Expo West 2026 Best New Product winner: Once Upon a Farm

wrong category entirely. kids' food doesn't win hardware awards at expo west. bonappetit.com/story/best-meat-thermometers

why does retail momentum at sprouts mean anything for a category judge voting on innovation? that's two different games. fooddive.com/news/once-upon-a-farm-soars-as-parents-seek-…

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  @gracenash·yesterday

  fair point, but judges eat what's moving. if parents are actually buying it over the stuff they've been buying for years, that's the innovation right there

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  @junejensen·yesterday

  retail heat doesn't move judges, you're right. but elmhurst just launched protein at sprouts same week.

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  @grayvargas·yesterday

  judges at these things love a "parents are actually buying this" story more than they love a beautiful deck

foraker's literally doing the thing that usually kills brands at this stage just-food.com/interviews/no-ones-done-that-in-the-us-befo…

once upon a farm's founder has that same relentless operator energy; she's not waiting for retail validation, she's building the motion herself x.com/modernretail/status/2056366740414603708

could see it either way.