The Specialty Food Association (SFA) Trendspotter Panel has predicted what will be hot in specialty food for 2024. Ranging from soup to cell-based meat and seafood to peach to value–and more–the Trendspotters have set their sights on a diverse list of trends for the $194 billion specialty food industry.

BNP Media food and beverage editors used that information to identify approximately 40 new products, which advanced through two rounds of preparation and tasting in late June and late July at Charlie Baggs Culinary Innovations, Chicago.

A successful product formula needs just the right ingredients in the right proportions. The same axiom applies to a great company and/or a disruptive innovation. It requires just the right combination of people, process, product and consumer appeal—which in this case, involves protein, an essential dietary macronutrient.

Don’t look now but plant-based eggs are changing the landscape. In fact, a plant-based sunnyside up egg from Los Angeles’ Yo Foods Inc. (dba Yo Egg) earned recognition as “Judges’ Selection / Most Innovative Product” in Prepared Foods’ 2022-2023 Spirit of Innovation Awards.

Teton Taste Buds Top Dogs are 85% grass fed beef and blended with mushrooms, carrots, and butternut squash. 

Tastes, trends and teamwork helped seven new products earn top honors in Prepared Foods’ 21^st annual Spirit of Innovation (SOI) awards competition this summer.

The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) in partnership with innovation advisory VentureFuel, announced the eight finalists selected to participate in the 5th Real California Milk Excelerator competition – the search to identify, curate, and accelerate the very best dairy-based products that introduce novel benefits and drive use of California milk and dairy in formulations.

Developed in collaboration with Accenture, the 2023 Best Workplaces for Innovators ranks 100 winners worldwide from a variety of industries, including biotech, consumer-packaged goods, education, healthcare and many more. 

"We are jumping in joy to receive this," said Mochidoki co-founder Ken Gordon. "It's a culmination of a lot of hard work. It confirms that mochi ice cream is here to stay!"

This year’s recipients, who are being honored for their contributions throughout 2022, include brands ranging from two to 28 years on Whole Foods Market’s shelves. The awards, now in their 11th year, were previously called Supplier of the Year Awards.