Bayonne, N.J. — The Specialty Food Association named Craize a 2026 sofi™ Gold Award winner for its Toasted Corn Snacks Everything Flavor. The product earned top recognition in the Crackers & Crispbreads category from the Specialty Food Association (SFA).
The Specialty Food Association announced the award on January 23, 2026, during a live ceremony at Winter FancyFaire in San Diego. The event is one of the specialty food industry’s largest trade shows.
The sofi Awards recognize standout products across the specialty food and beverage sector. Retail and foodservice buyers select winners through blind tastings.
Craize’s Everything Flavor was chosen from a pool of more than 1,800 entries. The recognition signals strong buyer appeal in a highly competitive cracker and snack segment.
According to the Specialty Food Association, the 2026 awards span 25 Gold Award categories and highlight products that demonstrate innovation, quality ingredients, and strong market relevance.
What the award signals for Craize
Craize operates in the growing better-for-you snack space. The brand positions its products as a hybrid between chips and crackers.
The Everything Flavor variety features a toasted corn base. It includes sesame and poppy seeds, along with garlic and onion. The formulation aligns with continued consumer interest in familiar flavors presented in alternative snack formats.
Michele Abo, general manager of Kayco Beyond, which recently added Craize to its brand portfolio, said the recognition reflects buyer confidence in the product’s positioning.
Abo noted that feedback from retail buyers played a meaningful role in the win, adding that the award validates the brand’s focus on vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, and allergen-friendly snacks without relying on fried processing.
The product uses a slow-griddling method rather than frying and incorporates real ingredients directly into the dough, a formulation approach that aligns with clean-label trends in specialty snacks.
Industry context: awards as retail signals
Within the specialty food industry, sofi Awards often function as a signal to buyers scouting new products for shelf resets and seasonal assortments. Winning brands frequently leverage the recognition in retail pitches and category reviews.
Past Sofi winners have gone on to expand distribution nationally, particularly in natural and specialty grocery channels. For emerging and mid-sized brands, the award can accelerate conversations with retailers but does not guarantee long-term success without consistent velocity and supply chain execution.
Craize is part of Kayco Beyond, which distributes products to more than 14,000 retailers nationwide, potentially positioning the brand to capitalize on the award’s visibility.
Why it matters
Craize’s sofi Gold win highlights how clean-label formulation and dietary inclusivity continue to shape innovation in the specialty snack category. Familiar flavor profiles also remain a key driver.
As buyers look for products that balance wellness cues with recognizable tastes, Everything-style seasoning blends offer a low-risk entry point. The flavor profile helps reduce hesitation among consumers trying new snack formats.
The award also underscores the ongoing role of industry trade shows and blind-tasting competitions. These platforms continue to act as gatekeepers for retail credibility. Their influence is especially evident in crowded snack segments. In those categories, meaningful differentiation is becoming increasingly difficult.
Editor’s note: Source86 perspective
For food manufacturers and private label brands, Craize’s recognition illustrates a broader CPG trend. Buyers are increasingly rewarding products that combine clean labels with mainstream flavor familiarity.
Awards like the Sofi Gold can help open doors with retailers. However, scaling successfully still depends on ingredient sourcing consistency. Allergen controls and production reliability also remain critical.
At Source86, we support food brands navigating growth moments like this by helping manage bulk ingredient sourcing, FSQA oversight, private label development, and co-manufacturing partnerships. As specialty snacks continue to evolve, operational readiness is just as critical as innovation. Let’s talk.
FAQs
The Specialty Food Association presents the Sofi Gold Award to top-performing specialty food and beverage products, selecting winners through blind tastings conducted by industry buyers.
The 2026 winners were announced on January 23, 2026, during the Winter FancyFaire trade show in San Diego.
Craize won Gold in the Crackers & Crispbreads category for its Toasted Corn Snacks Everything Flavor.
External source: Craize® Wins 2026 sofi™ GOLD AWARD for Toasted Corn Snacks Everything Flavor at Winter FancyFaire
