Back to Member Press Releases

FLOUR & OLIVE Wins sofi™ Gold Award in the BAKING MIXES CATEGORY

FLOUR & OLIVE Wins sofi™ Gold Award in the BAKING MIXES CATEGORY

Kirkland, WA (May 15, 2024)Flour & Olive’s Almond Olive Oil Cake Mix has won the Gold Award in the Baking Mixes Category as part of the Specialty Food Association’s (SFA) 2024 sofi™ Awards, a top honor in the $207-billion specialty food industry.

“sofi Gold Award winners have accomplished something really extraordinary,” said SFA President Bill Lynch, “which is that they’ve risen to the top of incredibly competitive categories. Every year, we see a flood of superstar specialty food products submit for sofi consideration–those that earn top marks from our judges really are the best of the best.”

Our Almond Olive Oil Cake Mix was selected by specialty food experts, buyers, and media as the top Baking Mix product, alongside Gold Award winners in 49 total categories. Products are judged on taste, including flavor, appearance, texture, and aroma, ingredient quality, and innovation. All tastings are anonymous and are held at the Rutgers Food Innovation Center.

“We are honored that our Almond Olive Oil Cake Mix has won a sofi Gold Award,” says Estelle Sohne, founder of Flour & Olive. “As a small start-up, it is especially hard to gain visibility in a crowded marketplace and know that our product is appreciated. This is the ultimate stamp of approval, and I couldn’t be more grateful.” Our Almond Olive Oil Cake Mix is found on our online store at Flour & Olive and Faire Direct / Flour & Olive for wholesale orders and a growing number of retail stores. 

The sofi Awards are open to members of the SFA, and have been given each year since 1972. Winners will be showcased at the 2024 Summer Fancy Food Show, running June 23-25, at the Javits Center in New York City, and celebrated at the first-ever sofi Awards Gala on June 24. Open only to the trade, the Summer Fancy Food Show is specialty food’s premier product discovery event. For more information, visit specialtyfood.com.

About Flour & Olive
FLOUR & OLIVE was founded in 2022 by Estelle Sohne.  Located in KIRKLAND, WA, the company’s philosophy is to celebrate both cultural diversity and our common humanity through its line of olive oil cake mixes. Using extra virgin olive oil, unbleached and whole wheat flour and a simple baking method, the company’s inspiration and focus is to set its customers on a fun and interactive cake journey that transports their senses all over the world through olive oils, baking traditions and specialty ingredients. Future plans include expanding the company’s presence in retail stores and engaging in strategic partnerships to promote the growing geographic diversity of olive oils and complementary international specialty foods.  More information can be found at linktr.ee/flourandolive.

About the Specialty Food Association
The Specialty Food Association (SFA) was founded in 1952 and is the not-for-profit trade association of the $207-billion specialty food industry. Representing more than 3,800 businesses worldwide, SFA champions industry participation and success for a diverse community of makers, buyers, importers, distributors, and service providers by developing resources, information, education, and events that celebrate innovation and inclusivity. SFA owns and operates the Fancy Food Shows as well as the sofi™ Awards, which have honored excellence in specialty food and beverage annually since 1972. The SFA also produces the e-newsletter SFA News Daily, the Trendspotter Panel annual predictions and Fancy Food Show reports, the State of the Specialty Food Industry Report, Today's Specialty Food Consumer research, and the Spill & Dish podcast. Find out more online and connect with SFA on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.

Press Contact: [email protected]

COMPANY NAME MEDIA CONTACT:
ESTELLE SOHNE, FOUNDER, [email protected]