Prepared Foods showcases new dairy and dairy alternative products debuting in September 2019.

This year saw G.S. Gelato, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., win two awards for the company’s Plant-Based Cold Brew Coffee Frozen Dessert. The National Restaurant Association (NRA) presented its 2019 Food and Beverage Award (FABI) for a version of the product made with coconut milk. Another version, made with oat milk, earned the “Store Brands Editors’ Pick Award” from Store Brands Magazine.

“We are very excited to have our Cold Brew Coffee flavor chosen for the FABI and Store Brands Awards this year,” says Megi Sidley, G.S. Gelato’s director of business development for the grocery industry. “We have seen a huge wave of interest in these products in both foodservice and retail, and to receive recognition from prominent organizations makes us extremely proud to offer them to our customers. There is such a large variety of traditional and ‘better-for-you’ options out there, so our main priority was maintaining the same premium quality and taste that our products are known for, and these oat milk and coconut milk flavors are truly exceptional. They are just as smooth, creamy and indulgent as our authentic gelato and that is what sets them apart from the rest as award-winning products.”

Officials say the foodservice dessert features coconut milk and premium espresso from Colombia. It’s gluten free, dairy free, GMO-free and free from trans-fat. It also is vegan certified. At foodservice, it serves as a stand-alone dessert or an addition to coffees, shakes, and other dessert offerings.

It’s been a good year for Fora Foods. This spring saw the Brooklyn, N.Y., company earn one of the National Restaurant Association’s 2019 Food and Beverage Awards (FABI) for its plant-based FabaButter.

This summer, Fora Foods also was named one of just six partner companies in Mars’ first new “Seeds of Change” Accelerator class.  In addition to a grant of up to $50,000 (U.S.), each start-up will undertake a tailored four-month program to scale its operations. The program, led by Gary Arora, global lead of open innovation at Launchpad for Mars, will give the start-ups access to a panel of industry expert mentors.

Developed by co-founders Andrew McClure and Aidan Altman, FabaButter is a plant-based butter that bakes, clarifies, and browns just like dairy butter. It boasts a 360°F smoke point (considerably higher than dairy butter) and is made with coconut fats and upcycled aquafaba, a foodwaste ingredient (from cooked chickpeas) that adds a layer of depth and flavor. Fora Foods notes that top chefs use FabaButter in the most technically demanding foods, from croissants to French mother sauces, for its superior functionality and sustainability benefits.

Fora Foods’ website shares endorsements for the product from chefs Brad Farmerie (Saxon+Parole, Public), Scott Winegard (Matthew Kenney Cuisine) and Ravi DeRossi (Avant Garden, Ladybird).

Says the company, “Our ‘FabaButter’ presents zero behavioral shift for the consumer.  It is totally clean-label and tastes, feels, and has all of the functionality as dairy butter. We even use it to bake perfectly airy and crispy croissants—something generally unheard of with other butter’ ‘alternatives.’”

This May saw Emmi USA, Fitchburg, Wis., introduce two new product lines for foodservice operators.

A new Kaltbach Cheese Kit (pictured above) features four specialty Swiss-made cheeses aged in Emmi’s Kaltbach Cave in Switzerland. This unique kit features Kaltbach Emmentaler AOP, a firm cheese with nutty flavor, slight acidity and a hint of herbs;  Kaltbach Le Gruyère AOP, a smooth, yet dense, cheese with a slight flake and pronounced crystal crunch; Kaltbach Le Crémeux, a semi-soft washed-rind cheese with a custard-like flavor; and Kaltbach Cave-Aged Gouda, a creamy cheese with a dark brown rustic rind, nutty caramel flavor and a hint of pear on the finish.

The Kaltbach Cheese Kit includes 2.25-2.5 pounds of each cheese variety, equating to half-ounce servings for nearly 300 individuals.

Separately, Emmi expanded with Roth cheese line with Roth Chèvre, an earthy, fresh goat cheese. Roth Chèvre is available in several flavors including classic Chèvre as well as Honey, Peppercorn, Garlic & Herb, Rolled Cranberry and Wild Blueberry. Foodservice formats include bulk 10.5oz logs and crumbles ranging from 2lb cups to 20lb pails.

According to The Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin 2018 Cheese Category Review and Datassential MenuTrends report, goat cheese is the fastest growing category within cheese varieties and can be found on 24.3% of operator menus, an increase of 14% since 2014.