Award Winners

New Virginia Product Award Winners

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services awards the Best New Product Diamond Award during the Virginia Food and Beverage Expo. Products are evaluated on the basis of originality, taste/aroma, creative packaging and visual appearance. The Expo showcases Virginia food and beverage products to buyers for grocery and specialty stores, restaurants, hotels and institutions, as well as distributors and brokers. In addition to the Best New Product, awards are presented for the Best New Food Product and the Best New Beverage Product.

2024 Winners:

Best New Product Overall
Owl Spoon Water Kefir Company's Yule Mule. This specialty beverage is a blend of organic Cranberry, Pomegranate and Ginger water kefir.

Best New Food
Keya & Company's Masala spiced kettle cooked potato chips. A special blend of a black salt-laced kettle cooked potato chip.

Best New Beverage
Ninja Kombucha Brewing Company's Blackberry Hibiscus Kombucha. This beverage features rich, earthy notes of premium oolong leaves, heightened by the juicy burst of plump blackberries and the exotic allure of hibiscus petals.

2022 Winners:

Best New Product Overall
Black Bean and Pumpkin Seed Carnitas
Produced by Chaotic Good Tempah of Richmond

Best New Food
Northern Neck Mild Sauce
Produced by Northern Neck Sauce of Richmond

Best New Beverage
Lillibean Hot Cocoa Bomb Kit
Produced by Pastry Base, LLC of Richmond

2020 Contest:

The 2020 Virginia Food & Beverage Expo and the Best New Product awards were cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.

2018 Winners:

Best New Product Overall
Rose Chili Salt
Produced by Hummingbird Gardens of Richmond

Best New Food
Heirloom Garlic Oxymel
Produced by Red Root & Co of Harrisonburg

Best New Beverage
Golden Milk
Produced by Homestead Creamery of Wirtz

2016 Winners:

Best New Product Overall
Drinking Vinegar
Produced by Mother Shrub of Midlothian, Virginia

Best New Food
Virginia Malt Whiskey Truffles
Produced by Gearharts Fine Chocolates of Charlottesville, Virginia

Best New Beverage
Texas Beach Bloody Mary Mix
Produced by Texas Beach of Richmond, Virginia

2014 Winners:

Best New Product Overall
“Crabby Mary” Bloody Mary Mix
Produced by Ashburn Sauce Company, Inc. of Virginia Beach, Virginia

Best New Food
Molina Salsa – Mild Flavor
Produced by The Letner Company, LLC of Virginia Beach, Virginia

Best New Beverage
Jalapeno Infused Margarita Mixer
Blue Crab Bay Co. of Melfa, Virginia

2012 Winners:

Best New Product
“Marsh Mud” – Cold-brewed Coffee
Produced by Eastern Shore Coastal Roasting, Exmore, Virginia

Best New Food
Bacon Steak
Produced by S. Wallace Edward and Sons, Surry, Virginia

Best New Beverage
Clammy Mary Bloody Mary Mix
Produced by Ashburn Sauce Company, Virginia Beach, Virginia

2010 Winners:

Best New Product
Mexican Chiapas Coffee-Infused Chocolate
Produced by Spice Rack Chocolates

Best New Food
Indian Cornmeal
Produced by Pungo Creek Mills

Best New Beverage
Wasmund’s Single Malt Whiskey
Produced by Copper Fox Distillery

2008 Winners:

Best New Product
Road Kill BBQ Sauce
Created by Jim Appleby

Best New Food (tie)
Medium Roasted Bell Pepper Gourmet Salsa
Produced by Sabrosa Foods

Grapefruit/Lavender Flavored Chocolates
Produced by Spice Rack Chocolates

Best New Beverage
Chill purified artesian water
Produced by Spring Run Bottling Company

2006 Winners:

Best New Product
“Chocolate and…”
Produced by Hunt Country Foods

Best New Food
Complete Meal: Sun-dried Tomato Chicken, Zucchini Provencal and Specialty Rice
Produced by Simply Fresh

Best New Beverage
Chill purified artesian water
Produced by Spring Run Bottling Company

2004 Winners:

Best New Product
Luscious Lemon Scoopable Cheesecake
produced by Rowena's

Best New Food
Black Cherry Brandy flavor candy
produced by The Original Velatis

Best New Beverage
Pure Passion Flavor
produced by Jammin! Nectars

2002 Winner:

Best New Product
Chocolate Jazz!
Produced by Hunt Country Foods

2000 Winner:

Best New Product
Virginia Gentleman 90 Proof Bourbon Chipotle Hot Sauce
produced by Ashman Manufacturing and Distributing Company