The votes are in for Refrigerated & Frozen Foods’ 2017 Best New Retail Products contest. Congratulations to the Top 5 processors, and thank you to all of our readers for your participation.
La Brea Bakery: Frozen Rolls, Baguettes— 25,231 votes.
La Brea Bakery, Los Angeles, nabbed the highest amount of votes ever in the five years of this contest running with its new Take & Bake French Dinner Rolls and French Demi Baguettes. Go to http://bit.ly/2s4ruer to read an exclusive interview.
Bolthouse Farms: MAIO Line of Refrigerated Yogurt-Based Spreads—22,023 votes.
Bolthouse Farms, Bakersfield, Calif., introduced Bolthouse Farms MAIO, a new line of refrigerated, yogurt-based spreads made with clean ingredients. The MAIO spreads come in Plain, Chipotle and Garlic varieties. Go to http://bit.ly/2qWtwcm to read an exclusive interview.
Lezzetli Mediterranean Ice Cream: Chewy Ice Cream—5,046 votes.
Lezzetli Mediterranean Ice Cream, New York, is said to be the first U.S. company to bring pints of chewy ice cream to market. Combining ingredients found in Turkey, Greece and the Levant, Lezzetli Mediterranean Ice Cream comes in Chios Vanilla, Chocolate Orange Blossom, Spiced Date and Tart Cherry, which a limited-edition flavor, Mastiha, available in select stores. Go to http://bit.ly/2sfXKLk to read an exclusive interview.
Celebrity Chef Robert Irvine: Signature Sidekicks Side Dishes—3,590 votes.
Celebrity chef Robert Irvine introduced a new line of Signature Sidekicks side dishes, sold exclusively in the fresh produce section at Walmart. Signature Sidekicks feature neatly packaged, quality ingredients that can be prepared with just three simple steps in less than 10 minutes. Varieties include Garlic Balsamic Broccoli, Sesame Ginger Stir Fry, Provençal Ratatouille and Braised Collard Greens. Go to http://bit.ly/2qWZMvI to read an exclusive interview.
Hy-Vee & Robinson Fresh: Misfits “Ugly” Produce—3,553 votes.
To further combat the nation’s food waste issue, Hy-Vee, West Des Moines, Iowa, partnered with Robinson Fresh, Eden Prairie, Minn., to offer its unique line of Misfits produce. Through the program, 4-6 Misfit items, or ugly produce, are delivered weekly, based on seasonality, and are sold on average at a 30% discount. Go to http://bit.ly/2r2qaIZ to read an exclusive interview.
About the Contest
Refrigerated & Frozen Foods’ editor-in-chief Marina Mayer reviewed all of the new retail products published in print and online at www.RFFmag.com from October 2016 to February 2017. Out of the hundreds of products, she nominated 17 refrigerated and frozen foods and beverages to be named Refrigerated & Frozen Foods’ fifth annual Top 5 Best New Retail Product. To check out the contest, or to review the other nominees, go to http://bit.ly/2lHMrEY.
