Banana Graham Ice Cream. Smooth Blended Cottage Cheese with Strawberry. Costa Rican Pineapple & Guava Greek Yogurt. These and other sensational, fruit-forward flavors and inclusions shined this week, taking home two-thirds of the awards at the International Dairy Foods Association's (IDFA) annual Innovative Ice Cream Flavor and Innovative Cultured Dairy Product competitions, co-sponsored by Dairy Foods magazine. The ice cream and cultured dairy product competitions took place during IDFA’s annual, co-located Ice Cream Technology Conference and Yogurt & Cultured Innovation Conference, which attracted a record crowd of more than 270 industry professionals to Austin, Texas. 

Honey Sopapilla by H-E-B took home top honors in the Most Innovative Ice Cream Flavor competition; Lemon Bar Sandwich by DFA Dairy Brands was awarded Most Innovative Ice Cream Novelty; and Peach Green Tea with Mango Bubble Burst from Tastepoint by IFF was named Most Innovative Prototype Ice Cream Flavor—the award for flavors not yet found in the marketplace. In the Innovative Cultured Dairy Product competition, Smooth Blended Cottage Cheese with Strawberry by Dairy Farmers of America was named Most Innovative Cultured Dairy Product, and Costa Rican Pineapple & Guava Greek Yogurt from Fruitcrown Products Corp. secured the distinction of Most Innovative Cultured Dairy Prototype Flavor.

“While chocolate, vanilla and strawberry continue to top the list of America's Favorite Ice Cream Flavors each year, dairy companies continue to innovate to meet consumer’s expectations and preferences,” said Joseph Scimeca, Ph.D., senior vice president of regulatory and scientific affairs at IDFA. “This year’s winners were able to match consumer preferences for fruits by incorporating peach, passionfruit, guava and other tropical, citrus and fruit flavors. We also saw the delicious combination of fruit and bakery goods, such as biscuits or graham crackers.”

“It was yet another incredible year for the Innovative Flavor and Product Contests. The applications were outstanding and delicious, and it was very difficult to select the winners,” said Brian Berk, editor-in-chief, Dairy Foods magazine. “I congratulate all the winners.”

The combined competitions attracted a record 50 entries, delivering new programming and contest opportunities to a broader spectrum of dairy professionals and suppliers than ever before.

 The awardees of the Innovative Flavor and Product contests are:

Most Innovative Ice Cream Flavor (currently offered for sale in the market)

1^st Place: Honey Sopapilla | H-E-B

2^nd Place: Banana Graham | Perry’s Ice Cream Company, Inc.

3^rd Place: Spicy ‘n Spooky | Baskin Robbins

Most Innovative Ice Cream Novelty (currently offered for sale in the market)

1^st Place: Lemon Bar Sandwich | DFA Dairy Brands

2^nd Place: Vegan Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwich | Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream 

3^rd Place: Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bar | Hudsonville Creamery & Ice Cream Co., LLC

Most Innovative Prototype Ice Cream Flavor (not yet in the market)

1^st Place: Peach Green Tea with Mango Bubble Burst | Tastepoint by IFF

2^nd Place: Peanut Butter Chocolate Corn Chip | Sensient Technologies

3^rd Place: Blueberry Muffin | Balchem 

Most Innovative Cultured Dairy Product (currently offered for sale in the market)

1^st Place: Smooth Blended Cottage Cheese with Strawberry | Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.

Most Innovative Cultured Dairy Prototype Flavor (not yet in the market)

1^st Place: Costa Rican Pineapple & Guava Greek Yogurt | Fruitcrown Products Corp.

Photo by Brian Berk depicts the view from the Tuesday night party at the conference.