SAN DIEGO, CA – The 2019 NGA Show will feature the Specialty Food Association’s (SFA) 2018 sofitm Awards gold winners in the new SFA Pavilion on the EXPO floor. From more than 2,650 entries, sampled in blind tastings by a national panel of culinary experts, 156 products across 39 categories were chosen to receive a 2018 sofi Award. The winning products within the Gold category from brands such as Improper Goods, Loacker USA, La Tourangelle, Vermont Creamery and more, will be on display. The pavilion is a new addition to The NGA Show, which is being held at the San Diego Convention Center, February 24-27. For more information on The NGA Show, visit www.thengashow.com.
For more than 45 years, the sofi Awards have played a critical role in honoring and advancing culinary excellence and creativity worldwide. Applications for the 2019 sofi Awards open in February 2019. For information, visit www.sofiawards.com.
“We are thrilled the Specialty Food Association will be hosting a new pavilion at our 2019 show and will be showcasing the sofi Award winners within their space,” said Peter Larkin, President and CEO of the National Grocers Association. “These awards celebrate excellence and creativity in the industry, something The NGA Show strives to do each year.”
The 2018 sofi Product of the Year winner was the Bitter Housewife – Cardamom Bitter by Improper Goods, LLC. Gold winners from 2018 will be represented in each of these product categories: Baked Goods; Baking Mix, Baking Ingredient; Barbecue Sauce; Cheese; Chocolate Candy; Chocolate; Cold Beverage; Condiment; Confection; Cookie; Cooking Sauce, Marinade; Cracker; Dairy, Yogurt, Dairy Alternative; Dessert Sauce or Topping; Gluten-Free; Granola, Cereal; Honey; Hot Beverage; Ice Cream, Gelato, Frozen Treat; Jam, Preserve; Meat, Poultry, Charcuterie; Nut Butter, Seed Butter; Oil; Past, Rice, Grain; Pasta Sauce Pickle, Preserved Vegetable; Salad Dressing; Salsa, Dip; Savory Appetizer, Soup, Stew; Seafood; Seasoning, Spice; Snack; Vegan Product; and Vinegar. For more information about the sofi Award winners, visithttps://www.specialtyfood.com/awards/sofi/winners/.
The NGA Show will be held February 24-27, 2019 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA, and will feature over 60 educational workshops and sessions, more than 400 companies on the EXPO Floor, and several special events, including the National Best Bagger Championship, the NGA Creative Choice Awards, the NGA Student Case Study Competition, and much more.
The NGA Show has been the place where independent grocers gather for over 30 years, connecting supermarket retailers and wholesalers, food manufacturers and service providers from around the world to share innovative solutions and best practices that support and strengthen the independent supermarket channel. The NGA Show is produced and managed by Clarion UX as part of the Food & Beverage Portfolio in partnership with the National Grocers Association (NGA). For more information and to register, visit www.theNGAshow.com.
The National Grocers Association (NGA) is the national trade association representing the retail and wholesale grocers that comprise the independent sector of the food distribution industry. An independent retailer is a privately owned or controlled food retail company operating a variety of formats. The independent grocery sector is accountable for close to one percent of the nation’s overall economy and is responsible for generating $131 billion in sales, 944,000 jobs, $30 billion in wages, and $27 billion in taxes. NGA members include retail and wholesale grocers, state grocers’ associations, as well as manufacturers and service suppliers. For more information about NGA, visit www.nationalgrocers.org.
Clarion UX (www.clarionux.com) produces 37 events across 13 sectors of both trade and consumer events. Clarion UX, which is the U.S. division of Clarion Events, UK, and backed by The Blackstone Group has become one of the fastest growing event companies in the U.S. with aggressive growth through both acquisition and launch. Clarion acquired PennWell in early 2018, bringing 4 Tradeshow 200 events into the U.S. portfolio and super-charging the already rapid growth. Clarion UX has offices in Trumbull, CT; Kennesaw, GA; Boca Raton, FL; Tacoma, WA, and Fairlawn, NJ. www.clarionux.com
