Winners of 2024 Katha Awards for Food revealed
MANILA, Philippines — The Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) took a huge leap forward, championing Philippine food excellence as it recognized the best of the country’s export food products.
The much-anticipated winners of the 2024 Katha Awards for Food were announced on April 26 in a press briefing dubbed the “Big Taste Reveal: IFEX Philippines 2024 Media Salu-Salo and Katha Awards for Food Presentation” held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.
Recognized as a seal of Philippine food innovation and creativity, Katha Awards for Food seeks to challenge food entrepreneurs across the country to foster a culture of excellence in developing new export products.
“Katha Awards has been a hallmark of Philippine creativity through the recognition of fresh and innovative food products and applications. It seeks to inspire courage among food entrepreneurs to explore galleries of flavors and work on new, untried ideas,” CITEM deputy executive director and officer-in-charge Ma. Lourdes Mediran said.
She also explained that CITEM, the export promotions arm of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), has undertaken rigid measures to determine the most outstanding products among the nominees.
“These export-quality products are held to certain standards that CITEM has put in place for several years. Out of 79 products submitted for evaluation, 21 made it to the final screening and only nine emerged as the creme dela creme, meticulously selected by luminaries who are all well-respected within the food community,” she added.
The Board of Judges for this year’s Katha Awards for Food was led by former Department of Tourism (DOT) secretary, former CITEM president and now president of International School of Sustainable Tourism, Dr. Mina Gabor.
Joining her in the panel of judges were Anna Marie Ozaeta, co-founder of the Philippine Culinary Heritage; Ferdinand Cabo Chanpongco, food industry consultant; and Millie Dizon, senior vice president for marketing of SM Retail.
Central to the occasion was a panel discussion facilitated by renowned gastronomy expert Clang Garcia and attended by authorities in food export including Mediran, IFEX Philippines project director Rowena Mendoza, Plant-based Association of the Philippines president Auggie Suratos-Yap and Philippine Food Processors and Exporters Organization Inc. (PHILFOODEX) president Ruben See.
Apart from Katha Awards, Garcia and Abigail Marquez were also given special recognition as “FOODPhilippines Advocate Par Excellence.”
For her part, IFEX Philippines’ Mendoza urged everyone to take part in the 17th edition of IFEX Philippines set to happen on May 10 to 12 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The winners of the 2024 Katha Awards for Food
Beverages
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The Power of SLOW Coconut Flower Sap by Lionheart Farms Philippines Corporation
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Ube Cream Liqueur by Destileria Barako Corporation
Ready-to-eat Savories and Home Meal Replacements
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Bean Appetit Monggo with Squash in Coconut Milk and Dilis by Bestfriend Goodies
Meat, Poultry and Dairy Products
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Real Bacon Crisps by Baken Philippines, Inc.
Fruits and Vegetables, Seaweeds and Plant-based Meat Alternatives
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Buenas Dried Vegetables by Gem Foods International, Inc.
Bakery Products and Confectionary
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Handcrafted Chocolate Treats by Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory, Inc.
Cereals and Cereal Products
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Doña Maria Brown Rice Puffs Series by SL Agritech Corporation
Food Ingredients, Condiments and Sweeteners
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Maharlika Pure Calamansi Extract by One Vizcaya by Gulf Pacific Integrated Exports, Inc.
Fish and Other Seafood Products
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Northbay Deli Classic Salmon Smoked in Oil by Kai Anya Foods International Corporation
Here are the finalists:
- The Locale Farm Strawberry Tea by Northern Roots SG Group, Inc. by The Legacy Farmers Agriculture Cooperative
- Sabroso 100% Pure Cacao with Coconut Milk and Sugar by Sabroso Chocolate Manufacturing
- OSH! Oh So Healthy Get Nutty (Nuts N’ Crisps Mix) by Innovative Packaging Industry Corporation
- Stips Chips Salted Egg Cassava Chips by Happy Eats Corporation
- unMEAT Meatballs in Spaghetti Sauce by Century Pacific Food, Inc.
- unMEAT Luncheon Meat Hot & Spicy by Century Pacific Food, Inc.
- Hab Eat Calamansi Extract Powder by PFP (Pautricia Food Processing) Corporation
- Wangsil Radish Cubed Kimchi by Daebak Korean Food Trading
- Hueza Crisps by Hueza Bakery
- Daily Apple Chocolate-Coated Candied Roselle Flower by Herbanext Laboratories, Inc.
- Sarap Pinoy Ginataang Bilo-Bilo by Grand Alphatech International Corporation
- Coco Natura Premium Coco Syrup by Los Ricos Compania Corporation
- Buenas Creamy Halo-Halo Series by Gem Foods International, Inc.
- Buenas Gourmet Bagoong Tomato Flavor by Gem Foods International, Inc.
- Grand Kim Sardines in Curry Sauce by ZC E & L Corporation
Editor's Note: This is a press release from CITEM. It is published by the Advertising Content Team that is independent of our Editorial newsroom.
