RALEIGH – This holiday season, give the gift of local flavor. The N.C. Specialty Foods Association’s 2024 ‘Best in Taste’ award winners showcase the best of N.C. handcrafted goods perfect for gift-giving. From savory sauces to artisanal sweets, the competition celebrates small-batch producers from across the state for top honors.
“Our specialty food producers are not only crafting products that remind us of our past, but they’re also introducing us to new flavors that may very well become family favorites,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “When you buy local, you’re not just purchasing a product—you’re investing in a story, a farm, a small business and a tradition.”
The N.C. Specialty Foods Association received 184 entries for the 2024 ‘Best in Taste’ competition. Each entry was judged based on appearance, aroma, taste, texture and aftertaste to determine who would take home top honors in each category.
“Each year, our members submit the best of the very best for consideration,” said Scott Stephens, president of the N.C. Specialty Foods Association. “This competition showcases the passion, creativity and craftsmanship that define our industry. It’s an honor to celebrate these companies, and we hope you’ll make them part of your holiday table for years to come.”
Winners include:
Grand Champion
- Carolina Kettle: Memaw’s Country Kitchen Cheese Tiddies (Raleigh)
Baked Goods
- First Place: Ritchie Hill Bakery, Inc. – Heath’s Cheese Straws Original Flavor (Concord)
- Second Place: Sweater Box Confections – Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies (Kitty Hawk)
BBQ Sauces
- First Place: Billy Bub’s BBQ Sauces & Dry Rubs – Sweet & Spicy BBQ Sauce (Raleigh)
- First Place: Defiant Sauce Company – Kickin’ Hickory BBQ Sauce (Cornelius)
- Second Place: Rising Smoke Sauceworks – Buzz ‘N Berry (Efland)
Beverages/Beverage Mixes
- First Place: Remedy Cocktail Company – Lime & Sea Salt Bitters (Holly Springs)
- Second Place: Sweet Vine Products – Red Muscadine Body Juice (Stanfield)
Condiments
- First Place: Indulgent Essential Spices, LLC – Chef Queen’s Pomodoro Sauce (Franklinton)
- Second Place: Little Black Dressing Company – Far East Flair (High Point)
Confections
- First Place: Rusty’s DBA Rusty’s Peanut Brittle – Rusty’s Peanut Brittle (Tarboro)
- First Place: Mackey’s Ferry Peanuts & Gifts, LLC – Caramel Latte Fudge (Jamesville)
- Second Place: The Durham Toffee Company – Brittled Nut Clusters (Durham)
- Second Place: The Durham Toffee Company – Durham Toffee’s Espresso Crunch (Durham)
Deli Meats/Cheese/Dairy
- First Place: San Giuseppe Salami Company – Finocchiona (Elon)
- Second Place: San Guiseppe Salami Company – Calabrese Salami (Elon)
Fruit Spreads/Jams/Jellies
- First Place: Gotta Be Penelopes, LLC – Mild Apricot Pepper Jelly (Raleigh)
- Second Place: Jodi’s Elderberry Syrup – Jodi’s Elderberry Jam with Whole Blueberries (Smithfield)
- Second Place: Norm’s Farms – Norm’s Farms Blueberry Elderberry Preserves (Wake Forest)
Hot Sauces
- First Place: Sea Monster Sauces, LLC – Signal Fire Lift Up (Wilmington)
- Second Place: Defiant Sauce Company – Dill With It! (Cornelius)
Pantry
- First Place: Still There Shine Sauce – Coffee Rub (Charlotte)
- First Place: Ashanti Styled DBS Queen’s Jollof Sauce – Queen’s Crunchy Vegan Chili Oil (Apex)
- Second Place: Big Spoon Roasters – Vanilla Caramel Almond & Cashew Butter (Hillsborough)
- Second Place: Indulgent Essential Spices, LLC – Chef Queen’s Jerk Seasoning Blend (Franklinton)
Plant-Based
- First Place: Dare Vegan Cheese – Smoked Pimento Plant-Based Cheese Dip (Weaverville)
- Second Place: Indulgent Essential Spices, LLC – Jamaican “Beef” Patties (Franklinton)
Snacks
- First Place: Carolina Kettle – Memaw’s Country Kitchen Cheese Tiddies (Raleigh)
- Second Place: America’s Best Nut Company – Sweet Heat Carolina Clusters (Rocky Mount)
Sweeteners/Syrups
- First Place: Oak City Hot Sauce – Aji Lemon Hot Honey (Raleigh)
- Second Place: Brew Naturals – Elderberry Syrup (Black Mountain)
The N.C. Specialty Foods Association is a volunteer organization providing its membership with educational, marketing and collaborative opportunities that promote their passion for culturally diverse and excellent specialty food products, while creating quality brand recognition. To find more local specialty foods near you, visit ncspecialtyfoods.org.
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