Tioga-Sequoia, Enzo Olive Oil big winners at Fresno Food Expo
In advance of its massive trade show and public event Thursday, Fresno Food Expo announced the winners of its new-product awards.
The awards were handed out in three categories during an event Wednesday night.
Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Company was given the Buyer’s Choice Award for its Half Dome California Wheat beer. The brew beat out 10 other products for creativity, presentation, packaging and marketability. Second- and third-place awards were given to Enzo Olive Oil’s Enzo Fresno Chili Crush and Busseto Foods’ California PartyPack-Wine Trail Edition.
The People’s Choice Award, determined by the public through online voting, was given to The Brioche Lady for its Purple Yam Brioche. The new Cold Brew Coffee Milk from Rosa Brothers Milk Company and Lanna Coffee Co. took second place in the category. Another Lanna Coffee Co. product, its cold brew coffee, was awarded the third-place prize, along with Sun-Maid’s Sour Strawberry Flavored Golden Raisins.
Enzo Olive Oil was also honored with the Fred Ruiz Entrepreneurial Award, which recognizes exemplary leadership, entrepreneurial spirit and community stewardship. The recognition comes with a year’s worth of mentoring and advice from Ruiz Food Products founder Fred Ruiz and a team of food industry professionals.
The expo’s main trade show and public event is on Thursday at the Fresno Convention and Entertainment Center in downtown. From 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, the public will get to sample new products and take home some freebies. The $50 tickets are still available online.
The public portion, known as Expolicious, has become one of Fresno’s can’t-miss food parties. Expo officials say the public event has paid off in many ways, including exposing to the community the many food and drink products made by San Joaquin Valley companies.
For the second year in a row, 12 restaurants will compete to create the most delicious dishes using local products during the public portion of the show. The restaurants range from Ampersand Ice Cream to Sam’s Italian Deli and will be judged by chef, author and TV personality Simon Majumdar.
The expo also paid Majumdar to visit with about 35 local chefs last month. Nalchajian said he hoped the networking session would inspire chefs to creatively use more local food on local menus.
If you go
Fresno Food Expo’s public session, called “Expolicious,” allows the public to sample new products and take home some freebies.
When: Thursday, July 27, 5-8 p.m.
Where: Fresno Convention and Entertainment Center, in downtown Fresno.
Cost: $50 per person.
More information: www.fresnofoodexpo.com/
This story was originally published July 27, 2017 at 9:02 AM with the headline "Tioga-Sequoia, Enzo Olive Oil big winners at Fresno Food Expo."