May 9, 2006
CHICAGO, IL — May 9, 2006 — The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) today announced the winners of the 2006 Retailers’ Choice Awards, a global competition recognizing the grocery industry’s most dynamic and innovative new food, beverage and consumer products. The awards were presented during a special ceremony at the 2006 FMI Show, one of the world’s largest annual food trade events.

The categories, winning companies and products are:

  • Bakery — Big Shott’s, Big Shott’s Edible Shooters.
  • Beverages — Unistraw International, Sipahh Milk Flavouring Straws.
  • Condiments and Sauces — Unilever, Inc., Wish-Bone Salad Spritzer.
  • Dairy and Dairy Substitutions — Old Fashioned Foods, Inc., Aerosol Cream Cheese.
  • Entrees/Prepared Foods/Meal Solutions — Alexia Foods, Alexia Artisan Breads.
  • Equipment — Robinson Rubber Products, Altra Ware Silicon Cookware.
  • Health and Beauty — American Home Health, Inc., PS Sanitizing No Rinse Hand Spray.
  • Pet Products — Chomp, Inc., Yip Yap, Pit Pat and Sniffers.
  • Shelf Grocery — ACH Food Companies, Mazola Pure Cooking Spray.
  • Snack, Confectionary, Candies and General Merchandise — C-Me LLC,Eat It! Snacks & Sweets Trivia Game.

To qualify for the competition, products must have been introduced in the past year and be completely new, a category or line extension, or relaunched or repackaged. Products were displayed in the New Product Showcase on the FMI Show exhibit floor May 6-8. Retailer and wholesaler attendees voted for their favorite products, and votes were tallied May 8.

For details about the Retailers’ Choice Awards, please visit the FMI website at www.fmi.org.