NEW WINDSOR, NY — Cafe Spice has won the New Product sofi™ Award for their Pomegranate & Walnut Chicken with Persian Rice, and the Silver sofi™ Award for their Chicken Tikka Masala with Saffron Rice, both in the Entrees, Lunch & Dinner category as part of the Specialty Food Association’s 2021 sofi Awards, a top honor in the $158 billion specialty food industry.
Cafe Spice is a family owned and operated business whose dedication to quality and authenticity is evident in their heat-and-eat meals and food service offerings that blend together a rich culinary history with wholesome, flavor-forward ingredients.
Cafe Spice’s Chicken Tikka Masala with Saffron Rice and Pomegranate & Walnut Chicken with Persian Rice were two of 130 winners selected by a panel of specialty food experts from nearly 1,500 entries across 49 product categories. Products were judged on taste, including flavor, appearance, texture and aroma, ingredient quality and innovation. All tastings are blind. The sofi judging was held at the prestigious Rutgers Food Innovation Center in April following strict safety guidelines.
Cafe Spice’s signature dish, Chicken Tikka Masala with Saffron Rice uses chicken that is marinated in tandoori spiced yogurt, roasted and then added to a mouth-watering tomato sauce, prepared with a hint of cream and aromatic spices. The dish is paired with Basmati saffron rice, which is grown in the Himalayan foothills, prepared with real saffron threads and cooked with whole cardamom pods and bay leaves.
The Cafe Spice Pomegranate & Walnut Chicken with Persian Rice is an exciting addition to our culinary portfolio of global cuisines. It combines the sweet and sour taste of pomegranate with silky walnut cream for a rich, warm combination. Tender pieces of chicken are simmered in this delicious sauce. Served with fragrant Persian-style rice with golden fried onions.
Cafe Spice checks off a long list of must haves for everyday consumers looking for fresh, healthy meals. They offer a wide range of gluten-free meals, and use non-GMO ingredients, expeller-pressed non-GMO oils, rBST free milk, and humanely-raised antibiotic and hormone free meats that are sourced locally whenever possible.
“We are thrilled that our Chicken Tikka Masala with Saffron Rice won a silver sofi™ award for two consecutive years, and we are equally excited to have our Pomegranate & Walnut Chicken with Persian Rice win the New Product sofi™ Award, both in the Entrees, Lunch & Dinner category,” said Sameer Malhotra, Co-Founder and President of Cafe Spice. “These wins affirm that consumers are interested in heat-and-eat restaurant quality meals that highlight bold and exotic flavors from around the globe.”
Cafe Spice Chicken Tikka Masala with Saffron Rice is available at national and independent retailers, specialty food stores, food co-ops and online retailers nationwide.The Pomegranate & Walnut Chicken with Persian Rice is currently available at select Whole Foods Markets and will be expanding to other retailers nationwide. For more information on where to purchase, visit cafespice.com/pages/find-in-stores.
About Cafe Spice
Pioneering restaurateur Sushil Malhotra and his son Sameer Malhotra had a vision in 2003: Let the bold flavors and tempting aromas of global cuisine power authentic, ready-to-heat-and-eat food for the soul. This commitment to fresh, clean and delicious meals is the essence of Cafe Spice, whose story spans decades from the Malhotras’ native India to New York City. Cafe Spice’s heat-and-eat delicacies set the standard by blending homage to rich culinary history with new, modern tastes featuring the highest-quality natural and wholesome, flavor-forward ingredients. Every bite is satisfying and exotic, and Cafe Spice features organic, gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options. Meals are easily accessible across the United States, because no matter where you are, there’s always room for a little adventure. Learn more at CafeSpice.com.
About the Specialty Food Association
The Specialty Food Association (SFA), is the leading trade association and source of information about the $158.4 billion specialty food industry. Founded in 1952 in New York City, the SFA represents makers, importers, retailers, distributors, and others in the trade. The SFA is known for its Fancy Food Shows; the sofi™ Awards, which honor excellence in specialty food and beverage; Trendspotter Panel Show reports and annual predictions; the State of the Specialty Food Industry Report; the Product Marketplace database, featuring specialty foods and beverages in 161 categories and sub-categories; Infinite Aisle, a new ecommerce marketplace that enables SFA Members to make buyer-maker connections and sales year-round; and Specialty Food LIVE!™, a digital marketplace experience.
