CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 02/01/17

UGA's Flavor of Georgia contest entry deadline is Feb. 9

By Merritt Melancon

The competition for the University of Georgia’s 2017 Flavor of Georgia Food Product Contest is coming together, but it’s not too late to enter.

From specialty sweet treats to small-batch pork sausages or pimento cheese made from Grandma’s secret recipe, the Flavor of Georgia contest shines the spotlight on the state's craft food scene.

The registration deadline for this year’s contest is Thursday, Feb. 9. Finalists in each of the contest’s 13 categories will be announced Monday, Feb. 20, and product pitches and final judging will take place in Atlanta on Tuesday, March 21.

The contest, in its second decade, serves as a springboard for food entrepreneurs by assisting them in testing new products, reaching a larger audience, helping craft brands break into new markets and expanding sales.

"Flavor of Georgia participants tell us that the contest provides recognition, credibility and exposure for their products," said Sharon P. Kane, a UGA food business development specialist and the contest's coordinator. "It also provides a valuable resource for networking with other food entrepreneurs and industry experts."

Nearly a dozen of the 2016 finalists had new business contracts within two weeks of last year’s competition, and 85 percent of those finalists reported increased sales. Additionally, 92 percent of those finalists reported that they made new business connections because of the contest.

Product categories for the 2017 contest include barbecue sauces, beverages, condiments and salsas, confections, dairy products, dairy-alternative products, honey, jams and jellies, meats and seafood, meat-alternative products, sauces and seasonings, snack foods, and miscellaneous products. There is no limit to the number of products an individual business can submit.

Judges evaluate each product based on flavor, texture and market innovation. Consumer appeal and the product’s representation of Georgia are also considered.

Registration for the 2017 Flavor of Georgia contest, which is conducted each year by the UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, is now open at flavorofga.com.

Merritt Melancon is a public relations manager with UGA's Terry College of Business and previously served as a public relations coordinator for the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and UGA Extension.

Authors:
Merritt Melancon
Experts/Sources:
Sharon P Kane
A team of food industry experts and grocery buyers selected 33 products to compete in the final round of the University of Georgia's 2019 Flavor of Georgia Food Product Contest.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
UGA wheat breeder and geneticist Mohamed Mergoum smells one of several test brews created by Creature Comforts on its annual Get Comfortable collaboration using a variety of wheat Mergoum developed at CAES. CAES News
Creature Comforts partners with UGA wheat breeder to create 2024 Get Comfortable brew 04/09/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Wheat breeders spend years meticulously crossing varieties to coax the best traits out of each species, carefully propagating plant varieties that are healthier, heartier and better suited for the environments where they are grown. Brewmasters are equally painstaking when choosing the components that will give their beers a specific flavor profile. These two exacting professions came together this spring when Athens-based Creature Comforts Brewing Co. reached out to the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences to find a sustainable wheat variety they could use to make a good beer for a great cause.
(L to R) New Creation Soda Works Founder and CEO Paul Kooistra, Head Brewer Alex Harding, CAES Dean and Director Nick Place. (Photo by Dennis McDaniel) CAES News
Flavor of Georgia grand prize goes to New Creation Soda Works 04/05/24 Jordan Powers
New Creation Soda Works won the grand prize at the 2024 Flavor of Georgia food contest for their product, PECHES Georgia Peach Soda. A family-owned company based in Bishop, Georgia, New Creation Soda Works started selling their soda syrups at a local farmer’s market in 2015. Today, their product line — comprised of sodas with flavors including strawberry habanero, butter pecan cream soda and the old-time root beer that inspired the company — sells in more than 700 locations nationwide.
UGA College of Engineering students Garrett Stigall and Guy Gober won the 2024 FABricate entrepreneurial contest with their company, Pool Protection Technologies, and its high-quality Sound Amplifying Machine (SAM) that treats algae growth in pools. Photo by Sean Montgomery. CAES News
Pool Protection Technologies founders make big splash in 2024 FABricate pitch contest 03/28/24 Sean Montgomery
Another successful cycle of the University of Georgia’s FABricate Entrepreneurial Initiative wrapped up Tuesday night at the Delta Innovation Hub, with a sustainable pool-maintenance solution winning the $10,000 grand prize. Pool Protection Technologies, founded by UGA College of Engineering students Garrett Stigall and Guy Gober, highlighted its high-quality sound amplifying machine (SAM) that treats algae growth in pools.
CAES virologist Malak Esseili has found that certain teas inactivate SARS-CoV-2 in saliva — in some cases by up to 99.9%. This matters because the virus infects and replicates inside the oral cavity, passing through the oropharynx before reaching the lungs. CAES News
Can a cup of tea keep COVID away? 03/27/24 Jennifer L Reynolds
New research from the University of Georgia suggests that something as simple as a cup of tea can help in the fight against COVID-19. Tea has been renowned globally for its many health benefits, and Malak Esseili, a virologist with the University of Georgia Center for Food Safety in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, wanted to know if it may also affect SARS-CoV-2.
A mug of UGArden's chamomile tea. CAES News
UGArden herbal tea program launches sales in campus dining halls 03/21/24 Jordan Powers
The door to UGArden’s herb drying room leads to an olfactory explosion — sharp peppermint, earthy tulsi, sweet calendula and floral chamomile mix into an herbal perfume that would undoubtedly have tea drinkers reaching for their kettles. Now University of Georgia students will be able to get a taste of UGArden’s chamomile tea, along with a selection of the student community farm’s other herbal teas, with their campus meals as the UGArden medicinal herb program expands into UGA dining halls this spring.
Samples at the 2022 Flavor of Georgia food product contest CAES News
36 finalists advance in 2024 Flavor of Georgia contest 03/20/24 Lillian Dickens
Working their way through 139 hopeful food products organized in colorful rows, a panel of judges selected 36 finalists for the 2024 Flavor of Georgia food product contest to be held in Athens on April 4. The first round of the annual competition was held at Gourmet Foods International in Decatur and organized by the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The popular contest features market-ready products from small businesses across the state of Georgia.