The highest scoring sofi Award winning product across all categories and the highest scoring New Product sofi Award winner were announced during last night’s award celebration at the Summer Fancy Food Show.
The Product of the Year Award winner is Sterling Caviar’s Royal Grade White Sturgeon Caviar. Also known as “black gold,” the Royal grade White Sturgeon caviar is identified by its medium to large, semi-firm to firm eggs. Colors range from onyx to light or dark brown. The caviar has a creamy mouthfeel preceded by a rich, nutty flavor and aromas of mildly sweet, salty sea air, according to the company.
When accepting the award, Myra Tallerico, general manager/COO of Sterling Caviar said "We have an amazing story to share as far as our sustainability and the traceability of our products. Let us share it with you."
The New Product of the Year Award winner is Tait Farm Foods’ The Original Shrub. The product was inspired by the classic pairing of fresh limes and mint. The maker infuses its lime vinegar with fragrant, fresh mint. The result is a bright, and refreshing Shrub. Mixed with sparkling water, it’s a non-alcoholic beverage that can be used to make craft cocktails.
"I’m honored and humbled," said Kim Tait of Tait Farm Foods. "I’ve walked these halls for 30 years so this has been truly an honor. We’ve made shrub for 35 years. The world of shrub has come a long way from when we had an overabundance of raspberries on a small organic farm in Pennsylvania and first made and sold it in 1986 at a farmers' market. We’ve been making shrub since then."
Available only to product-qualified members of the SFA, the sofi Awards were judged at the Food Innovation Center at Rutgers University, the SFA’s partner for the awards. FIC experts evaluated products using anonymous tastings across 47 categories using criteria that included flavor, appearance, texture, aroma, ingredient quality, and innovation. Just over 100 specialty food products were awarded Gold, and New Product, trophies. The full list of 2022 sofi Award winners can be found here.
Lifetime Achievement and Leadership Award winners and Hall of Fame inductees were also honored during last night's ceremony. They include:
Recipients include:
2022 Leadership Award Winners
Business
Kathrine Gregory, The Entrepreneur Incubator Space LLC
Citizenship
Joe Hanni, PS Seasoning & Spices
Vision
Tom Simmons, The Supplant Company
2021 Lifetime Achievement Award Winners
Sotiris Kitrilakis, Big Picture Foods
2022 Lifetime Achievement Award Winners
Rex Howell-Smith, Central Market-Texas
Becky Renfro Borbolla, Renfro Foods, Inc.
Sandi Ford, Ford’s Foods
Lorenza Pasetti, Volpi Foods
Donato Cinelli, Universal Marketing SRL
Lou Foah, Foah International LLC
Greg Hinson, O Olive Oil & Vinegar
Marygrace Sexton, Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company
Caryl Levine and Ken Lee, Lotus Foods
Pierluigi Sini, Forever Cheese
Dariush and Jamshid Soofer, Sadaf Foods
Ted Dennard, Savannah Bee Company
Related: Fancy Food Show Attendees to Taste It Live!; Pasta Sauce, Grown Up Flavor, Sustainable Choice Are On the Radar at the Summer Show.