Wakefern Food Corp. announced this week the winners of its first Own Brands Supplier Innovation Summit. The event which was held in July, gave manufacturers the stage to pitch new innovative products to Wakefern brand executives. Winners may be included in one of their Vertex award-winning private brands Bowl & Basket and Wholesome Pantry.

The four winners’ products will join the range of Wakefern’s Bowl & Basket or Wholesome Pantry brands by spring 2023.

“We are incredibly proud of the teamwork that went into making our very first Own Brands Supplier Innovation Summit such a successful and rewarding endeavor,” said Bryant Harris, chief merchandising officer at Wakefern. “As a result of the event, we’ve identified four exciting, innovative food and beverage companies that will expand the on-trend, high-quality offerings of our own brands portfolio.”

Winners include:

• Delica North America: Bean-to-bar Swiss chocolate and confection facility Delica is part of Migros Industry and one of the world’s largest private brand manufacturers, offering more than 20,000 products in more than 50 countries.
• GlutenLibre: Founded by two bakers who met in manufacturing 15 years ago, GlutenLibre offers certified gluten-free and vegan plant-based frozen dumplings. GlutenLibre only uses wholesome, all-natural ingredients with no artificial flavors or colors, preservatives, nitrates, hormones or antibiotics.
• The Perfect Bite Company: A trend-setting manufacturer that offers a “fresh take on frozen,” the Perfect Bite Company has built its business by offering a foundation of delicious foods including breakfast, single-serve meals, bowls, and value-added vegetables and grains.
• Prana Gourmet Foods, Inc.: New Jersey-based Prana offers innovative “On-the-Go” meal solutions that address mainstream plant-based trends. Their extensive product line includes shelf-stable meals made from rice, quinoa, and noodles in both conventional and organic varieties.