Highlands Cereal Foods were highly commended in the Snack Foods category, sponsored by Earlee Products, for its Sue’s Own Deli-Puffs range.
The 97% fat-free, full-flavoured salty wholegrain corn snack was designed to be eaten without cheese or dips.
Made from whole puffed corn kernels which have been rolled in spice mixture, the snack comes in three flavours: Indian Butter Chicken, Thai BBQ with lime and coriander, and Mediterranean tomato and herb.
The judges were impressed by the snack’s uses of a novel flavour coating system, which holds the flavour securely onto the corn surface so that it does not fall off in the packet or stick to people’s fingers.
Flavour is sprayed on without using fat.
The low fat, low kilojule density snack is cholesterol free, trans fat free and has no added MSG.
Highland Cereal Foods specially selected ingredients that are low in gluten and the Deli-Puffs are suitable for coeliacs, at less than 10ppm gluten.
When asked what winning the award meant to the company, director Sue Todd said the award was “fantastic” for a number of reasons.
“We are now in the process of finding national and export distributors for the product and the kudos and publicity we have received by winning the award will assist us in this task.
“It has also given us an opportunity to thank the many people who have been involved in the project,” she said.