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://specialtyfoodmagazine.epubxp.com/i/691740
Behind the Scenes at the 2016 sofi Awards Judging This year was the most competitive contest in sofi Awards history, with a record 849 members submitting 3,200 entries across 28 categories. A panel of 46 culi- nary and category experts tasted and evaluated each entry in a blind tasting across two weeks in May at the Specialty Food Association offices in New York. Judges represented diverse and deep expertise across many areas of the special- ty food industry, from chefs to category exports to buyers to cookbook authors. Find more information and winners and finalists at sofiawards.com presented by EMBRACE HUNGER RELIEF WEEK RECAP S pecialty Food Foundation's fourth Embrace Hunger Relief Week brought together members of the specialty food community to support the hunger relief efforts in their own locales. Member companies donated products ranging from 1,500 pounds of fatbread (California Lavash) to 1,000 cook- ies (Nomoo Cookies) to their community kitchens. In connection with Volunteer Appreciation Week, other member companies like Rhythm Superfoods and Seattle Chocolates made time to volunteer at local food banks during the week. DPI Specialty Foods participated across fve divisions (Corporate/West Division, Northwest Division, Rocky Mountain Division, Dedicated Logistics, and Mid Atlantic Division) with food donations coming from DPI itself as well as employee food drives. Employee groups volunteered at local re-packs in some communities. Benefciaries of DPI's incredible generos- ity included: Food Bank of the Rockies (Colorado), Tualatin School House Pantry (Oregon), Mercy House (Southern California), St. Cletus Food Pantry (Illinois), and Bowie Food Pantry (Maryland). Specialty Food Association staff had the chance to get in on the Embrace Hunger Relief Week action by volunteering at City Harvest's mobile market in Washington Heights, N.Y., where they were part of a well-oiled machine that distributed 17,000 pounds of produce (pictured right). The next #EHR16 week coincides with Feeding America's Hunger Action Month and will take place September 19–25, 2016. We urge SFA member companies to get involved and make a remarkable difference. SUMMER 2016 147