Virginia Good Food Foundation Award Finalists
Recognizing products for sustainability and taste
For 10 years, the Good Food Foundation has presented awards for vendors who have demonstrated “commitment to environmental stewardship and growing their businesses in harmony with a better food system.”
In November, the foundation announced 307 companies whose products had reached the finalist stage in the competition, chosen from among 1,835 entries. The products had to pass taste tests as well as meet high standards of ingredient sourcing and environmentally sound agricultural practices. Finalists are the five highest scoring entrants in each category from each region of the country – North, South, East, West and Central. Of these, three in each region become the winners, to be announced in January.
“The Good Food Foundation 2020 Finalists … are emphasizing fairness and transparency from seed to plate; promoting safe and enjoyable working environments; and safeguarding biodiversity by creating products free of genetically modified ingredients,” the foundation announced. “Finalists from across the 17 categories are crafting food that is good for both consumers and the environment, favoring practices that build soil health for generations to come without the use of pesticides and herbicides.”
Richmond’s Blue Bee Cider won in 2019 for Hewe’s Crab and Harrison ciders. Virginia finalists for 2020 are:
- Wallace Edwards & Sons in Surry for Edwards Virginia Smokehouse Surryano Ham
- Wild Blue Chocolate in Crozet for 70% Dark Chocolate, Belize Cacao
- Mudhouse Coffee Roasters in Charlottesville for Moras Negras, Mi Finquita Coffee Farm
- J.T. Copper in Floyd for Golden Turmeric Syrup
- Element Shrub in Arlington for Ginger Lime Shrub
- Albemarle CiderWorks in North Garden for Harrison cider
- Potter’s Craft Cider in Charlottesville for Farmhouse Dry
- Port City Brewing Company in Alexandria for Optimal Wit and Rivershed Ale
