A popular Atlanta-based salt and sugar business took top honors in this year's UGA's Flavor of Georgia Food Product Contest.
Beautiful Briny Sea, owned by Suzi Sheffield, won the grand prize with its Gunpowder Finishing Salt.
The annual contest, sponsored by the UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, is a chance for food businesses to showcase their new products.
A team of food industry experts and grocery buyers chose Beautiful Briny Sea as the best of 33 finalists. They rated the products on qualities including innovation, use of Georgia theme, market potential and flavor.
Beautiful Briny Sea also won first place in the Sauces and Seasonings category.
The winners were announced at the Flavor of Georgia Day at the Georgia Freight Depot in Atlanta:
- People's' Choice Award: AubSauce, Aubs Company, Decatur
- Barbecue Sauces: Byne Blueberry Farms Inc., Blueberry Barbecue Sauce, Waynesboro
- Beverages: Montane Sparkling Spring Water, Grapefruit/Peach Flavor
- Confections:Pie Provisions, Georgia Blueberry Pie Filling, Kennesaw
- Dairy Products: Smith Family Dairy Farm, Silly Goat Cheese, Norman Park
- Honey and Related Products: Classic City Bee Company, Smoked Honey, Athens
- Jams and Jellies: Savy Confections, Black Cherry Pecan Jam, Fairburn
- Meat and Seafood: Pouch Pies, Chicken, Leek and Thyme Pie, Athens\Norcross
- Miscellaneous: Olive Orchards of Georgia, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Quitman
- Condiments and Salsas: Pine Street Market Bacon Jam, Avondale Estates
- Sauces and Seasonings: Beautiful Briny Sea, Atlanta
- Snack Foods: Hardy's Peanuts Inc., Delicious Dill Pickle Party Peanuts, Hawkinsville
Category winners received an award and membership in the state Department of Agriculture’s Georgia Grown program, and can have their products stamped with the 2019 Flavor of Georgia logo. Many Flavor of Georgia participants have landed spots in regional and national grocery chains like Whole Foods, Ingles, Fresh Market, Earth Fare, Kroger and Harvey’s.
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