Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/375622
HOW JUDGING WORKS The sofi Awards judging process spans many months and stages, during which thousands of product submissions are evaluated and tasted by a panel of judges. Entries are assessed based on such attributes as taste, quality, innovation, ingredient profile, merchandisability, and best in class. Here are the highlights: • April-May: A national panel of specialty food professionals convened over eight days to taste and evaluate all entries and select 125 finalists. The judging is broken up into two parts: Part 1 with 30 categories, and Part 2 focusing exclusively on Outstanding New Product and Outstanding Product Line entries. • June 29-30: Final judging round for all 125 finalists took place on-site at the Summer Fancy Food Show. This year, 275 participating retail and foodservice buyers tasted and cast votes for their favorites in each category. • June 30: The red-carpet awards ceremony revealed and celebrated the 34 winners (with ties in two categories). The finalist judging panel comprised retailers, journalists, and foodservice professionals. This year's panel included: Ken Blanchette, Fresh Direct; Vanessa Eagle, Kroger; Mara Miller, Women's Health; Tamira Franz, Mollie Stone's Market; Margaret Furniss, Caviar & Bananas; Kris Furniss, Caviar & Bananas; Robin Hilmantel, Women's Health; Sandy Ingber, Grand Central Oyster Bar; Kathy Klingensmith, Kroger; Eric Larson, Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants; John Lawson, Whole Foods Market; Maria Loi, Loi Restaurant; Mathis Martinez, Kroger; Max McCalman, Artisanal Premium Cheese; Mike McMahon, Bristol Farms; Charles Passy, Wall Street Journal/MarketWatch; David Porat, Chelsea Market Baskets; Nate Plutko, DeLaurenti Foods; Dwight Richmond, Whole Foods Market; Dan Rothman, Whole Foods Market; Francine Segan, food historian/writer; Tori Sickles, Sickles Market; Jerry James Stone, Cooking Stoned; Tina Ujlacki, Food & Wine; Rachel Wharton, Edible Brooklyn. FALL 2014 S5 the judges PHOTOS: EVA MESZAROS