Cleaning up at New Product Awards
May 30, 2019
Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) cleaned up at this year's Retail Council of Canada Canadian Grand Prix New Product Awards winning three awards – including one for CO-OP GOLD PURE® Soap.
At the May 29 awards ceremony in Toronto, FCL received awards for the soap (Private-Label Personal Care), Co-op Gold Pure Fish Fillets (Private-Label Meat, Egg and Seafood – Fresh, Refrigerated or Frozen) and CO-OP® GOLD Potstickers (Private-Label Frozen or Refrigerated Prepared Foods and Entrees).
“We work every day to develop new products that deliver the high-quality food experience that our customers and members have come to expect from the Co-op brand,” said Sav Bellissimo, FCL’s Store Brands Manager. “We have a great team and these awards recognize the time and consideration that go into delivering these unique products.”
All three products are produced at home in Western Canada:
- Co-op Gold Pure Fish Fillets: Walleye and northern pike are sustainably sourced from northern Saskatchewan in collaboration with Indigenous communities and fisher co-operatives. They are caught, processed, vacuum packed and quick frozen lakeside for premium freshness, taste and appearance.
- Co-op Gold Potstickers: Appetizer, small meal or evening snack, these Edmonton-made dumplings feature Asian-inspired flavours. Pork is sourced from Alberta producers and vegetables are sourced as locally as possible, depending on the growing season.
- Co-op Gold Pure Soap: Handmade, cold-processed soaps are made from a combination of natural, sustainably sourced ingredients in Calgary. The soaps use botanicals, essential oils and natural dyes in a long-lasting bar that looks, smells and feels great.
The Retail Council of Canada organizes the awards, which celebrate advancement and excellence in new products in food, non-food and private-label categories. Hand-selected volunteer judges from media, supplier and retail member sources evaluated 119 finalists in 36 categories on innovation, originality and consumer acceptance.
“We're seeing tremendous innovation in products that allow Canadians to easily recreate a wide range of restaurant-quality taste at home," said Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO of Retail Council of Canada said in a release. "The trend towards a more multiculturally inspired assortment of food products and a cleaner and healthier ingredient list is evident."
Other FCL products that were finalists for this year’s awards include Co-op Gold Ice Cream Sandwiches and Co-op Gold Pure Jam-Type Spreads. FCL has now won eight New Product Awards since 2016.
A complete list of finalists is available at rccgrandprix.ca.