Spirit of Innovation Awards

RSS

This May, the National Restaurant Association recognized VMG’s frittata line as a FABI award winner. This July, Prepared Foods’ Spirit of Innovation Award judges also named VMG’s Spinach Egg White Frittata as best new entry in the alternative channel.

A successful product formula needs just the right ingredients in the right proportions. The same axiom applies to a great company and/or a disruptive innovation. It requires just the right combination of people, process, product and consumer appeal—which in this case, involves protein, an essential dietary macronutrient.

Don’t look now but plant-based eggs are changing the landscape. In fact, a plant-based sunnyside up egg from Los Angeles’ Yo Foods Inc. (dba Yo Egg) earned recognition as “Judges’ Selection / Most Innovative Product” in Prepared Foods’ 2022-2023 Spirit of Innovation Awards.

Although it didn’t take long to add up those insights, General Mills admits it took a while to formulate, test, and ultimately develop new Pillsbury Freezer-to-Oven Chocolate Swirled Croissants from General Mills Foodservice. Equally suited to both commercial and non-commercial operations, the croissants debuted this January 2023 after two years in development.

Consumers simply snip a pouch, pour the contents into a cup and microwave it for 45 to 60 seconds. Afterward, they pour the contents into a glass over a cup of ice and then add in a cup of regular or plant-based milk to suit. Flavors introduced since 2021 now include Brown Sugar, Strawberry, Coffee, Mango, Milk Tea, Matcha, and Taro.

Solely says it used its signature, patented cold-pressing process to transform dried green bananas into a traditional fusilli shape and texture. The dark-colored Organic Green Banana Fusilli Pasta cooks to an al-dente texture in just four minutes and is ready to be topped with a sauce or other ingredients.

They say necessity is the mother of invention. Yet here’s the story of an innovation father figure. Meet David Jones, creator of plant-based Bakon and co-founder of Thrilling Foods Inc. in Portland, Ore.

Tastes, trends and teamwork helped seven new products earn top honors in Prepared Foods’ 21^st annual Spirit of Innovation (SOI) awards competition this summer.

Prepared Foods’ Spirit of Innovation Awards recognize product development teams for excellence with innovative new products. Winners are acknowledged for each step of the process: from insights and ideation through formulation and full development of the product. Join the virtual audience on August 9 at 11am EDT.

Sweet Thins were designed to help build the market for watermelon seeds, which come from a variety of watermelon that is specifically grown for its seeds rather than its flesh.