Zagori-style Kassiata Pie with Minced Meat, Onion and Leek from Kozani, Greece-based Alfa Pastry was among six frozen food winners in the Anuga Taste Top Innovations competition saluted during the bustling international food industry trade fair that ran from October 7-11 in Cologne, Germany. The Greek classic features thick, crinkled rustic filo pastry and a sumptuous filling that artfully incorporates elements from the iconic Pastitsio dish.
In business for more than 60 years, Alfa is synonymous with traditional Greek cuisine. Its extensive range of frozen, ready-to-bake sweet and savory puff pastries is exported to the retail, foodservice and catering sector buyers in over 35 countries.
Another winner representing the frozen baked goods sector was PizzaMi Garlic Bread Gluten Free Pinsa from PizzaMi – Galati s.r.l. of Parma, Italy. This tasty product is promoted as “leaving nothing to envy from traditional leavened products” and is presented as a typical Italian-American dish offering a special 100% gluten-free raised crust, topped with a vegan spread and finished with parsley.
Perú-based Viru S.A. was hailed for its crunchy Breaded Avocado Bites featuring mashed Hass avocado combined with chopped vegetables and spices covered with pre-dusted layers of batter and breadcrumbs with quinoa. They can be oven prepared, deep fried or heated up in an air fryer. Serving with a spicy or sweet-and-sour sauce is recommended.
On the seafood front, Yuu’n Mee Organic Black Tiger Prawns from Mangroves emerged victorious. Raised at certified aquaculture farms in the protected mangrove forest of Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, the shrimp feed solely on naturally available plankton and leaves, which results in a mild, nutty flavor.
Having also previously been awarded the Internorga Future Prize, the product is distributed in Europe by Yuu’n Mee Fine Foods Vertriebs-GmbH of Korneuburg, Austria.
There was a faux seafood product winner as well, in the form of Veenendaal, Netherlands-based Jan Zandbergen Group’s 100% plant-based imitation Crab Cake. Spiced like traditional crab cake, the product gets its shellfish flavor from nori seaweed. Easy to prepare, it is made of GMO- and palm oil-free sustainably sourced ingredients from Europe and produced in the Netherlands.
Last but not least among the frozen product winners, Sushi Rice Sheet from Dietzenbach, Germany-based Asian Table Wismettac EMEA Holdings won over the Anuga Taste Innovation jury consisting of journalists and market experts. They were impressed with the “authentically seasoned sushi rice plate” and with the size of a nori sheet, which is ready for individual toppings and rolling. “Simply defrost in the microwave, garnish, roll and enjoy,” says the supplier.
In total, 689 companies took part in the competition. The jury selected 68 products and concepts from among the entries. Ten products were also distinguished as being especially innovative. A list of all winners is available by visiting www.anuga.com.