10 Innovations That Are Shaping the Future of Flavor
Cast Your Vote for This Year’s Deli Innovation Award
The entrants of the second annual Deli Business Innovation Award showcased their top innovations that are sold in the retail deli department.
With a focus on Product, Packaging and Process, Deli Business presents the 10 top-scoring entrants and leaves it up to the industry to decide which item merits the Deli Business Innovation Award.
This year’s submissions showcase key trends, with the deli industry aiming to inspire healthier eating habits and create innovations that drive sales growth. This crop of winners highlights innovations that are shaping the future of the deli.
The judging, which took place in the Boca Raton, FL, offices of Deli Business, was conducted by editors and staff who are well-versed in the industry.
Only Deli Business readers will evaluate the top-scoring products selected from numerous entries. Please read the descriptions below and cast your vote by June 2 using the form below to choose this year’s winner.
CAST YOUR VOTE
CHOOSE A WINNER
- FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW.
- POLLING ENDS AT 5 P.M., PST ON JUNE 2.
Brooklyn Cured
Dirty Martini Salami
Brooklyn, NY
Crafted with premium Spanish olives and dry vermouth, this pork salami echoes the flavor profile of a classic dirty martini with briny and savory notes. This new flavor is a nod to a classic cocktail that has seen a resurgence in the past decade. Now, more than ever, people across generations seek both classic sophistication and modern twists in their drinking and dining experiences. Like all of the salami in this line, the Dirty Martini-inspired flavor plays on the rise of the craft cocktail movement and retro trends.
Mifroma USA
Tête de Moine AOP Rosettes
Stamford, CT
Tête de Moine AOP is a specialty cheese with a history that dates back 800 years, and which originates from the Bellelay Abbey in Switzerland’s Bernese Jura region. Tête de Moine AOP is a strong, semi-hard cheese with a robust aroma and texture. Its full flavor is due to natural untreated milk from dairy cattle. These cylindrical cheeses are produced in village dairies around the Bellelay area — a designated area of origin that earns this cheese its AOP status. The cheese is matured on pinewood boards for three months, adding depth of flavor. This cheese is commonly eaten in wafer-thin rosettes, which are shaved off the cheese with a device called a Girolle or a Pirouette. These delicate pairings enable the full flavor of the cheese to develop, heightening the tasting pleasure. Mifroma has taken out the guesswork and is bringing convenience with a pre-shaved rosette, allowing consumers to enjoy the full flavor of Tête de Moine AOP without the need for a Girolle. The package comes with two compartments which can be separated and enjoyed at different times.
Giant Eagle, Inc.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad Dip
Cranberry Twp, PA
The Strawberry Pretzel Salad Dip is inspired by traditional crowd-favorite sweets, transforming familiar flavors in a different application. The dip category has no limits. Creating mashups, integrating familiar flavors are drivers expanding and growing this category set. A regional favorite, the dip is a sweet strawberry-flavored whipped cream cheese with pretzel pieces.
POSHI (Power of Simple Healthy Ingredients)
POSHI Petite Dill Pickles
Miami, FL
An extension to the full portfolio of POSHI pouched veggie snacks, and in keeping with POSHI’s mission to make vegetable snacking accessible, affordable, and completely convenient — POSHI introduces its innovation launch for 2025: POSHI Petite Dill Pickle. The premium whole petite dills come in single-serve, brine-free and liquid-free pouches, offering the perfect mess-free snack on the go. Firm, crisp, and bursting with flavor, they’re ready to enjoy straight from the pouch. Store them in your pantry or fridge — you’ve got the freedom. Shelf-stable and always ready when you are, made with care to suit your lifestyle and eating preferences.
Ovtene
ByOvtene
Marion, MA
ByOvtene is a tri-fold deli system used by many deli counters and grab-and-go deli items. It is also used in many cheese shops and delis. ByOvtene film is a revolutionary film for maintaining the organoleptic characteristics of fine cured meats and cheeses. It is also great for smoked fish from the deli. The film is breathable, reusable and environmentally responsible. It also repels water and is a grease repellent. The dispensing system minimizes counter space.
Smoking Goose
Sliced Charcuterie Packages In Stand-Up Retail Display
Indianapolis, IN
Among the salumi, smoked meats, sausages, whole muscle charcuterie, and larder meats that Smoking Goose brings to the table is a brand-new line of pre-sliced charcuterie packages delivered in its own reusable, stand-up retail display. Not only do the stand-up retail displays set these packages apart and make attractive, tempting displays super easy for deli staff, but they also open self-service options for customers at the deli counter. These pre-sliced, pre-portioned packages are ideal for charcuterie boards, cocktail hour, and game-day snacks without the need for a slicer, prep space, staff labor and more.
Schuman Cheese
Delve
Fairfield, NJ
At Delve, cheese is kind of our thing. With years of sourcing the finest cheeses from around the globe, we’ve developed a mastery in the art of cheese making. Now, we’ve used our knowledge to create the culinary delights you currently behold. Delve was born from the expertise and innovative spirit of Schuman Cheese. The Delve lineup includes three flavors: Basil Pesto Parm: A fresh and vibrant blend of basil and Cello’s award-winning Copper Kettle Parmesan Cheese; Garlic Herb Asiago: A bold and savory mix of garlic, fresh herbs, and Cello’s award-winning Asiago Cheese; and Whipped Feta: A rich and smooth take on this Mediterranean classic with the standout integration of award-winning Dodoni Feta Cheese made from 100% Greek, pasteurized sheep’s and goat’s milk.
Bergader
Edelblu Cheese Cubes
Marlborough, MA
Bergader edelblu cheeses are crafted using traditional methods and state-of-the-art technology, ensuring consistent quality and a refined flavor profile in every batch, and offering a diverse selection of edelblu cheeses to suit various culinary applications and consumer preferences. The innovated edelblu Cheese Cubes add a flavorful punch to salads, pizzas and more — convenient and delicious. Edelblu cheeses are a hit with consumers, thanks to the rich taste and versatile uses. They are perfect for enhancing menus, artisanal cheese boards and upscale offerings.
Van Holten’s
Van Holten’s x Warheads Blue Raspberry Pickle-In-A-Pouch
Waterloo, WI
Inspired by the viral TikTok trend, Van Holten’s has teamed up with Warheads for a special edition Extreme Sour Blue Raspberry Pickle-In-A-Pouch. No sugar coating here. They packed all the sour flavor they could into this Warheads Extreme Sour Dill Pickle, built for super sour fanatics. The Pickle-In-A-Pouch is an on-the-go snack with a bold flavor to quench any salty craving. Van Holten’s Pickles are gluten-free, certified kosher, fat-free, low calorie and low carb. Every cucumber that goes through Van Holten’s factory is grown, pickled, and packaged in the USA.
Woodside Cheese Wrights
Kris Lloyd Artisan Monet-Rye Flower Flatbread
Woodside, South Australia
Indulge in a sophisticated cheese experience with Monet-Rye Flatbread Crackers. Made with artisan rye and adorned with delicate, dried edible flowers, these crackers are the perfect blank canvas for any cheese of your choice. Each cracker is made with the finest quality South Australian flour, ensuring an elegant and flavorful pairing for artisanal cheeses. Elevate your next cheese board with the subtle yet elegant flavor of Monet-Rye Flatbread Crackers. World’s Best Cheese is now stocking the whole range.
