SAN FRANCISCO, CA (January 9, 2023) – The Good Food Foundation is proud to announce the 359 Finalists for the 2023 Good Food Awards. In a competitive field of more than 1,750 entries, these 513 products were identified by category experts and consumer tasters alike as exceptionally delicious, while also meeting the rigorous sustainability criteria necessary to be considered a Finalist. Hailing from 42 states, these companies are leading their industries and communities towards a tastier and more responsible future.
At last year’s Good Food Awards Ceremony, we were inspired by the words of chef and farmer Matthew Raiford. “If we’re thinking about good food moving forward,” Raiford said, “We’re really thinking about the next generation. Are we telling them about the lightning bugs? The wild staghorn sumac? Are we talking to them about the things that are right there underneath their noses?”
By preserving and sharing local ingredients, regional flavors and family traditions, this year’s Finalists are doing just that. In Massachusetts, first-time Finalist Berkshire Cider Project created their Community Cider Project #2 using donated apples gleaned from backyards and forgotten trees, resulting in a complex and delicious cider which reflects a unique time and place. Up north, Barnacle Foods celebrates the Alaskan coast with their hand-harvested Finalists: Bullwhip Kelp & Piri Piri Hot Sauce, and Spruce Tip Jelly. In South Carolina, Holmes Sweet Home uses techniques passed down through generations to transform local dairy into decadent confections like their Sweet Cream Caramel Sauce.
The 2023 Good Food Award Winners will be announced on April 21 at the Good Food Awards Ceremony in Portland, Oregon, with the chance to meet the newly minted Winners the following day at the industry-only Portland Mercantile. This exciting move comes after twelve incredible years celebrating Good Food in San Francisco, and after a warm welcome to our community last spring at the first annual Portland Mercantile. Now in a new home, the vibrant Good Food Awards Weekend will continue to bring hundreds of food crafters, merchants, and media together to honor the best of the best in tasty, authentic and responsible food and drink.
Ticketing and registration for Awards Weekend and all other 2023 Good Food events–including the New York (June 24) and San Francisco (September 30) Mercantiles–is now open at goodfoodfdn.org.