Hart Dairy has won the grand prize at the 2022 Flavor of Georgia food contest for its Pasture Raised & Grass Fed 365 Days Per Year Chocolate Whole Milk.
Hart Dairy is a dairy company based in Waynesboro, Georgia, led by Tim Connell and Richard Watson. The cows are pasture raised, never confined and grass fed 365 days a year. The agribusiness promotes its chocolate milk not only as a treat for the whole family but as a beneficial post-workout drink due to the milk’s protein and carbohydrate content. Hart Dairy promises that its milk is better nutritionally, better for the environment and better for the animals.
“We are thrilled to be among so many wonderful finalists. Hart Dairy does what all these companies do – represent the amazing food and agriculture that comes out of the great state of Georgia,” said Mandy Schulz, marketing manager at Hart Dairy. “While our pasture-raised and grass-fed 365 days per year milk is nationwide, it all starts in Georgia, where our farms use regenerative agriculture systems, which are supportive of the environment, and our herd is Certified Humane. It is important that we tell that story.”
Hart Dairy was among 32 finalists narrowed down from 148 entries during the first round of judging on March 11. Judges for the contest include food brokers, grocery buyers and other food experts. Entries are evaluated by category based on their Georgia theme, commercial appeal, taste, innovation and market potential.
Flavor of Georgia, a UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Signature Event organized by the Department of Food Science and Technology, has helped launch small, start-up food companies while garnering recognition in new markets for established brands.
The 2022 Flavor of Georgia Winners
This year’s winners are listed by company, product name and city within the 11 competition categories. All entries are from Georgia-based businesses.
- Barbecue Sauces: Brooksmade Gourmet Foods Inc., Habanero Soulful Sauce, Alpharetta;
- Beverages: Byne Blueberry Farms, Blueberry Cider, Waynesboro;
- Condiments and Salsas: Pride Road, Peach Hibiscus Chutney, Lithonia;
- Confections: Maybird Confections, White Gold Pecan Toffee, Alpharetta;
- Dairy and Related Products: Hart Dairy, Pasture Raised & Grass Fed 365 Days Per Year Chocolate Whole Milk, Alpharetta;
- Honey and Related Products: Savannah Bee Company, Hot Honey, Savannah;
- Jams and Jellies: We Bee Jammin’, Strawberry Lemonade Marmalade, Pooler;
- Meats and Seafood: White Oak Pastures, Pastured Pork Bacon, Bluffton;
- Miscellaneous: Sutton Mill Creek Syrup Co., Spiced Apple Cider Hickory Syrup, Clarkesville;
- Sauces and Seasonings: Komodo Sauces, Komodo Black, Kennesaw; and
- Snack Foods: Mokipops, Mokipops Basil Lemonade Frozen Fruit Bar Popsicle, Atlanta.
Each entry in the Flavor of Georgia contest is featured in the print and digital product directory, including a professional photograph and brief overview, which is seen by leading food industry buyers and media outlets. The 32 finalists received a personalized press release, use of the Flavor of Georgia finalist logo on their label and promotional materials and the opportunity to present their product to a panel of food industry experts at the final judging.
Finalists also received a one-year Georgia Grown membership, courtesy of the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
As the grand prize winner, Hart Dairy was awarded an exhibit space at the Georgia Food Industry Association annual convention (a $1,500 value) and three consultation sessions from the UGA Food Product Innovation and Commercialization Center on product or process design, ingredient functionality, sensory testing or shelf-life determination (a $1,500 value).
To learn more about the contest, visit flavorofgeorgia.caes.uga.edu.
