Whatcom and Skagit counties were well-represented at the 14th annual Good Food Awards, with nine local producers selected as winners and two others placing as finalists. Awarded products ranged from San Juan Island Sea Salt’s salted honey caramels to Bellingham Pasta Company’s pappardelle.
The Good Food Awards recognize “exceptional food and drink crafters” through both a blind tasting and sustainability vetting protocols. They are open to U.S.-based companies whose products fall within 18 categories, including honey, oils, grains, spirits and more.
The 2024 competition received nearly 2,000 entries, and 215 products from 38 states were selected as winners. The majority of entries come from small businesses, with about 80% of entrants’ annual budgets totaling less than $250,000. Results were announced at a ceremony on April 29 in Portland, Oregon.
Bellingham Pasta Company, Bow Hill Blueberries, Funky’s Hot Sauce Factory, Girl Meets Dirt, Marie’s Bees, Pangea Ferments, San Juan Island Sea Salt, Sauk Farm and Terramar Brewstillery all won awards for their products. Several companies were recognized for multiple products, including Bellingham’s Pangea Ferments (for their kimchi, curtido sauerkraut and garlic dill sauerkraut) and Concrete’s Sauk Farm (for its honeycrisp dried apples and honeycrisp cider).
In addition to the nine winners, two other local producers — Samish Bay Cheese and Lummi Island Wild Co-op — were selected as finalists. The list of 2024 finalists includes 428 products from 311 companies. For a full list of recognized brands and products, visit goodfoodfdn.org.
Cocoa Laney is CDN’s lifestyle editor; reach her at cocoalaney@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 128.
