We are ex-cidered to announce that our Apple Cider caramels were just named a 2016 sofi™ Award Finalist! For over 40 years, the Specialty Food Association has honored innovators and craftsmen in the specialty food industry with the “Oscars” of the food world – the Specialty Outstanding Food Innovation Awards or sofi™ Awards.
For us, this award has been 4 years in the making. It all started in 2012, when craft cider was just starting to emerge, we picked up a bottle of Citizen Cider Unified Press and, after a few sips, we were determined to incorporate apple, an iconic Vermont flavor, into our chocolate caramels. The result was a fruitful collaboration between our neighbors down the street, Citizen Cider, and Happy Valley Orchard. By blending apple cider and golden caramel with smooth, milk chocolate, we created a confection that embodies the quintessential taste of Vermont in every bite.
The simple phrase, "a taste of Vermont", evokes notions of great taste and craftsmanship. In Vermont, craftsmanship it isn't about being innovative and on the cutting edge, it is about forming win-win partnerships with local neighbors and about utilizing local ingredients to their fullest potential. That is why Vermont has long been regarded as a leader in the specialty food industry. It should come as no surprise that we are joined by a number of other great Vermont companies as sofi Award finalist and winners. Check out some of the winning Vermont products:
Lake Champlain Chocolates (Burlington, VT) - Apple Cider Caramels
Vermont Creamery (Websterville, VT)– Bijou and Bonne Bouche
Blake Hill Preserves (Grafton, VT)– Meyer Lemon Marmalade
Fat Toad Farm (Brookfield, VT)– Vermont Maple Goat’s Milk Caramel
Small Batch Organics (Manchester, VT)– Toasted Coconut Ginger Granola
Jan’s Farmhouse Crisps (Stowe, VT)– Cranberry Pistachio “The Original”
Sugar Bob’s Finest Kind (Londonderry, VT)– Smoked Maple Syrup
Cabot Creamery (Cabot, VT) – Crème Fraîche
Congratulations to the Vermont Specialty Food Association and to all the amazing Vermont companies that were announced yesterday as sofi Awards finalists and winners. We look forward to celebrating with you at the Fancy Food Show in New York this June 26-28 at booth #4220!