Flour & Olive's Almond Olive Oil Cake Mix Wins Gold At 2024 Sofi Awards

Flour & Olive’s Almond Olive Oil Cake Mix has secured the Gold Award in the Baking Mixes Category at the Specialty Food Association’s (SFA) 2024 sofi™ Awards. This accolade is a significant recognition in the $207-billion specialty food industry. SFA President Bill Lynch noted that sofi Gold Award winners have excelled in highly competitive categories.

"Every year, we see a flood of superstar specialty food products submit for sofi consideration–those that earn top marks from our judges really are the best of the best," Lynch stated. The Almond Olive Oil Cake Mix was chosen by specialty food experts, buyers, and media as the top Baking Mix product, alongside Gold Award winners in 49 other categories.

Products are evaluated on taste, including flavor, appearance, texture, and aroma, ingredient quality, and innovation. All tastings are conducted anonymously at the Rutgers Food Innovation Center. Estelle Sohne, founder of Flour & Olive, expressed her gratitude for the recognition.

"We are honoured that our Almond Olive Oil Cake Mix has won a sofi Gold Award," Sohne said. "As a small start-up, it is especially hard to gain visibility in a crowded marketplace and know that our product is appreciated. This is the ultimate stamp of approval, and I couldn’t be more grateful."

The Almond Olive Oil Cake Mix is available on Flour & Olive’s online store and Faire Direct for wholesale orders. It is also stocked in a growing number of retail stores. The sofi Awards have been presented annually since 1972 and are open to SFA members.

Winners will be showcased at the 2024 Summer Fancy Food Show from June 23-25 at the Javits Center in New York City. They will also be celebrated at the first-ever sofi Awards Gala on June 24. The Summer Fancy Food Show is a premier event for product discovery in the specialty food sector.

About Flour & Olive

Founded in 2022 by Estelle Sohne and based in Kirkland, WA, Flour & Olive aims to celebrate cultural diversity through its line of olive oil cake mixes. The company uses extra virgin olive oil, unbleached and whole wheat flour, and a simple baking method to create its products.

The company’s goal is to set customers on an interactive cake journey that transports their senses through olive oils, baking traditions, and specialty ingredients from around the world. Future plans include expanding retail presence and forming strategic partnerships to promote geographic diversity in olive oils and complementary international specialty foods.

About the Specialty Food Association

The Specialty Food Association (SFA), founded in 1952, is a not-for-profit trade association representing over 3,800 businesses worldwide in the $207-billion specialty food industry. SFA supports industry participation through resources, information, education, and events that celebrate innovation and inclusivity.

SFA owns and operates the Fancy Food Shows and the sofi™ Awards. The association also produces various reports and publications such as SFA News Daily, Trendspotter Panel annual predictions, Fancy Food Show reports, State of the Specialty Food Industry Report, Today's Specialty Food Consumer research, and the Spill & Dish podcast.

For more information about Flour & Olive or the Specialty Food Association, visit their respective websites.