Good Food Awards Entry Period Open Through August 31st Alice Waters, Nell Newman, Dale Degroff And Tory Miller Amongst This Year's Judges

The Good Food Awards-the first national awards to recognize American craft food producers who excel in taste and sustainability-kick-starts the third year of its quest to find America's best food producers. August 5th marks the official launch of a coast-to-coast call for entries of beer, charcuterie, cheese, chocolate, coffee, pickles, preserves, spirits, and (a brand new category) confections. A blind tasting with Alice Waters, Nell Newman and over 130 other food movement leaders will determine this year's 100 winners, who will be showcased in San Francisco at a special one-day Good Food Awards Marketplace within the iconic CUESA Ferry Plaza Farmers Market.

The awards are helping to fuel a national Good Food renaissance, with both concrete business opportunities and national visibility directed at those who win a Good Food Award. From year one to year two the number of entrants grew 35% to 926 entries and is anticipated to reach over 1,000 from all 50 states this year. Last year dozens of Whole Foods Markets featured displays to promote the winners, Williams Sonoma picked up over half a dozen winners in 20 of their stores, and the Ohio House of Representatives honored its hometown winners with a resolution and ceremony. Reported sales increases of 25 to, in one case, 400%, shows the boon that winning can have for both craft food producers and the sustainable farms growing their ingredients. It is estimated that last year's winners cumulatively invested an increased $800,000 in local farms to fulfill the new demand for their award-winning foods.

"The Awards are a way to publicly recognize the people who are not satisfied with the status quo, but continue to push their industries towards greater craftsmanship and sustainability," said Sarah Weiner, Director of the Good Food Awards. "They are food crafters from small towns and big cities who are maintaining an important piece of our cultural heritage - the food we eat - while enhancing our agricultural landscape and building strong communities."

NEW THIS YEAR: CONFECTIONS & THE MERCHANTS GUILD In further good food news, the awards have answered the sweet tooth call, expanding categories to include confections. From chocolate covered bon bons to gloriously simple caramels, we're on a mission to honor the confectioners who use locally grown, minimally processed ingredients that celebrate regional culture and tradition and exemplify excellence in the candy making craft.

Also new this year, the Good Food Awards will be launching the first association to connect, convene and promote the growing number of artisan food producers- the Good Food Merchants Guild. Craft food businesses of every type face similar challenges in being environmentally and socially resposible while remaining economically viable, and the Guild will focus on helping them thrive and become a vibrant economic force in America. The new Guild launches with the support of a Founders Circle of forward-thinking businesses dedicated to creating a better food system, including Bon App�tit Management Company, Good Eggs, Whole Foods Market and Bi-Rite Market.

SPONSORS
The Good Food Awards would not be possible without the continued support of its many partners. We would like to specially thank Presenting Sponsors Whole Foods Market and the San Francisco Ferry Buidling, as well as Williams Sonoma, Bi-Rite Market, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Veritable Vegetable, The Hub SoMa, Dominic Philips Event Marketing and CUESA for their generous support.

HOW TO ENTER
From August 5-31, 2012, food producers are invited to enter in nine categories: beer, charcuterie, cheese, chocolate, coffee, pickles, preserves, spirits and confections. Winners-selected from each region of the United States-are chosen based upon meeting the