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.
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.
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.
