Chips Ahoy 2009

The Danielle brand got its start in 1996 by a woman who started a small farm and fruit plantation in Northern Thailand.

Today, the company offers a variety of fruit chips, from pineapple chips to pumpkin chips to sweet jackfruit chips.

Danielle’s newest product is roasted coconut chips. I mention it because it is one of 33 “Sofi” award winners announced yesterday at the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade's Summer Fancy Food Show

Sofi stands for specialty outstanding food innovation. Nearly 2,000 products were entered into the competition. 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 this spring. And yesterday, more than 550 buyers at the Summer Fancy Food Show cast ballots to select the final 33 gold winners.

Along with the chips, other winners also caught my eye. Blood orange was a common ingredient in three winners: Blood Orange Marmalade; Caramelized Onion and Blood Orange Confit; and Fresh Squeezed Blood Orange Juice.

Along with blood orange, sea salt also popped out on the list of winners. There's dark chocolate with French grey sea salt; and a caramel sea salt brownie.

Renowned chef Ming Tsai announced the winners at a red-carpet event last night at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York, where the Fancy Food Show was held.