ANAHEIM, CA (March 10, 2025) — 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. 

“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.”   

“It was inspiring to be among so many passionate advocates, farmers, and business leaders dedicated to investing in healthier children, stronger local economies, and a more sustainable future…one created by a food system that nourishes people, protects the planet, and values those who grow our food,” said First Partner Seibel Newsom. 

Additional guests speaking at the event were Dr. Amber Sciligo, Senior Director of Science Programs for The Organic Center, Katrina Staves, Executive Director of Organic Voices, and Matthew Dillon, co-CEO of the Organic Trade Association.  

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.  

“Sprouts was proud to support “An Organic Night Out,” bringing together leaders and innovators dedicated to helping people live and eat better,” said Kim Coffin, Chief Forager of Sprouts. “Events like these play an essential role in educating consumers on the importance of organic choices for both personal health and the planet. We were honored to celebrate the impactful achievements across the industry that continue to make organic options more accessible for everyone.” 

And the Winners Are ... 

Organic Company of the Year – Lundberg Family Farms 

This award recognizes the company which has done the most to advance interest, awareness, sales, and support of certified organic products. This year’s award went to Lundberg Family Farm, a family-owned business that has championed organic agriculture for nearly 100 years.  

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.  

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

This honor goes to the organic product delivering real excitement and novelty to the market while creating the most positive impression of Organic ‘goodness’ and effectively communicating the benefits of organic to consumers.  

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 Organic Beverage - Traditional Medicinals Stress Ease® Teas 

Similarly to the Best New Organic Food product, the Best New Organic Beverage Product goes to the brand that delivers real excitement and novelty to the market and creates the most positive impression of Organic ‘goodness’ while also effectively communicating the benefits of organic to consumers.  

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. 

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

This award honors a dietary supplement, personal care, textile, pet food or other non-food-item that delivers real excitement and novelty to the market, and that creates the most positive impression of Organic ‘goodness’.  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. 

Most Impactful Research Finding – University of Minnesota WCROC 

This award recognizes the organic research result or finding that most excites and motivates consumers, retailers, food service and restaurateurs to choose organic.  

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

This award recognizes the best marketing or communications messaging that excites consumers about the benefits of organic in terms of human health, animal welfare, climate and the environment.  

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 Retailer Activation – MOM’s Organic Markets 

This award honors the most creative and effective organic in-store or digital communication conveying news about organic or reasons to buy organic that educate and motivate today’s consumer. This year’s winner is 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 Organic Supplier – Gallant International, Inc. 

The Best Organic Supplier award is presented to the supplier demonstrating exceptional commitment to advancing organic agriculture by providing high-quality, certified organic ingredients, materials, or services to brands, manufacturers, or retailers. The winner not only meets the highest organic standards but also goes above and beyond by supporting farmers and growers, as well as educating and inspiring their partners about the benefits of organic, contributing to the overall growth and integrity of the organic industry.   

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. 

Emerging Organic Brand of the Year – Lil Bucks 

This award honors a new business of five years or less that has made significant strides in revenue growth, exposure, innovation, or market penetration while leading with clear messaging about the benefits of organic. This year’s award went to 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. 

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees in each category. For more information about participating in Organic Night Out in 2026, please contact Katrina Staves at katrina@organicvoices.org. 

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About The Organic Center
The Organic Center's is a nonprofit research and education organization whose mission is to convene credible, evidence-based science on the health and environmental impacts of organic food and farming and to communicate the findings to the public. The Center works to fill critical industry knowledge gaps by managing research projects and providing tools and training to help organic farmers and businesses thrive. Its research projects focus on climate change mitigation and environmental health, human health, and building tools and solutions to support organic operations. The Center operates under the administrative auspices of the Organic Trade Association. For more information, visit The Organic Center. 

About Organic Voices
Organic Voices is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help consumers better appreciate and eliminate confusion about all the benefits of Organic. It is dedicated to educating consumers about the significance of the USDA Organic seal, ROC certification, and GOTS certification through its Only Organic campaign. It creates compelling educational content tailored to inform and engage consumers, using multiple online channels to reach new audiences through large-scale consumer-facing campaigns. Partnering with brands, retailers, farmers, and consumers, Organic Voices strives to amplify the message of the benefits of organic and establish a unified voice throughout the organic industry. For more information visit Organic Voices.