Nearly 2,000 Products Competed for the Top Specialty Food Association Award
Brooklyn, NY (May 9, 2022) – RIND by Dina & Joshua’s Carrot Cheese Slices and Lapsang Mini Wheel have won the new product award and the gold award, respectively, in the Plant Based - Other Dairy category as part of the Specialty Food Association’s (SFA) 2022 sofi™ Awards, a top honor in the $170.4 billion specialty food industry.
The Carrot Cheese Slices and Lapsang Mini Wheel were two of 102 winners selected by a panel of specialty food experts from nearly 2,000 entries across 53 product categories. Products are judged on taste, including flavor, appearance, texture and aroma, ingredient quality, and innovation. All tastings are anonymous and are held at the Rutgers Food Innovation Center.
“We’re honored to win two top awards,” says co-founder Dina DiCenso. “Our Carrot Cheese Slices, which use real carrot puree, is not just a true original for the entire cheese space, but its melty and flavorful characteristics are attracting renowned restaurants and national grocers. People want healthier and more delicious plant-based cheese options, and we’ve delivered.”
“A sofi™ Gold Award is one of the ultimate stamps of approval and we’re very grateful,” says co-founder Joshua Katcher. Our cave-aged, Lapsang Mini Wheels incorporate real Lapsang Souchong tea leaves that infuse our signature vegan camembert and bleu cheese body with delicate, clean smoke and floral resin notes for a truly special cheese experience.”
The sofi Awards are open to members of the SFA and have been given each year since 1972. Winners will be showcased at the 2022 Summer Fancy Food Show, running June 12-14, at the Javits Center in New York City. RIND will be in booth 7211. Open only to the trade, it is the largest East Coast B2B-only specialty food and beverage show. For more information, visit specialtyfood.com.
About RIND by Dina & Joshua
RIND by Dina & Joshua is a multiple sofi™ Award-winning vegan cheese company known for our soft-ripened, French-style plant-based cheeses with authentic mold rinds, as well as our innovative, melty and delicious Carrot Cheese slices. RIND was founded in 2017 by Dina DiCenso and Joshua Katcher. Headquartered in NYC’s historic Brooklyn Army Terminal, RIND is transforming the cheese market by combining vegan innovation with cheese-making traditions. RIND's current line of products include Cambleu, Camembert, Bleu, Paprika, Herbs De Provence, Lapsang, and Horseradish varieties. Vegan cheese spreads come in Classic Romano, Cranberry, Herbs De Provence, and Horseradish. We are currently expanding into more slices, shreds, cream cheeses and rolling out into major grocers and restaurants.
For a list of stores to buy our products, visit www.rind.nyc or instagram @rind.cheese.
About the Specialty Food Association
The Specialty Food Association (SFA) has been the leading trade association and source of information about the $170.4 billion specialty food industry for 70 years. Founded in 1952 in New York City, the SFA represents manufacturers, importers, retailers, distributors, brokers, and others in the trade. The SFA is known for its Fancy Food Shows; the sofi™ Awards, which have honored excellence in specialty food and beverage for 50 years; the Trendspotter Panel Show reports and annual predictions; the State of the Specialty Food Industry Report and Today's Specialty Food Consumer research; the ecommerce enabled SFA Product Marketplace, where members showcase products and sell directly to qualified buyers; SFA Feed, the daily source for industry news, trends and new product information, and Spill & Dish: A Specialty Food Association Podcast.
SFA Press Contact: [email protected] SFA TikTok: specialtyfoodassociation SFA Twitter: @Specialty_Food
SFA Instagram: @specialtyfoodassociation SFA Hashtags: #FancyFoodShow #FancyFoodNYC #sofiAwards #sofiStory