Flavor of Georgia contest has heavy Southwest Georgia zing

ALBANY — The 11th edition of the Flavor of Georgia Food Product Contest will have a heaping helping of Southwest Georgia flavor with eight businesses in the region taking nine of the 33 finalist positions.

“There’s definitely a pocket there in Southwest Georgia where they’re making some great food,” Merritt Melancon, public relations coordinator for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia, said Friday.

The final round of the competition will be conducted March 21 at the Georgia Railroad Freight Depot in Atlanta. Southwest Georgia businesses will be competing in five of the 11 categories, including landing two competitors in the final round of judging in three categories. The Southwest Georgia competitors are:

— In the Meat and Seafood category, Mike’s Country Store of Albany is a finalist with its 100 Percent Boston Butt Hot Dogs. Carroll’s Sausage & Meats of Ashburn, last year’s People’s Choice winner, is a finalist with its Vidalia Onion and Cheese Smoked Sausage, Ashburn.

— In the Confections category, West Food of Edison is a finalist with its Chocolate Covered Fried Peanut Clusters.

— In the Barbecue Sauce category, Uncle Rhett’s Back Slappin’ Barbecue Sauce, from Ocilla, and Smokin’ Temptations’ Championship BBQ Sauce, from Moultrie, are finalists.

— In the Snacks category, Goodson Pecans of Leesburg is a finalist with its Toasted Sriracha Pecans.

— In the Sauces and Seasonings category, Uncle Rhett’s also is a finalist with its Jackpot 777 Wing Sauce.

— In the Jams and Jellies category, finalists are last year’s winner, Wisham Jellies of Tifton, which this year has entered its Fire! Pepper Jelly, and Lauri Jo’s Southern Style Canning of Norman Park, which has entered its Southern Pecan Jalapeno Pepper Jelly.

Melancon said there were 117 entries this year, which she said was “about average. I think the most we’ve gotten is 125. This is a fairly good year.”

This year, the final round of judging will be conducted in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Awareness Week celebration set for March 20-24. State Ag Commissioner Gary Black has designated March 21 Flavor of Georgia Day.

“Georgia is home to some of the best and most creative minds in the food business, and each year the Flavor of Georgia contest helps to showcase that talent,” Sharon P. Kane, contest coordinator and economist with the UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, said.

The judging is performed by food industry experts, Melancon said.

“These are people who have expertise in tasting things professionally,” she noted.

In addition to the winners getting “bragging rights for being the best in the state,” the competition has opened doors for small businesses to network and get their products marketed, she said.

“It really helps a lot for people trying to take the next step of getting their products into grocery stores,” Melancon said.

The Flavor of Georgia Food Product Contest is organized by the UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, with support from Georgia Center of Innovation for Agribusiness, the Office of the Governor, Walton EMC, Gourmet Foods International, the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Agribusiness Council.

More information on Flavor of Georgia can be found at flavorofga.com. The contest can also be followed on Twitter at twitter.com/FlavorofGA or on Instagram at instagram.com/flavorofga.