COCHRANE, Alberta, May 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Organic cookies can still be swoon-worthy as Real Treat has proven with its Lemon Sablés with Herbes de Provence that have been awarded Gold in the Cookies & Sweet Snacks category of the Specialty Food Association’s 2021 sofi™ Awards. This award marks the first time a certified organic cookie has won a sofi™ Award, and Real Treat is the first Canadian brand to win a sofi™ in this category since the inception of the sofi™ award in 1972.
To win the highly competitive sofi™ Award, Real Treat’s cookies were blind taste tested by a group of expert judges made up of seasoned food professionals including chefs, culinary instructors, recipe developers and specialty food buyers. Judges scored each submission on multiple qualities including flavour, appearance, texture, aroma and creativity. With its Gold award recognition, Real Treat outperformed all other competitors included in the category.
“The sofi™ Gold Award is the highest honour in the specialty food industry. Winning one is a tremendous achievement and a true validation of our mission to create organic cookies that are decadent and delicious,” said Jacqueline Day, Founder, Real Treat. “For too long organic treats have fallen into the category of ‘consolation prize food’ and we are here to change that.”
Real Treat launched in 2014 with its Top Shelf line of gourmet organic cookies. These are premium cookies with creative flavours having strong appeal with foodies. Unique for being both organic and epicurean, these cookies caught the attention of New York Times Food who called them, “Cookies for the Sophisticated Set.” The sofi™ winning Lemon Sablés with Herbes de Provence was among the first products to be launched from this line. Since its debut this cookie has been featured at distinguished wineries in the Napa Valley and top tier cheese boutiques due to its unique talent for pairing beautifully with wine and cheese.
Real Treat demonstrates their creativity and high standard of quality and flavour with three additional flavours in the Top Shelf line, including their wildly popular Salted Caramel Shorties with Fennel, Dark Chocolate Chunk with Smoked Pecans, and Double Dark Chocolate with a Twist cookies. Some pair with wine and cheese, while others are the ideal indulgence to enjoy with a fine single malt scotch.
For the more traditional cookie lover, Real Treat offers their Real Treat Pantry line. Also certified organic, these cookies are made with clean ingredients while satisfying the craving for cookies we grew up enjoying as children, freshly baked in our home ovens. These are the cookies of childhood tea parties and after-school snacks. Here you will find mouth-watering nostalgic favourites like Chocolate Chunk, Oatmeal Raisin, and Brown Sugar Shortbread. The Pantry line is a current finalist for a NEXTY Award. New Hope Network will announce the winner at their upcoming virtual Natural Products EXPO.
Real Treat products are available at select retailers across Canada and the United States, and online at realtreat.ca. Retailers selling Real Treat products can be found using Real Treat’s Stockist Finder.
About Real Treat
Real Treat is based in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in beautiful Cochrane, Alberta, Canada. A wholly woman-owned business founded by Jacqueline Day in 2014, their small-batch organic cookies have a passionate following of foodies and cookie monsters big and small across North America and have been raved about in the pages of The New York Times Food, Culinaire, Gourmet News, Toronto Life and Avenue magazines.
All products in the Real Treat lineup are USDA, EU, and Canada certified organic by EcoCert.
About the Specialty Food Association
The Specialty Food Association (SFA), is the leading trade association and source of information about the $158.4 billion specialty food industry. Founded in 1952 in New York City, the SFA represents makers, importers, retailers, distributors, and others in the trade. The SFA is known for its Fancy Food Shows; the sofi™ Awards, which honor excellence in specialty food and beverage; Trendspotter Panel Show reports and annual predictions; the State of the Specialty Food Industry Report; the Product Marketplace database, featuring specialty foods and beverages in 161 categories and sub-categories; Infinite Aisle, a new ecommerce marketplace that enables SFA Members to make buyer-maker connections and sales year-round; and Specialty Food LIVE!™, a digital marketplace experience.
Jacqueline Day
Founder and CEO
info@realtreat.ca
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7c75f6b7-cc95-4053-905e-04e5f6ce798d