You must be a Tier 2 member in good standing of the Specialty Food Association.
2025 membership dues must be paid in full.
Non-Member products represented by member brokers, distributors, incubator kitchens and importers may be entered into the sofi Awards. Should this type of entry win a sofi Award, the honor and trophy will be attributed to the member who entered that product.
The sofi Awards are independent of the SFA trade shows, therefore you do not need to be an exhibitor at Winter FancyFaire* or the Summer Fancy Food Show to enter.
Product Eligibility
All Early Bird entries from June 16, 2025 – July 1, 2025 for the 2026 sofi Awards are $80 per SKU.
After July 2, 2025, all entries for the 2025 sofi Awards are $115 per SKU.
All products must have been introduced for sale in the 50 United States, DC, or Puerto Rico between June 16, 2023, and June 16, 2025. Products still in the research and development phase or otherwise not on the market by the date above are not eligible.
All products must qualify for one of the twenty-five (25) product categories set forth here (each, a “Product Category”). As described below, except for the Outstanding Packaging Design Award, each Eligible Product will compete against the other Eligible Products in its Product Category. A single Eligible Product is allowed to compete within only one (1) Product Category.
All product entries must have US regulation labels in English and also should accompany any foodservice/check-weight type products.
There are no limits to the number of products/SKUs you can submit. However, each additional entry must have its own application and be paid for separately.
Each product/SKU can only be entered in ONE category. A different size or package form of the same product is not a viable, additional entry.
Any product that won a Gold Award in any category at the 2024 sofi Awards is not eligible.
If the judges believe your product has been entered into an incorrect category, we reserve the right to move your entry into the appropriate category to ensure your product is judged with similar category items.
Submissions will not be returned. Viable extra product samples will be donated after judging.
Pet food, foods containing CBD or THC, non-food items, and dietary/nutritional/health supplements (a product taken orally that contains one or more ingredients, such as vitamins or amino acids that are intended to supplement one's diet and are not considered food) are not eligible for judging. The Specialty Food Association reserves the right to disqualify any products that are deemed ineligible for the sofi Awards.
