Organic’s Best Honored at “An Organic Night Out with Sprouts and Friends”

The organic community celebrated science and innovation on Wednesday night at the Natural Products Expo West trade show for the organic industry’s second annual premier awards event. More than 600 attendees joined this year’s “Organic Oscars” recognizing the outstanding successes of organic brands and organizations helping to grow the $70-billion sector and communicate the benefits of choosing products with the USDA Organic seal.  

Hosted by The Organic Center and Organic Voices, “An Organic Night Out with Sprouts and Friends” showcased honorees in nine categories – all nominated and chosen by their peers.  Gary Hirshberg, industry visionary and co-founder of the world’s largest organic dairy company Stonyfield Farm, emceed the awards ceremony. Hirshberg was joined on stage by VIP guests including Jennifer Siebel Newsom, First Partner of California and award-winning filmmaker and advocate, who has championed efforts to establish first-in-the-nation state funding for universal school meals for all public-school children in California and led the work to develop the innovative California Farm to School initiative. 

And The Winners Are:

Awards were given in the following categories: 

Organic Company of the Year; Best New Organic Food; Best New Organic Beverage Product; Best New Organic Non-food Product; Best Organic Messaging (Social Media or PR); Best Organic Retailer Activation; Best Organic Supplier; and Emerging Organic Brand of the Year. An Excellence Award was also given to the most impactful organic research or finding of the year.  

Organic Company of the Year – Lundberg Family Farms 

Family-owned and founded in 1937, Lundberg Family Farms is best known for its California-grown rice, rice sides, and rice snacks. Inspired by Albert Lundberg’s philosophy to “Leave the land better than you found it,” the Lundbergs started farming organically in the 1960s, helped start California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) in the 1970s, and recently became the first U.S. grown rice brand to launch Regenerative Organic Certified® rice.  

Emerging Organic Brand of the Year – Lil Bucks 

Emily Griffith, Founder and CEO of Lil Bucks, discovered sprouted buckwheat while traveling in Australia and fell in love with its taste and health benefits. She brought it back to the U.S. as a grain-free granola replacement, and her obsession evolved into a mission to create the “Quaker Oats of Buckwheat.” Today Lil Bucks aims to expand the market for sprouted buckwheat—a minor crop in the U.S. but an agricultural staple in many countries. 

Best New Organic Beverage - Traditional Medicinals Stress Ease® Teas

Traditional Medicinals, the leading organic botanical wellness company, launched its new Stress Ease® tea line late last year in response to rising stress levels in America. The collection, featuring Focus, Immune, and Tension Relief, harnesses the power of adaptogens and nervines—medicinal herbs that help respond to occasional stress and support the nervous system. 

Most Impactful Research Finding – University of Minnesota WCROC 

This year’s award recognized the work of researchers at the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC) that studied red seaweed supplementation in organic dairy cattle and showed its potential to significantly reduce methane emissions without affecting milk production, animal health, or product quality. The study found SeaGraze altered rumen fermentation, leading to lower methane output, with no adverse effects on body weight, rumination behavior, or milk fatty acid profiles, supporting its feasibility for organic dairy farming. 

Best Organic Retailer Activation – MOM’s Organic Markets  

Founded in 1987 in Maryland, MOM’s Organic Market is the premier independent organic grocery chain in the Mid-Atlantic region. With stores in six states and Washington, D.C., MOM’s employs more than 1,000 people and is dedicated to protecting and restoring the environment. 

Best New Organic Food Product - Painterland Sisters’ Passionfruit Skyr Yogurt 

This year’s honoree is Painterland Sisters’ new Passionfruit Skyr Yogurt made with certified organic milk from Pennsylvania family dairy farms— including from the founders' 4th-generation grazing dairy farm. Winners of the inaugural “Organic Company of the Year Award” in 2024, Painterland Sisters is now one of the fastest-growing yogurt brands in the natural grocery channel. 

Best New Non-food product – True Grace True Littles MicroVeggies™ 

This year’s winner is True Grace True Littles MicroVeggies™, a powerful, nutrient-dense blend of broccoli and sunflower microgreens, sourced from Regenerative Organic Certified® farms. These microgreens offer essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to support kids' immune health, detoxification, and promote cellular vitality. 

Best Organic Messaging (Social Media or PR) - Pete and Gerry’s “Eggs as Nature Intended” 

This year’s winner is Pete & Gerry’s “Eggs as Nature Intended” campaign featuring the brand’s new “spokesworm” - a playful and optimistic character enjoying life alongside free-range hens on a sunny, idyllic Pete & Gerry’s organic egg farm. The worm narrates how the hens roam organic pastures, eating organic food (like...worms) and producing high-quality eggs—just as nature intended. 

Best Organic Supplier – Gallant International, Inc. 

This year’s winner is Gallant International Inc., a purpose-driven private label company helping over 500 companies on their organic cotton journey. Gallant supports 919 farmers in Odisha, India, by providing non-GMO cotton and intercropping seeds, covering tools, training, and certification costs. Gallant purchases their harvest at organic and fair-trade premiums and with long-term commitments. 

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