On August 24, 2021, the Flavor of the Year winners were announced at SNAXPO21 in Charlotte, NC. The Flavor of the Year competition, hosted in the SNAXPO Flavor Pavilion co-sponsored by Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, is currently in it's fourth year. For 2021, both a sweet competition and a savory competition were held. Also new this year were COVID-19 safe protocols including egg cartons for each taste-test and QR codes for voting.

“Among a long list of factors fueling growth in snacking, taste consistently reigns supreme,” said Elizabeth Avery, president and CEO, SNAC International. “It is wonderful to see such innovative and forward-leaning flavors from our members that participated in this much anticipated contest.”

SNAXPO 2021 highlighted innovation in snacking, and attendees had the opportunity to savor a full range of on-trend and emerging new flavors at SNAXPO’s fourth annual Flavor Pavilion, sponsored by SNAC International and Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery. New this year, the Pavilion featured two distinct categories of flavors: sweet and savory. Attendees sampled the submissions from nine leading flavor and seasoning suppliers and voted on their favorite.

The Savory Flavor of the Year winner was Spicy Pho, by Gamay Food Ingredients. Runners-up included Creamy Avocado, by Commercial Creamery, in second place, and Organic Chimichurri, by Carolina Ingredients, in third.

The Sweet Flavor of the Year winner was Mocha Latte, by Elite Spice. Runners-up included Sweet Dukkah, by Commercial Creamery, and Chocolate Strawberry Acai, by Gamay Food Ingredients, in third.

“The snacking industry is built on a culture of constant improvement, and I look forward to seeing the ongoing innovations in snacking in 2022 and beyond,” concluded Ms. Avery. “Thank you to our sponsors for making the Flavor Pavilion possible, and congratulations to Elite Spice, Gamay Food Ingredients, and all who participated in the Flavor Pavilion.”