SIAL Canada is pleased to announce the winners of the highly anticipated 2023 International Cheese, Olive d’Or, and Start-Up Pitch competitions. These prestigious events showcased exceptional products and innovative concepts, drawing participants and experts from around the globe.
SIAL Innovation
It rewards the best innovations in the field of food and non-food products, such as packaging and containers. This year’s winners are:
Gold medal: Millenia Tea for their frozen superfood tea, a raw organic tea made from camellia sinensis with flash freezing preserving nutrients.
Silver medal: LOC Industries for their plant-based egg substitutes from Yumgo by Alternative Kitchen, a plant-based range of allergen-free powdered egg substitutes.
Bronze medal: La Presserie for their cold pressed cocktail mixers, a frozen mocktail base with cold-pressed ingredients.
Own the change – Special award: Kingston Aluminum Technology for their shaped aluminum bottles for beverages using less aluminum.
SIAL Cheese
The International Cheese Competition, its third edition in Toronto, saw 231 cheeses from eight countries competing in 25 categories. Chaired by Gurth Pretty and comprising 18 cheese industry professionals, the jury meticulously evaluated each entry. Notably, a new category, Artisanal Farmstead Cheese, was introduced to recognize dairy farmers who produce cheeses from their own herds. The Best Artisanal Farmstead Cheese in Quebec was awarded by the Quebec dairy processors Council (CILQ). The Grand Champion of the competition was Stonetown Artisan Cheese from St. Marys, with their Wildwood cheese, also winning the Champion medal in the Firm Cheese category.
SIAL Olive d’Or
In the 2023 Olive d’Or competition, the finest extra virgin olive oils from around the world were evaluated by a panel of experts led by Christine Cheylan. The competition received a total of 77 olive oils from 12 countries, spanning five continents. The judges carefully selected the top oils in categories such as Ripe Fruity, Light, Medium, Intense, and Aromatic. This year’s event underscored the growing appreciation for olive oil in Canada, despite the country’s limited production. The Olive d’Or competition serves as a significant platform to recognize outstanding producers and enlighten consumers about exceptional oils.
Here are the 2023 winners per category:
Aromatic flavour winner: Basil Fused EVOO by Sarafino – Famiglia Pata (Italy)
Ripe Fruity winner: San Bartolomeo by Soc. Coop. Agr. San Bartolomeo (Italy)
Intense fruit flavour winner: MonoCultivar Coratina Bio Extra Virgin Olive Oil by Monini SpA (Italy)
Medium fruit flavor winner: Pago FG Picual by Hacienda La Serrata, S.L. (Spain)
Light fruit flavor winner: MonoCultivar Frantoio Bio Extra Virgin Olive Oil by Monini SpA (Italy)
SIAL Start-up
The Start-Up Pitch Competition showcased promising entrepreneurs and their ground-breaking ideas in the food and beverage industry. In the Food or Beverage Category, Souper Troopers claimed the first prize with their shelf-stable chicken broth in convenient single-serving packaging. The Heal Tea secured the second prize with its selection of organic, low-carb, plant-based herbal teas in recyclable cans. In the Technology or Service Category, Spatula Foods took home the first prize with their gourmet flash-frozen ready meals prepared by top local chefs.
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