3 Athens products are 'Taste of Georgia' finalists

Products from three Athens companies started by entrepreneurs are among the finalists in the University of Georgia’s annual “Flavor of Georgia” contests.

The Athens finalists include Classic City Bee Company’s Smoked Honey, in the honey and related products category; Epting Events’ Beef Short Ribs in the meat and seafood category; and Pouch Pies’ Chicken, butternut, leek & Thyme Pie in the meat and seafood category.

The three will be judged along with 30 other Georgia-made food products — three in each of 11 categories — March 19 in the contest’s final round of judging at the Georgia Railroad Freight Depot in Atlanta.

Judges for the final round of the contest will include food brokers, grocery buyers and other food-industry experts. Judges evaluate entries by category based on their Georgia theme, commercial appeal, taste, innovation and market potential. Contestants will provide samples to judges and pitch their products in a “Shark Tank”-style presentation. Finalists will be named in each category, and a grand prize winner and People’s Choice Award winner will be named.

“Once again, the level of innovation and talent represented in our contest has left us amazed and excited for things to come,” said Sharon P. Kane, contest coordinator and economist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ (CAES) Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, in a news release. Kane and colleagues have organized the contest each year since 2007.

Taste of Georgia categories include barbecue sauces; beverages; condiments and salsas; confections; dairy products; honey and related products; jams and jellies; meats and seafood; miscellaneous; sauces and seasonings; and snack food.

The contest is organized annually by the UGA College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences’ Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development with support from state government and private groups.

More information is available at www.flavorofga.com.

This year’s finalists are listed by company, product name and city. All entries are from Georgia-based businesses.

Barbecue Sauces:

• Aubs Company LLC, AubSauce, Decatur
• Byne Blueberry Farms Inc., Blueberry Barbecue Sauce, Waynesboro
• Chinese Southern Belle, Wild Wild East Asian BBQ Teriyaki Pineapple, Smyrna

Beverages:

• FreshKiss Tea, Hibiscus Kombucha, Palmetto
• Montane Sparkling Spring Water, Grapefruit Peach, Atlanta
• Nectar Foods Two Inc., Nectar Ready To Blend Smoothies, Decatur

Condiments & Salsas:

• Abby J's Gourmet, Blackhawk Smokin' Hot Pickled Okra, Clarkesville
• Built By Bees, Tupelo Balsamic Vinegar, Atlanta
• Pine Street Market, Bacon Jam, Avondale Estates

Confections:

• A Cacao Affair, Macarons, Marietta
• FarmHouse PoundCakes LLC, Luscious Lemon, Cornelia
• Pie Provisions, Georgia Blueberry Pie Filling, Kennesaw

Dairy Products:

• Pine Street Market, Pimento Cheese, Avondale Estates
• Smith Family Dairy Farm, Silly Goat Cheese, Norman Park
• Suga's Enterprises LLC, Smoked Gouda Pimento Cheese, Powder Springs

Honey & Related Products:

• Built By Bees, Blueberry Whipped Honey, Atlanta
• Classic City Bee Company, Smoked Honey, Athens
• H. L. Franklin's Healthy Honey, Creamed Honey with Chocolate, Statesboro

Jams & Jellies:

• Elusive Jams LLC, Fig Bourbon Jam, White
• Fairywood Thicket Farm, Phenomenal Cosmic Strawberry Jam, Fairburn
• Savy Confections, Black Cherry Pecan Jam, Fairburn

Meats & Seafood:

• Epting Events, Beef Short Ribs, Athens
• Jensen Reserve, Coppa Roast, Loganville
• Pouch Pies, Chicken, Butternut, Leek & Thyme Pie, Athens

Miscellaneous:

• Georgia Grinders, Pecan-Peanut Butter, Atlanta
• Hunter Cattle, Farm Boy's Cane Syrup, Brooklet
• Olive Orchards of Georgia, Olive Oil, Quitman

Sauces & Seasonings:

• Bacon's Heir, Pork Panko, Chamblee
• Beautiful Briny Sea, Gun Powder Finishing Salt, Atlanta
• Kay's Cookery, Habeeb's Honey Braised Sauce, Lawrenceville

Snack Foods:

• Bodacious Food Company, Mama Geraldine's Pimento Cheese Straws, Jasper
• Hardy's Peanuts Inc., Delicious Dill Pickle Party Peanuts, Hawkinsville
• The Religious Nuts Company, Cin-Amen, Atlanta