Mar 14, 2025

Organic industry leaders recognized during “Organic Night Out”

The organic industry gathered at the Natural Products Expo West trade show to honor businesses, brands and researchers advancing organic brands and organizations that are helping to drive the $70-billion industry. More than 600 attendees joined “An Organic Night Out with Sprouts and Friends,” an event hosted by The Organic Center and Organic Voices, to celebrate the winners in nine categories.

Gary Hirshberg, co-founder of Stonyfield Farm, emceed the event alongside VIP guests.

“The organic sector has once again demonstrated that its longstanding commitment to trusted science, breakthrough innovation, creative marketing and education, and unwavering resilience drives industry growth,” said Hirshberg. “We congratulate these well-deserved winners of our second annual ‘Organic Oscars’ — they are the heroes and change-makers who are helping expand the organic industry by demonstrating the value and benefits of products carrying the USDA Organic seal.”

Awards were presented in the following categories:

• Organic Company of the Year: Lundberg Family Farms, recognized for its nearly 100-year commitment to organic farming and recent launch of Regenerative Organic Certified rice.
• Best New Organic Food Product: Painterland Sisters’ Passionfruit Skyr Yogurt, made with organic milk from Pennsylvania family dairy farms.
• Best New Organic Beverage: Traditional Medicinals Stress Ease Teas, a collection featuring medicinal herbs aimed at addressing stress relief.
• Best New Organic Non-food Product: True Grace True Littles MicroVeggies, a nutrient-dense microgreen blend sourced from Regenerative Organic Certified farms.
• Most Impactful Research Finding: University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center for its study on red seaweed supplementation in organic dairy cattle, which showed potential to significantly reduce methane emissions.
• Best Organic Messaging (Social Media or PR): Pete and Gerry’s “Eggs as Nature Intended” campaign, which uses a lighthearted “spokesworm” to highlight the brand’s free-range farming practices.
• Best Organic Retailer Activation: MOM’s Organic Market, an independent grocery chain dedicated to organic products and environmental sustainability.
• Best Organic Supplier: Gallant International, recognized for its commitment to organic cotton farming and support for farmers in Odisha, India.
• Emerging Organic Brand of the Year: Lil Bucks, a company pioneering the U.S. market for sprouted buckwheat as a grain-free granola alternative.