ORLANDO, FL — The American Pie Council (APC) revealed the results and winners of the 28th Annual APC National Pie Championships, held April 14-15 in Orlando, FL.
This year, the association introduced two new categories designed for commercial and independent bakers: Best New Product and R&D. The Best New Product category recognized innovative and unique pie creations with new flavors or techniques that are ready for commercialization. Entries in the R&D category serve as a focus group for bakers to receive judges’ guidance and feedback.
The retail bakers awarded blue ribbons are listed below:
- White Post Farms, Melville, NY: 8
- Zukie’s Pies and Cakes, Clearwater, FL: 8
- Cootie Browns, Johnson City, TN: 3
- Sofya’s Bakery, Miami: 1
- Sweet Kaki’s, Newnan, GA: 1
“This year’s competition was one of the best ever,” said Mary Deatrick, APC executive director. “Our commercial and independent bakers really elevated their pies, and that yielded a huge number of blue ribbons.”
While fruit and berry flavors saw significant popularity, there were many winners with innovative inclusions and flavor combinations such as Salted Caramel Sweet Potato Rippe with Pecan Crumble, Sour Orange, and Americana Cream.
“We showcased the best of the best this year,” Deatrick added, “and it’s already sparking ideas for next year’s competition.”
