West African Fonio Pilafs Win “Best New Pantry Food” Category
Brooklyn, New York (June 16, 2021) – Yolélé, Revolutionary African Foods company and purveyor of the ancient grain fonio, is one of only 23 winners of the New Hope Network 2021 Expo West Virtual NEXTY Award for outstanding new products in the natural products industry. Yolélé’s collection of Fonio Pilafs won for Best New Pantry Food.
Yolélé’s Fonio Pilafs offer an opportunity to explore new ingredients and push culinary boundaries. Fonio Pilafs are available in 5 varieties (Jollof, Yassa!, Dakar Curry, Afro-Funk, and Greens!) are gluten-free, and are ready in just five minutes. Each flavor is rooted in West African cultures and cuisines, inspired by the dishes and ingredients of co-founder chef Pierre Thiam's home country, Senegal.
"This level of international recognition is incredibly significant as an African company,” says Thiam. “We eat dishes like this every day, but we don’t see them much on American tables. To see them identified as pantry staples -- and to win an award for them -- is unbelievably gratifying.”
Yolélé partnered with trusted ingredient suppliers Woodland Foods to help bring their vision to life.
“Partnering with Yolélé and helping to bring this amazing grain to the American table has been an incredible experience for Woodland Foods,” says Aram Karapetian, President of Woodland Foods. “From the very first meeting where we heard Chef Pierre Thiam’s vision to today where that vision has been brought to life, and fonio is being recognized as a pantry staple – it’s just been such a privilege to be a part of this journey.”
The New Hope Network announced the 2021 NEXTY Award Winners during the Expo West show.
“We consider ourselves industry experts on the New Hope Network editorial team. Through extensive debate and deliberation, we have carefully selected 23 outstanding brands that are pushing the natural products industry towards a healthier and more sustainable future for people and planet,” says Adrienne Smith, who manages the NEXTY Awards program at New Hope Network. “To rise above hundreds of other nominations is an incredible feat. We are incredibly excited about these products and the impact they can have on our food system. The winners of our NEXTY Awards inspire change and integrity in everything from ingredients to packaging.”
Yolélé co-founders Pierre Thiam and Philip Teverow have a purpose-driven model that goes beyond delicious food to investing in thousands of rural West African smallholder farmers. They have partnered with organizations on the ground in the Sahel region to establish a sustainable growth model for the tiny, ancient grain that has been cultivated in West Africa for more than 5,000 years. Experts celebrate fonio as a climate-smart crop that thrives in poor soil with little water. Yolélé recognizes its untapped potential to re-green a region suffering from rapid desertification and climate change. The company plans to expand their line into other traditional and impactful African ingredients in the future.
Fonio Pilafs are available at Yolele.com, Amazon, Whole Foods Markets in the Northeast and North Atlantic regions, and other retailers nationwide. Fonio Pilafs are available to retailers via UNFI, KeHE, Renaissance Specialty Foods, Chex Finer Foods, and Associated Buyers, as well as online via Mable and Faire. Fonio Pilafs are also available in foodservice pack sizes.
For more information visit Yolele.com and follow them on Instagram.
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Yolélé was created to share delicious, vibrant West African ingredients with the world, beginning with fonio. Yolélé was co-founded by Phil Teverow, industry veteran, and Pierre Thiam, chef, cookbook author, global ambassador for African cuisine and culture, and longtime advocate for sustainability and biodiversity. Yolélé’s purpose is to create economic opportunity for smallholder farming communities; to promote biodiverse, regenerative farming systems; and to introduce Africa's ingredients to tables around the world. Yolélé has partnered with trusted ingredient suppliers Woodland Foods to help bring their vision to life.
Woodland Foods is a specialty food company headquartered in Waukegan, IL, specializing in global sourcing, custom blending, and processing. For three decades, Woodland Foods has striven to meet the evolving needs of manufacturing, food service, and retail customers by offering a diverse selection of natural specialty food ingredients. Via their partnerships with Yolélé and smallholder farmers in West Africa, Woodland Foods is able to share the ingredients of Africa with kitchens around the world.
The NEXTY Awards is a biannual awards program connected to New Hope Network's in-person and digital events. They were created to recognize the pinnacle of excellence in the natural products industry, elevating impactful brands and products that inspire a healthy, sustainable future for people and planet. Learn about the NEXTY Awards at nextyawards.com.