Announcing the 2011 Gourmet Product Awards Winners

Los Angeles, CA — Oct 26, 2011 / (http://www.myprgenie.com/) — via GourmetWire.com – The Gourmet Product Awards has announced the winners of its first annual awards program today.

Dozens of food judges, VIP, celebrity chefs, professional consultants and specialty retail store owners revealed their top picks for the best new gourmet products for 2011. Forty Three winners were chosen from multiple categories ranging from Baby Products, Baked Goods, Beverages, Cheese, Cookies and Snacks, Dairy to Oils, Dressings, Organic and more that included many acclaimed new products. The awards revealed the growing interest in healthy ingredients, green packaging, organic and raw products, supporting charitable causes and more.

The complete list of the 2011 Gourmet Product Award winners can be found online at www.GourmetAwards.org and many of the companies displayed have representatives available to talk about their award winning new products.

The awards process for the first year was both interesting and challenging. Throughout the summer, the awards committee received a number of outstanding nominations for over 900 products. The process for evaluating and selecting only the best products and in this regard only one recipient for each category in the Gourmet Awards was truly difficult.

During the program the award presenters took time out from the program to recognize the work of the dozens of people who were involved, the nominators, the judges, food panels, festival producers, contest advisors & members of the awards committee who devoted their time, expertise, and energies to these fine selections.

2011 Winners List Sent via Gourmetwire.com

View by Category / Product / Website

Baby Product: Wean Cubes www.weangreen.com

Baked Goods – Innovation: Elizabeth Jean’s Homemade Pie Kit www.elizabethjeanspiekit.com

Baked Goods – Mix: Marion’s Gluten-Free Cookie and Muffin mix  www.marionssmartdelights.com

Baked Goods – Packaged: Alfajor de dulce de leche (Double Caramel Filled Cookie) www.ultracongelados.com.ar

BBQ + Grilling, Barware, etc: Gourmet Grilling Planks www.afireinc.com

Beverage – Bagged Tea: Naturally Sweet Tea www.republicoftea.com

Beverage – Coffee: Mokk-a www.mokk-a.com

Beverage – Herbal Tea: Coconut Hibiscus Tea www.republicoftea.com

Beverage – Loose Leaf Tea: Milk Oolong Full-Leaf Loose Tea www.republicoftea.com

Beverages – Juice: Juices with Fruit bits www.Mayafoods.com

Beverages – Mix: Shaken Mango Passion Green Iced Tea www.bigtrain.com

Beverages – Water: HINT Fizz www.drinkhint.com

Breakfast Item: Malibu Pies www.malibupies.com

Cheese: Reading www.sbfcheese.org

Chocolate: Million Dollar Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bar www.bartonscandy.com

Condiments: Hot Mama’s Sweet Pepper Sauce www.hotmamasbelize.com

Confections: Green Apple Butter Caramel www.bequetconfections.com

Cookie: Brent & Sam’s Premium Soft & Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies www.snyderslance.com

Dairy: Magnolia Premium Tropical Ice Cream www.magnoliaplease.com

Dressing and Marinades: Coconut Citrus Vinaigrette www.schoolhousekitchen.com

Fruits & Vegetables: Tillen Farms ‘Bada Bing’ Cherries www.tillenfarms.com

Garlic, Mushrooms & Olives: Himalaya Truffle www.greatporcini.com

Gourmet Promotions and Gift Ideas: Pie in a Jar www.sweetshopusa.com

Kitchen Utensils, Gadgets, Chef Items: Ozonator www.ozonator.com

Lifestyle and Health Choices: TopChips www.topchips.com

New Gourmet Food Products: Teaspoon Willie’s Everything Sauce www.teaspoonwillies.com

Oils – Olive: Rallis Olive Oil www.icepressed.com

Oils (nut, veg, seed, other): Stoger Pumpkin Seed Oil www.culinary-imports.com

Organic: Chipotle Chile Peanut Butter  www.sunlandinc.com

Popular Foods: Justin’s Organic Peanut Butter Cups www.justinsnutbutter.com

Raw Foods: Rallis Olive Oil www.icepressed.com

Sauces: Ladybird – Everyday Hot Sauce www.ladybirdandfriends.com

Seafood & Fish (caviar, smoked, shell, etc): Homestyle New England Cod Cakes www.pierfish.com

Snacks – Innovation: Gary & Kit’s Gourmet Mountain Mix www.cliffamilywinery.com

Snacks – Salty: Somersault Snack Co – Pacific Sea Salt www.somersaultsnackco.com

Snacks – Sweet: Panda Blueberry Licorice www.pandalicorice.com

Soups, Stews & Beans: Bookbinders Ready to Serve Soup www.bookbinderspecialties.com

Specialty Goods & Items: Keep Cup www.keepcup.com

Spices, Flavorings, Special Ingredients: Rub Joe www.rubjoemeat.com

Spreads, Syrups, Toppings, Jams, Honey etc: Seasonal Preserve Collection www.graceandi.com

Unique Delicious Foods: Grace and I’s Turshi www.graceandi.com

Vinegar (Balsamic, Sherry, etc): Gingras Extra Old Apple Cider Vinegar www.cidervinegar.com

The Winner for most Unique Delicious Foods was Grace and I’s for their Turshi, which is a traditional family condiment somewhere between a pickled chutney and a tangy relish, yet not quite. It is a unique experience yet tastes magically familiar. A complete list of all the 2011 Gourmet Product Award winners shown above can also be found at www.GourmetAwards.org.

“GourmetPresswire.com is excited to be the official media sponsor for the first annual Gourmet Product Awards program.” says Michael Ratner, Editor-in-Chief of the US News Bureau parent company. “We are always looking for the latest new products and keeping ahead of evolving consumer market trends.”

Emerging trends include a move toward healthier and more natural foods along with environmental concerns highlighting increased consumer attention to quality and growing concern for value.

Breaking new ground for its 1st year, the Gourmet Product Awards recognizes companies and individuals from around the world that market products in North America.

To schedule an interview with any of the winners email or more info admin@gourmetawards.org

The Gourmet Awards is an independent industry competition and media production. The Gourmet Products entered were nominated between July and August, 2011. Nominations for the first half of the 2012 awards season will open up shortly after the New Year.

GourmetWire.com is the first internationally targeted news distribution service focused on high end retail products. A division of the US News Bureau, GourmetWire serves a variety of media organizations including broadcast and cable television, radio, print and online news outlets.