NORWICH, Vt., U.S. – My Organic Coco (MOCO)’s Peppermint Hot Chocolate – A Bit Fresh, was the New Product winner for Coffee & Hot Cocoa (Non-Ready-To-Drink) at the Specialty Food Association’s (SFA) 2020 sofi™ Awards, a top honor in the $158 billion specialty food industry.
This year, for the first time, sofi™ judging was held at the prestigious Rutgers Food Innovation Center following strict safety guidelines. In a blind taste test conducted by a panel of specialty food experts, products are judged on taste, including flavor, appearance, texture and aroma, ingredient quality and innovation.
The Norwich, Vermont-based MOCO Peppermint Hot Chocolate was one of 148 winners across 39 product categories from nearly 2,000 entries.
“We’re so honored to win a New Product Award, and it was a big surprise when the notice came,” says Amy Perotti, owner of MOCO. “We are incredibly grateful to receive this stamp of approval!”
The sofi™ Awards are open to members of the Specialty Food Association, a not-for-profit trade association with specialty food industry members across the U.S. The awards have been given each year since 1972.
“It’s a privilege to continue the sofi Award tradition of recognizing extraordinary products and the people behind them,” says SFA Interim President Bill Lynch. “Having great news to celebrate, like the sofi Awards, is revitalizing for all of us in this pandemic year. The sofi finalists represent our dynamic industry – exciting consumers and expanding retail offerings around the world.”
