Seattle, WA (PRWEB) April 24, 2012
Lemon Burst cookies from WOW Baking Company are a Silver Finalist for Outstanding Confection in the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade?s 2012 sofi? Awards. The name ?sofi? stands for Specialty Outstanding Food Innovation, and the award is considered the top honor in the $ 75 billion specialty food industry.
WOW?s Lemon Burst cookies are one of 110 Silver Finalists selected by a national panel of specialty food experts. The judges evaluated 1,935 entries across 30 awards categories from Outstanding Appetizer, Antipasto, Salsa and Dip to Outstanding Vinegar. Gold Winners will be announced by noted chef Jos? Andr?s at a red-carpet ceremony on June 18, 2012 during the Summer Fancy Food Show in Washington, D.C.
?It was a record breaking year for the number of entries they received, so it’s quite an honor to have been selected,? said Joy Page, owner and founder of WOW Baking Company. ?Our chocolate chip cookie was a finalist at the 2010 sofi awards. This year we hope to come home with the gold!?
The sofi Awards are open to members of the NASFT, a not-for-profit trade association established in 1952 for food artisans, importers and entrepreneurs. NASFT has more than 2,900 members throughout the United States and abroad.
?This year?s contest was the most competitive yet,? says NASFT President Ann Daw. ?The foods and beverages that made it to the finals are proof that the spirit of innovation and creativity is thriving in the specialty food industry.?
Lemon Burst is one of five flavors available in WOW?s new grocery line of mini-sized gourmet wheat and gluten-free cookies in a bag. This new look and packaging allow the cookies to stay fresh, moist, chewy and delicious for 9 months in their air-tight, re-sealable bags.
Baked in small batches with quality all-natural ingredients at WOW?s dedicated gluten-free certified kitchen, these mini sized cookies are packed with rich delicious flavor?just like the gourmet cookies in WOW?s freshly made original Bakery Line.
?Our new packaging allows us to extend the WOW line outside of bakeries and specialty food shops and onto mainstream grocery shelves,? said Page. ?Grocers asked us to make our cookies available with a longer shelf life to meet the growing demand for gluten-free products in their stores?and we have delivered.?
Natural and organic products are sold in almost every retail channel, and the industry is worth nearly $ 68 billion, according to Natural Foods Merchandiser’s “2009 Market Overview.” And, according to Euromonitor International, gluten-free product sales have doubled since 2005 to $ 1.31 billion in the United States, and are expected to hit $ 1.68 billion by 2015 in the United States alone.
The gluten-free market is being fueled not only by gluten-intolerance, or Celiac disease, but by a growing public perception that avoiding gluten is part of a healthy lifestyle?with many types of claims, including that eliminating gluten can help reduce ADHD symptoms and migraine headaches. Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Gwyneth Paltrow have also come out with claims that avoiding gluten is an important part of a detox diet.
?The all-natural and gluten-free markets have really exploded in recent years?but what really sets WOW cookies apart is that they are a delicious, gourmet cookie first and foremost,? said Joy Page, founder of WOW Baking Company. ?The fact that they are all-natural and wheat- and gluten-free is appealing to many people, but most people just think of them as really delicious cookies.”
In addition to watching out for human health, WOW Baking Company is also an environmentally-conscious company. The gourmet cookie maker recycles or composts 92% of its waste, and is always looking for new ways to be greener.
For more information about WOW Baking Company, please call (425) 251-0541 or find a distributor on the company?s website: http://www.wowbaking.com/wholesale/.
About WOW Baking Company
WOW Baking Company was founded and thrives in the Pacific Northwest, an inspiring environment for all-natural products and an area that whole-heartedly supports ?green? business practices. In 2007, WOW outgrew their first production kitchen and moved into their new offices and production facility built to meet the growing demand for WOW Baking Company products.
Susan Howe, WOW?s director of product development, is passionate about creating the best tasting baked goods available. With a true love for baking, Susan spends countless hours mixing and baking until she discovers the ultimate blend of ingredients and preparation. After the WOW team gets a chance to devour her creations, Susan evaluates their comments and refines the recipe to perfection.
WOW Baking Company loves to hear what people think about their products, so please post a message on their wall on their Facebook wall: http://www.facebook.com/pages/WOW-Baking-Company/176833292346153.
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