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NEW YORK, Jan. 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Specialty Food Association's 2017 Winter Fancy Food Show ended on a high note today with the announcement of top innovations from the Show floor.

With over 80,000 products on display from 1,400 companies, creativity and new tastes were everywhere and it wasn't easy to select a top ten. The Association is calling out these products for pushing the envelope of innovation the farthest:

1. ReGrained – Sustainable Supergrain Bars, Booth 504
   Two college students started home brewing and realized that throwing out all of the spent grain was a waste. They started baking bread with it, but it was too time consuming and they wanted something more practical.  They came up with a recipe for small-batch granola bars.   The granola bars are high in protein and fiber, low in sugar. There are currently 2 flavors: Honey Almond IPA and Chocolate Coffee Stout.
2. Bee Free Honee – Bee Free Honee, Booth 306
   Owner Katie Sanchez grew up on an apple orchard with a father who was a beekeeper.  She came up with the recipe for this vegan honey made from apples by accident while trying to make apple jelly.  Years later when learning about the decline of the bee population she revisited the recipe as a business idea.  There are currently 4 flavors: Original, Mint, Ancho Chile, and Slippery Elm.
3. Blue Planet Chocolate – Superfoods Chocolate Squares, Booth 5711
   An Ohio-based chocolatier started a new line of 70%+ dark chocolates with superfood ingredients like baobab and chia that are also enhanced with probiotics. There are currently 4 flavors: Blueberry & Chia, Espresso, Cocoa Nib, and Cinnamon & Chia.
4. Dang – Sticky-Rick Chips, Booth 521
   Inspired by a popular Asian snack, Dang Foods takes steamed organic Thai sticky rice, soaks it in watermelon juice, and vacuum fries to create a crisped snack. They are made from whole rice rather than rice power and are gluten-free and non-GMO verified.
5. Copper Cow Coffee – Vietnamese Coffee Single Pour-Over Kit, New Brands on the Shelf
   Consumers can create Vietnamese coffee on the go without all of the equipment.  This convenient, all-in-one kit contains ground Vietnamese coffee served in a single-use pour over bag, along with a sleeve of condensed California milk. The product has a shelf life of over one year.
6. Baruvi Fresh – Hummustir, New Brands on the Shelf
   A deconstructed hummus kit packaged in a paper cup that also serves as a mixing bowl. Inside are packets of organic chickpea puree, organic tahini, spices, an instruction card, and a sealed wooden spoon. Consumers can add water to create hummus on the go, while controlling the portion size. Currently available in 3 varieties: Classic, Mediterranean with a twist of lime and garlic, and Village with a touch of garlic and cumin.
7. Primal Nutrition – Primal Kitchen Macadamia Sea Salt Bar with Collagen, Booth 5211
   Collagen is the protein that holds everything together in your body and production declines with age.  The collagen protein used in these bars is collagen hydrolysate from grass-fed cows, which is broken down into individual amino acids and easier to absorb and digest.  Eating collagen sourced from grass-fed bovines pastures-raised in Brazil, can help make up for the decreased production. The bars are high in protein, low in sugar and non-GMO.
8. Plocky's Fine Snacks– PrOTATO Crisps, Booth 566
   PrOTATO Crisps provide consumers with a new, powerful, nutritional snack that blends potatoes and organic plant protein and packs 7 grams of protein per serving.  They are currently available in 3 varieties: Original with Himalayan Pink Salt, Spicy Honey BBQ and Peppercorn Ranch.
9. Tea Drops – Tea Drops, Booth 384
   Tea Drops are organic teas that dissolve in your cup.  Made from finely ground organic tea, raw super and spices. Tea on the go with 100% recyclable packaging. Non-sweetened variety coming this spring.  Currently available in 4 varieties: Rose Earl Gray, Citrus Ginger, Vanilla White Tea and Sweet Peppermint.
10. Lotito Foods – Cheese Folios
    Folios are lightly baked sheets of cheese made from Parmesan, Cheddar or Jarlsberg.  They can be used as a bowl or cup.

"It was great to walk the aisles of this show and experience the sheer number of clever and tasty innovations the specialty food industry is launching. From the latest in proteins, sweets, snacks, sustainability and sheer inventiveness, this event proved once again that specialty foods are leading the way in expanding the food business," said Phil Kafarakis, President of the Specialty Food Association. "We're excited about the future as we prepare to highlight even more food innovations at our Summer Fancy Food Show in June."

Innovations were chosen by staff of the Specialty Food Association using the following criteria:

• New idea on market
• Twists on original
• On trend
• New packaging formats
• New applications/uses
• New flavor used unexpectedly
• New to show

The Specialty Food Association hosts the Fancy Food Show twice a year.  The trade-only event ran Jan. 22-24, at Moscone Center in San Francisco.  The next show will take place in New York June 25-27, 2017

For additional information about the Specialty Food Association or the Fancy Food Show please visit specialtyfood.com.

About the Specialty Food Association:

The Specialty Food Association is a thriving community of food artisans, importers and entrepreneurs. Established in 1952 in New York, the not-for-profit trade association provides its 3,400 members in the U.S. and abroad with resources, knowledge and connections to champion and nurture their companies in an always-evolving marketplace. The Association owns and produces the Winter and Summer Fancy Food Shows, and presents the sofi™ Awards honoring excellence in specialty food. Learn more at specialtyfood.com.

SOURCE Specialty Food Association