Hungry for food and beverage trends? From retail grocery to restaurant and beyond, the industry’s most compelling new products combine trend insights with tastes, technologies and textures. And behind it all are the teams who make it happen. These are the passionate entrepreneurs, innovation and consumer insights strategists, food scientists, research chefs and others who ideate and innovate.

Prepared Foods recognizes all these people with its annual Spirit of Innovation (SOI) Awards. Since 2003, these distinctive awards honor innovators for new product development excellence. This year’s program considered as many as 35 items introduced from January 2023 through March 2024. A panel of nine judges later evaluated approximately 20 items for overall innovation, a R&D team’s problem-solution story and product sensory performance (including taste, appearance, texture, smell, etc.).

Products were considered in each of five categories including Retail Food, Retail Beverage, Foodservice Front of House (addressing consumer trends), Foodservice Back of House (addressing operator needs) and Alternative Channel (products for in-store deli and/or convenience store). Judges also presented an overall “Most Innovative” designation to one new entry.

This year’s honorees reflect some of the industry’s best efforts in snacking and new approaches to formulating snacks and plant-based and non-alcoholic alternatives. Still other items skillfully tackle on-trend tastes (such as maple) and textures.

This year’s honorees, by award category, include …

JUDGES’ SELECTION / MOST INNOVATIVE: Chunk Foods Steak, Chunk Foods

RETAIL FOOD: Campbell’s Goldfish Crisps, Campbell’s

RETAIL BEVERAGE: Magic Cactus Spiced Peach, Magic Cactus

FOODSERVICE / FRONT OF HOUSE: Simplot Maple City Waffle Fries & Bites, Simplot Food Group

FOODSERVICE / BACK OF HOUSE: Rich’s On Top Oat Milk Soft Whip, Rich Products Corp.

ALTERNATE CHANNEL (IN-STORE/C-STORE): MamaMancini’s On the Go Cups, Mama’s Creations

“There’s nothing quite like Prepared Foods’ Spirit of Innovation awards. We’re always excited to showcase noteworthy new products but this platform also lets us honor those R&D team members who made it all happen,” says Bob Garrison, Prepared Foods Editor-in-Chief. “Although we consider sales and sensory benchmarks, we also weight each company’s behind-the-scenes stories—where they identified market gaps and how they overcame R&D challenges. And not surprisingly, this year’s six honorees reflect several cutting-edge industry trends.”

“Each year I’m blown away by how Innovation pushes companies forward in our market,” adds Prepared Foods Publisher Mike Leonard. “We’re honored to see and taste some truly outstanding products “

Prepared Foods Spirit of Innovation Awards Experience!

Prepared Foods hosted a one-hour Spirit of Innovation Awards Program and Integrated Innovation Experience on Nov. 12. This two-part event will included …

… an opening “State of Food & Beverage Innovation” discussion with Chief Editor Bob Garrison and Lu Ann Williams, co-founder and global insights director at Innova Market Insights. This 30-minute discussion covered innovation strategies as well as 10 trends set to impact food and beverage formulating in 2025;

… “Direct from Us” Videos from Winning R&D Teams. This unique video platform let actual R&D team leaders and members directly share their problem-solution stories and product development strategies.

To watch this exclusive event, just register here for FREE!

Fast Facts: Prepared Foods’ Spirit of Innovation Awards

• Prepared Foods’ operational partner is Charlie Baggs Culinary Innovations, a third-party food and beverage product development firm headquartered in Chicago.
• Prepared Foods received more than 150 initial submissions and companies were asked to support nominations with product and innovation details. BNP Media food and beverage editors next used information and industry insights to identify 35 new products that advanced through two rounds of preparation and tasting in August and September at Charlie Baggs Culinary Innovations.
• A panel of nine industry judges evaluated each product against a five-point scale for overall innovation, the team’s problem-solution story and product sensory performance (including taste, appearance, texture, smell, etc.).

Finalist judges included:

• Melanie Bartelme, Global Food Analyst, Mintel
• Nicole Wollack, Sensory and Consumer Insights Manager, Imbibe
• Jenni Spinner, Chief Editor, Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery
• Charlie Baggs, Founder, Charlie Baggs Culinary Innovations
• Zal Taleyarkhan, Corporate Research Chef, Charlie Baggs Culinary Innovations
• Bryce Danner, Research Chef & Kitchen Mgr., Charlie Baggs Culinary Innovations
• Mike Leonard, Publisher, Prepared Foods
• Nick Roskelly, Exec Editor-New Media, Prepared Foods
• Bob Garrison, Chief Editor, Prepared Foods

The annual competition is open to all prepared foods and beverages developed for retail-grocery sales, commercial and non-commercial foodservice operations as well as alternative channel outlets such as in-store deli-bakeries and convenience stores.