Sunday Night Foods Celebrates 2nd sofi in 2 Years
Sunday Night Foods has won the New Product Award for the second year in a row in the Dessert Toppings category as part of the Specialty Food Association’s 2023 sofi Awards, a top honor in the $175 billion specialty food industry. Sunday Night will be showcasing its award-winning sauce June 25-27 at the Summer Fancy Food Show in Booth #1354 at the Javits Center in New York.
Sunday Night’s Dark Chocolate + Peppermint Premium Dessert Sauce was one of the winners selected by a panel of specialty food experts from nearly 2,000 entries across 53 categories. Products were judged on taste – including flavor, appearance, texture and aroma – ingredient quality and innovation. All tastings were anonymous and held at the Rutgers Food Innovation Center.
Sunday Night also won a New Product sofi™ Award in 2022, with its Dark + Decadent Chocolate Premium Dessert Sauce, just seven months after launching the company.
“Winning a sofi Award is a testament to our craft in perfecting a silky, glossy chocolate ganache from the finest pure ingredients,” said Eileen Gannon, founder and CEO of Sunday Night Foods. “We are honored and grateful to win one of the highest awards in specialty food for the second time.”
“The sofi Awards recognize the best, most innovative products in the Specialty Food Industry and the creative, passionate people who make them,” said SFA President Bill Lynch. “Winning a sofi Award can open doors to new markets and expand business opportunities for the winners, which is central to the SFA’s work on behalf of its member makers and manufacturers.”
Sunday Night’s luxurious, velvety sauces are made without corn syrup, preservatives, palm oil or emulsifiers. The premium ingredients allow the pure flavors to shine through: Rich, robust chocolate with fragrant, fresh-brownie cocoa notes and an essence of ripened fruit and warm spices, with hints of buttery caramel, pure vanilla and sea salt.
“Consumers want better food, but they are busy,” said Gannon. “We created our sauces so people never have to compromise on taste and quality, even when they don’t have time.”
More than just for ice cream, Sunday Night sauces can be quickly transformed into homemade cakes, pies, puddings, frostings and drinks by adding just a few ingredients. More than 50 recipes and sweet inspirations can be found at SundayNightFoods.com.
“Our brand isn’t just about the food – it’s about helping people connect around a table or a couch or a campfire, whether it’s in person or on a video call thousands of miles apart,” said Gannon. “We created the Sunday Night brand so people can easily enjoy that same feeling of comfort, care and kindness any time they wish.”
Sunday Night donates 1 percent of sales to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Sunday Night’s Premium Dessert Sauces are available at select supermarkets, specialty stores and online at SundayNightFoods.com. To find stores, visit: https://sundaynightfoods.com/pages/store-locator
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Niman Ranch Calls Prop 12 Ruling ‘Watershed Moment for Animal Welfare’
Chipotle Young Farmers Initiative full rights photography
Niman Ranch, the humane animal care leader, today released the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Proposition 12.
“This is a truly watershed moment for animal welfare. Since day one, Niman Ranch has been one of the only companies to ban the use of crates for raising hogs and today our more than 500 independent family farmer partners proudly raise their pigs 100 percent crate free. We applaud the Supreme Court’s decision and this historic moment for humane animal care.”
– Chris Oliviero, General Manager, Niman Ranch
California’s Proposition 12, passed in 2018, requires farmers to provide more space for egg-laying hens, breeding pigs and calves raised for veal including that these animals be able to stand up, lie down, turn around and extend their limbs. It would also ban the sale of products in the state that do not meet the new standards. On May 11, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Proposition 12 as constitutional.
Niman Ranch is a network of independent family farmers and ranchers raising pork, beef and lamb humanely and sustainably, with no antibiotics or added hormones—ever. Niman Ranch is the largest farmer and rancher network in North America to be Certified Humane, an animal welfare certification considered rigorous and meaningful by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The company has always been 100 percent crate free and goes much further with animals raised outdoors or in deeply bedded pens, with no tail docking, teeth clipping or other standard industry practices.
Niman Ranch is the only pork company to submit an Amicus Brief to the Supreme Court in support of Proposition 12. Its products are available at values driven restaurants and grocers across the country. Customers include Shake Shack, Chipotle and ButcherBox.
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Florida Food Products Hires Neat as CFO
Florida Food Products, LLC, one of the world’s largest independent providers of natural ingredients, has named Kevin Neat, former chief financial officer of Johnson & Johnson’s North American Consumer Health business (now publicly listed as Kenvue), as chief financial officer. Neat will be a part of FFP’s executive leadership team and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of FFP’s financial and IT functions.
Neat boasts more than two decades of international experience leading high performance finance teams at companies across the consumer packaged goods, healthcare, aerospace and chemical manufacturing industries. He has successfully managed large organizations, collaborated in the development and implementation of effective business growth strategies, and developed and delivered profitability improvement initiatives. Most recently, as Neat oversaw the business responsible for some of the world’s best-known brands, including Band-Aid, Tylenol and Neutrogena, among others.
“We are thrilled to welcome Kevin – well-recognized for his track record in developing and leading best-in-class finance organizations – to FFP as we continue to strengthen our leadership team,” said Jim Holdrieth, chief executive officer. “Over the past 18 months. we have successfully and strategically scaled our business, completing four strategic acquisitions, and are confident that Kevin’s decades of experience will be invaluable as we continue to grow FFP.”
Neat added, “I am pleased to join FFP as we scale, diversify, and accelerate our growth. I look forward to working with the talented FFP team to help the Company continue on its successful path by providing natural, healthy, high-quality ingredients to leading consumer brands, manufacturers, and foodservice distributors.”
Neat has spent most of his career in progressively senior global finance leadership positions at J&J, including the medical devices and supply chain divisions. He also served in senior financial leadership roles at McNeil Nutritionals, the producer of SPLENDA sweeteners, VIACTIV Dietary Supplements, and LACTAID branded products, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Cordis Corporation, B/E Aerospace and International Paper. Neat earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration finance and an M.B.A. from Stetson University.
Founded in 1954, Florida Food Products is one of the world’s largest, independent provider of natural ingredients. FFP formulates and produces innovative clean label fruit, vegetable, and botanical based ingredients serving the food, beverage, and health end markets. The company’s products offer compelling alternatives to chemically derived ingredients and can enhance such things as taste, texture, shelf life, moisture and color. The company operates facilitates across the country and partners with some of the most respected consumer brands, manufacturers, and foodservice providers. For additional information, please visit Florida Food Products’ website.
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