In a search to find the best new recipe in America, US Foods, one of the country’s most innovative food companies and leading distributors, is launching the second annual Next Top Product Contest. Focused on uncovering the best bakery, hot appetizer, or sauce recipe, Next Top Product gives customers the opportunity to submit their recipe for a chance to have it made into a US Foods commercial product that will be available across the country.
Open to more than 250,000 chefs from around the country who are US Foods customers, this year’s contest challenges culinary aficionados to share their most delicious, unique recipes for baked goods, sauces or hot appetizers. The chef’s recipe that reigns supreme will receive $20,000 in cash and prizes, in addition to having their recipe turned into a US Foods product.
“Innovation is what drives US Foods and the Next Top Product contest is just one way that we are scouring the country to find and develop the best products for our customers, and in this case, by our customers,” says Pietro Satriano, chief merchandising officer, US Foods. “This contest provides our team with a valuable opportunity to work collaboratively with our customers to showcase their best recipes.”
Chefs are encouraged to submit their recipe online at www.usfoods.com/contest until July 19. Up to 55 semi-finalists will be chosen from US Foods’ divisions across the country and featured on the US Foods Facebook page for consumers to vote on their favorites from August 26 to September 20. Voting will be open to the public; friends, family, and fans of these local chefs are encouraged to rally the vote to help their hometown chef move on to the next round.
The customer who receives the most votes in each of the eight US Foods regions will enter the grand-prize round, where the final eight chefs will compete in a head-to-head cooking showdown at the World Food Championships in Las Vegas to determine the US Foods Next Top Product winner. The winning chef will receive $5,000 in cash and the restaurant’s owner will received a $15,000 CES kitchen makeover. The chef’s recipe will also be developed into a US Foods product.
Last year’s winner, Texas-based Chef Sean Frye, developed a mouthwatering Southern Style Shrimp and Crab Cake that was released as a Chef’s Line offering in this spring’s product line. This delicious product was a great addition to the US Foods lineup and has been well received across the nation, setting the stage for another popular launch for the 2013 winner.
Each season US Foods releases a new product line filled with sought-after items that consist of the company’s latest and highest-quality products. US Foods aims to provide customers with the products that their diners crave most by staying on top of industry trends and developments. The summer 2013 product line highlights the next generation of sandwiches and the creative ways that chefs can combine traditional ingredients to produce fresh, innovative offerings for diners’ evolving tastes.
