WEBSTERVILLE, VT. - May 11, 2023 - Vermont Creamery [BOOTH #767], makers of consciously crafted artisan cheese and butter, has won the coveted “New Product” Sofi™ Award from the Specialty Food Association this week for its Strawberry Spritz fresh goat cheese.
Inspired by the timeless pairing of champagne and strawberries, Strawberry Spritz is one of a trio of sweet cheeses launched by Vermont Creamery in the past year, including Honey Truffle and soon-to-be-released Chocolate and Cherry goat cheese.
“We are always thrilled to be recognized among our peers at the Specialty Food Association,” said Gina Martano, R&D Manager at Vermont Creamery. “This award is a testament to our team's commitment to truly innovative flavor profile development, always prioritizing taste above all.”
“The Sofi™ Awards recognize the best, most innovative products in the Specialty Food Industry and the creative, passionate people who make them,” said Bill Lynch, President of the Specialty Food Association. “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 qualified SFA members in good standing. New and Gold Award winners in each category are featured in the Sofi™ Spotlight Pavilion at the Summer and Winter Fancy Food Shows.
The Specialty Food Association partners with the 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, as well as ingredient quality and innovation.
For a full list of winners, visit https://www.specialtyfood.com/.
About Vermont Creamery
Founded in 1984 and B Corp certified since 2014, Vermont Creamery is a pioneer of artisan cheese, winning countless national and international awards for its suite of cheeses and cultured dairy products, while supporting a network of family farms and promoting sustainable agriculture in the region. Ranked in the top 10% of most purposeful brands according to the 2021 Purpose Power Index, Vermont Creamery is an independently operated subsidiary of Minnesota-based Dairy Cooperative Land ‘O Lakes, Inc. For more information, visit https://www.vermontcreamery.com.
About the Specialty Food Association
The not-for-profit Specialty Food Association (SFA) is the leading membership trade association and a source of information about the $175 billion specialty food industry. Founded in 1952 in New York City, the SFA prides itself on being an organization by the members and for the members, representing thousands of specialty food makers and manufacturers, importers, retailers, buyers, distributors, brokers, and others in the trade. The SFA owns and operates the Fancy Food Shows, which are the largest specialty food industry events in North America, as well as the Sofi™ Awards, which have honored excellence in specialty food and beverage annually since 1972. The SFA produces the Trendspotter Panel annual predictions, the State of the Specialty Food Industry Report, Today's Specialty Food Consumer research, the Spill & Dish podcast, year-round educational programming for professionals at every stage of their business journey, and SFA Feed, the industry's go-to daily source for news, trends, and new product information. Find out more online and connect with the SFA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.