The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) has named the winners of its annual “Penguin Pitch: Emerging Brand Contest,” created to spotlight up-and-coming brands in the frozen and refrigerated aisles.
Following a competitive review process, eight finalists were selected to submit product samples and promotional materials for evaluation by a panel of industry judges:
- Actual Veggies – Super Fries
- CitraPac Inc. – Nature’s Premium Parfait Pearls
- CVT Inc. – CVT Soft Serve
- Fat and Weird Cookie Company – Stuffed Mega Cookie Dough Bites
- Frönen – Salted Caramel Frozen Dessert Pint
- Jesse & Ben’s – Tallow & Sea Salt House-Cut Fries
- Maia Yogurt – Maia Kids No Sugar Added Pouch (Blueberry)
- MyForest Foods – MyBacon
Four brands earned top honors in the following categories:
- Most Unique Promotional Campaign: Frönen, for its clean ingredients and nostalgic flavor;
- Most Disruptive Product: Jesse & Ben’s, praised for reintroducing tallow in a clean-label fry;
- Most Creative Packaging: Actual Veggies, with its bold color, educational design and kid appeal; and
- Grand Prize: CVT Soft Serve, for its nostalgic taste, simple ingredients and “game-changing” format.
“The Penguin Pitch recognizes brands that bring new thinking, standout flavor and category growth potential,” said Tricia Greyshock, NFRA president and CEO. “This year’s finalists demonstrated a strong mix of consumer relevance and forward-looking innovation.”
As the grand prize winner, CVT Soft Serve will receive a featured table in Café NFRA at the 2025 NFRA Convention on Oct. 18–21 in Orlando, Florida. The placement provides direct exposure to leading retailers and industry decision-makers.
About National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA)
NFRA is a nonprofit trade association representing all segments of the frozen and refrigerated foods industry. NFRA sponsors four national annual promotions: ReDiscover Dairy & Frozen (January), March Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month and Summer Favorites Ice Cream & Novelties (June/July).
The association also provides consumer information such as food safety guidelines, meal preparation tips, recipes and sweepstakes opportunities through its Easy Home Meals consumer channels.
[RELATED: NFRA Convention To Spotlight Innovation, Leadership, Industry Growth]