for animal welfare. Since day one, Niman Ranch has been one of the only companies to ban the use of crates for raising hogs and today our more than 500 independent family farmer partners proudly raise their pigs 100 percent crate free. We applaud the Supreme Court’s decision and this historic moment for humane animal care.”

– Chris Oliviero, General Manager, Niman Ranch

California’s Proposition 12, passed in 2018, requires farmers to provide more space for egg-laying hens, breeding pigs and calves raised for veal including that these animals be able to stand up, lie down, turn around and extend their limbs. It would also ban the sale of products in the state that do not meet the new standards. On May 11, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Proposition 12 as constitutional.

Niman Ranch is a network of independent family farmers and ranchers raising pork, beef and lamb humanely and sustainably, with no antibiotics or added hormones—ever. Niman Ranch is the largest farmer and rancher network in North America to be Certified Humane, an animal welfare certification considered rigorous and meaningful by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The company has always been 100 percent crate free and goes much further with animals raised outdoors or in deeply bedded pens, with no tail docking, teeth clipping or other standard industry practices.

Niman Ranch is the only pork company to submit an Amicus Brief to the Supreme Court in support of Proposition 12. Its products are available at values driven restaurants and grocers across the country. Customers include Shake Shack, Chipotle and ButcherBox.

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