Kosherfest 2006 New Products Competition Winners

Gone Nuts!, a new kosher product from Najla's Inc. of Louisville, Kentucky won Best In Show at the Kosherfest 2006 New Products Competition.

Winners in 15 categories of new kosher food products were selected by a panel of food professionals at the offices of the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT) in New York City on October 18th. Only Kosherfest exhibitors whose products were introduced within the last 13 months were eligible. Kosherfest is the largest international kosher trade show and is co-produced by Diversified Business Communications and Lubicom Marketing & Consulting.

Among the panel of judges were Marty Stein, Account Manager, Tree of Life, Albany, NY; Yakov Yarmove, Corporate Ethnic Category Manager, Ethnic Marketing & Specialty Foods, Albertsons SuperValu, Melrose Park, IL, and Jacob Rusanov, Lifestyle Category Manager-Kosher, Wakefern Food Corporation, Elizabeth, NJ.

Together they represent more than 3,000 food retailers nationwide. The competition was sponsored by the Kosher Food Distributors Advisory Council (KFDAC), an NASFT member committee representing distributors, retailers and manufacturers within the kosher industry. It was moderated by Ron Tanner, Vice President of Communications and Education for the NASFT.

"The judges were very impressed by Najla's Gone Nuts! in terms of its taste, quality and salability," said Stein. "We view it as a great new product. Having said that, it was a very difficult decision." Winners were selected based on criteria that included: newness, quality, uniqueness, taste, salability, merchandisability, best in category and retail price point.

Kosherfest 06- New Product Competition Winners:

1. Best New Wine, Beer or Spirit
   Kedem Food Products Intl, Baron Herzog Cabernet Sauvignon Jeunesse
2. Best New Fine Food from Israel
   Neptune Food Products, Fish Coating Beer
3. Best New Packaging/Design/ or Non-Food Item
   Classic Raphy's Kosher Food, Stuffed Cabbage
4. Best New Meat, Seafood or Poultry Item
   Daniel's Kosher Charcuterie Inc., Saucisson de Paris, (Garlic Salami)
5. Best New Savory Condiment, Spice or Sauce
   Oxygen Imports, Spicy Mexican Marinade
6. Best New Baked Good, Bread, Grain or Cereal
   Kedem Food Products Intl, Yehuda Daily Matza-Whole Wheat
7. Best New Candy, Cookie or Cracker
   Tumbador Chocolate, PB& J bar (pate de fruit, peanut praline, rice crispy & chocolate)
8. Best New Dessert
   Pierre's Ice Cream Company, Pierre's Naturally Fat Free, Cholesterol Free Sorbet-Peach
9. Best New Foodservice Product
   Natural Chef Foods, LLC, Natural Chef Crabless Cakes
10. Best New Passover Product
    Cinderella Sweets, Bell Ring Cake
11. Best New Snack Food***** Also Best In Show
    Najla's Inc., - Gone Nuts!
12. Best New Cheese or Dairy Product
    King Kold/Ratner's, Deep Dish Pizza
13. Best New Jam, Preserve or Spread
    Galil Importing Corp., Jordan Valley Confiture-Date & Strawberry
14. Best New Oil, Vinegar or Dressing
    Oxygen Imports, Tasty Mediterranean Dressing
15. Best New Beverage
    Oxygen Imports, Cooler Soft Drink Bottle
16. BEST IN SHOW***
    Najla's Inc. - Gone Nuts!