Winners were announced on Monday for the 37th sofi Awards for the outstanding foods and beverages of the year. Presented by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT), the awards honor the outstanding specialty foods and beverages of the year in 33 categories. "sofi" stands for specialty outstanding food innovation.

"A sofi Award ensures that a company's product will be noticed by discerning buyers of specialty food and beverages across the country and around the world," said Ann Daw, president of the NASFT. "This year's winners show that innovation and excellence continue to thrive in our industry."

The awards were presented at the Summer Fancy Food Show by noted chef Ming Tsai at a red-carpet event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York.

The 2009 sofi Gold winners are:
• Appetizer, Antipasto, Salsa or Dip -- Argo Fine Foods Tzatziki
• Baked Goods, Baking Ingredient or Cereal -- Mari's New York Caramel Sea Salt Brownie
• Cheese or Dairy Product -- Cypress Grove Chevre Truffle Tremor
• Chocolate -- John Kelly Chocolates Truffle Fudge Bites - Dark Chocolate with French Grey Sea Salt
• Classic -- Sarabeth's Kitchen Blood Orange Marmalade
• Cold Beverage -- Aliseo Foods Fresh Squeezed Blood Orange Juice
• Condiment -- Au Printemps Gourmet/Brickstone Fine Foods Caramelized Onion and Blood Orange Confit
• Confection -- Dufflet Caramel Crackle™ - Almond & Pistachio
• Cookie -- Desserts On Us Laceys® Dark Chocolate Almond
• Cooking Sauce or Flavor Enhancer -- Appledore Cove Seaside Barbecue Sauce
• Cracker -- 34 Degrees Rosemary Crispbread
• Dessert or Dessert Topping -- PreGel AMERICA, Inc. Pink Grapefruit Super Sprint
• Diet and Lifestyle Product -- Kitchen Table Bakers Aged Parmesan Mini Crisps
• Food Gift -- O Olive Oil O Balsamic Vinegar Trio
• Frozen Savory -- Sukhi's Gourmet Indian Foods Sukhi's Samosa with Chutney
• Hot Beverage -- Jayone Foods, Inc. Yuzu Citrus Tea
• Innovation In Packaging Design or Function -- Vervacious Vervacious Collection
• Jam, Preserve, Honey or Nut Butter -- Magnolia Honey Company Raspberry William
• Meat, Pâté or Seafood -- Nueske's Applewood Smoked Meats Nueske's Applewood Smoked Bacon
• Non-Food Specialty Item -- Wildly Delicious Fine Foods Petite Maisons' Red Brie Baker
• Oil -- Tesori of Sicily Terraliva "Cherubino" Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Pasta Sauce -- Dave's Gourmet, Inc. Dave's Gourmet Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
• Pasta, Rice or Grain -- Bove's of Vermont Bove's Lasagna
• Perishable Foodservice Product -- Ciao Bella Gelato Company Key Lime Graham Cracker Gelato
• Pet Product -- DOGSWELL VEGGIE LIFE® HAPPY HIPS® Chicken & Apple
• Salad Dressing -- Lucini Italia Co. Delicate Cucumber & Shallot Artisan Vinaigrette
• Shelf-Stable Foodservice Product -- Sid Wainer & Son Specialty Produce & Specialty Foods Sakurachi Sa Yuzu Marmalade
• Snack Food -- Anette's Chocolate Factory Triple Nut Kentucky Bourbon Brittle
• Soup, Stew Bean or Chili (TIE) --
Elena's Mediterranean Stew
San Angel Mole Co. San Angel Mole Cascabel Sauce
• USDA-Approved Organic Product -- Organic Nectars Pistachio Gelato
• Vinegar -- Ritrovo Italian Regional Foods Ritrovo Selections Aged Balsamic Vinegar
• Product Line -- DeMedici Imports, Ltd. A L'Olivier
• New Product -- New England Herbal Foods' Danielle Fruit Chips - Roasted Coconut

Competition was strong this year, with 1,997 entries across all 33 categories. This spring, a national panel of specialty food experts narrowed the field to 128 Silver finalists during five days of judging at NASFT's offices in New York City. More than 550 buyers at the Summer Fancy Food Show cast ballots to select the Gold winners. The results were tabulated by an outside accounting firm.