Entries closing --D : --H : --M : --S · ✓ FREE ENTRY · Pay only if you win Gold  ·  €219.99 / medal · Enter now — it's free →
Saturday, May 2, 2026  ·  Vol. IV — Issue 18 NYC 64°F  ·  S&P +0.3%  ·  Expo West · 14d The Independent Trade Record for American Consumer Goods
★ Now accepting 2026 entries IV Edition  ·  Est. 2020

Win the award
buyers actually read.

Three verticals. Twenty-two categories. Nine independent judges with no commercial ties to entrants. The America Awards put your product in front of 4,200 verified distributors and 410 trade outlets. Entry is completely free — you only pay if you win a Gold medal (€219.99). Entries close .

2025 Winners shipped to
Whole Foods Erewhon TARGET Sprouts SAFEWAY Costco Trader Joe's
Time to apply
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Days
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Entries received 1,847 / ~3,200

At this pace, indie slots sell out by .

Deadline
Ceremony
Nov 12 · NYC
118
Winners 2025
4,200+
Distributors reached
410
Outlets covered
9
Independent judges
12 mo
Editorial coverage
Why enter

A judging that the trade actually reads.

We built the America Awards because the existing trade prizes had become pay-to-win. Ours run the other way: entry is completely free. You only pay if you win.

01

Editorially independent

Nine judges. Zero entry-fee revenue feeding the editorial. We publish the citation, the runner-ups, and — when it matters — the abstentions.

02

Distribution that lands

Winners are featured across America-Newspaper, syndicated to 410 outlets, and shipped a press kit that procurement teams actually open.

03

Beyond the trophy

Twelve months of editorial coverage, a slot in the B2B Toolkit, and priority introductions to verified distributors in your region.

04

Completely risk-free

Entry is free. No upfront cost, no subscription. You only pay if you win a Gold medal — €219.99 per medal, invoiced after the results. If you don't win, you owe nothing.

"We were sub-$1M when we won. Six weeks later we were on Erewhon's shelf. The award did that — not the trophy, the citation. Buyers read every word."

Diane
Diane M.
Founder · Beverage · America Awards 2025
+312%
Wholesale lift
How US buyers discover international brands
How US distributors and importers source products — America Newspaper
What winners get

Twelve months of compounding coverage.

Cover story
01
Cover story
Long-form winner profile in print + digital. Distributed to all 410 trade outlets via our wire.
Press kit
02
Press kit
Hi-res photos, citations, official badge files, brand bio — buyer-ready on the day of announcement.
Distributor introductions
03
Distributor intros
Priority introductions to verified distributors and importers in your target region.
Trophy and medal
04
Trophy + official medal
Physical award shipped to your door + digital badge files (SVG/PNG) licensed for packaging.
Gala ceremony
05
Gala ceremony
Two seats at the America Awards ceremony — November 12 · NYC. Network with buyers, press and fellow winners.
Sales boost
06
Proven sales impact
Winners report an average +$2.4M revenue lift within 12 months. The badge converts at retail and B2B.
Voices from the 2025 class

International brands. American shelves.

Thomas — America Awards winner testimonial
Carlos — America Awards winner testimonial
Diane — America Awards winner testimonial
Maria — Chocolate · America Food Awards 2022 testimonial
Pricing

Free to enter. Pay only
if you win Gold.

No upfront cost. No subscription. No risk. Entry is open to any brand worldwide. If you win a Gold medal, we invoice you €219.99 per medal — after the results are published. Silver medals and judges' feedback are always free.

Step 01
€0

Enter for free

Submit your brand and products. No credit card. No commitment. Open to brands of any size, from any country.

Step 02
Judged

Independent judging

Nine judges with no commercial ties evaluate every entry blind. Every brand — from indie to multinational — is assessed on the same criteria.

Only if you win Gold
Step 03
€219.99

Per Gold medal won

Invoiced after results are published. Silver medals, judges' notes and shortlist mentions are always free. No Gold = zero payment, guaranteed.

  • Gold medal + physical trophy
  • Cover story + press kit
  • Distributor introductions
  • 12 months editorial coverage
  • 2 seats at the gala · NYC
🛡
Risk-free guarantee

If you don't win a Gold medal, you pay nothing — ever. Silver medals, judges' feedback, and shortlist mentions are included at no cost regardless of outcome.

Enter free →

Multiple Gold medals in one entry? Each medal is invoiced separately at €219.99. Read the full FAQ →

How it works

Four steps from entry to the American market.

4 steps to join the America Food Awards
2026 Categories

22 categories across 3 verticals.

Vertical 01

Food

  • Pantry & Staples 01
  • Frozen & Chilled 02
  • Snacks & Confectionery 03
  • Heritage Grain & Flour 04
  • Artisan / Specialty 05
  • Sustainable Packaging 06
  • Plant-Based 07
  • Indie Breakthrough
Vertical 02

Beverage

  • Cold-Pressed & Juice 01
  • Fermented & Kombucha 02
  • Coffee & Tea 03
  • Spirits & Wine 04
  • Non-Alcoholic 05
  • Functional Drinks 06
  • Indie Breakthrough
Vertical 03

Health & Beauty

  • Skincare & Body 01
  • Haircare 02
  • Wellness & Supplements 03
  • Clinical-Grade 04
  • Natural & Organic 05
  • Fragrance 06
  • Indie Breakthrough
2026 Calendar

From entry to citation, in seven months.

Save and return any time — the form is gentle on founders. Your progress is preserved at every step.

Begin entry →
MAR 03
Entries open
Active now — 2026 cycle underway
Entries close
23:59 ET — no exceptions
AUG 14
Shortlist judging
Closed-room · Nine independent judges
SEP 18
Shortlist published
In print + digital · 410 outlets
OCT 02
Final round + tasting
Brooklyn studio · ship samples to arrive by Sep 28
NOV 12
Awards ceremony
Cipriani · NYC · Black tie
NOV 13
Winner editorial begins
12-month coverage cycle commences
Class of 2025

118 brands joined last year.

Browse all winners →
BaumKuchen Farm
★ Gold · Food
Burren Smokehouse
★ Best of Show
Keto Hero
★ Gold · H&B
Olea Juice
★ Gold · Bev
Fragiadakis Family
Silver · Food
Cottone
Silver · Food
America Awards 2025 — official banner
Common questions

Everything you'll ask before you submit.

Is it really independently judged? +

Yes. The nine judges have no commercial ties to entrants and are not employed by America-Newspaper. We publish every conflict-of-interest recusal in the back of the print edition. Our editorial charter prohibits any fee revenue from influencing coverage decisions.

My brand is based outside the USA. Can I enter? +

Absolutely — in fact, a significant portion of our entrants are international brands seeking US market entry. The America Awards are specifically designed to connect international brands with US distributors and importers. We accept entries from any country. For the final tasting round, we coordinate international sample logistics on your behalf.

What if my product is perishable? +

You ship a sample to our Brooklyn studio for the October 2 final tasting round. We provide full logistics guidance and cover return shipping. For international shortlisted entries, we arrange a courier on our dime — you handle the export paperwork, we handle US customs coordination.

How much does it cost to enter? +

Entry is completely free. There is no upfront cost, no subscription, and no application fee. You only pay if you win a Gold medal — €219.99 per Gold medal, invoiced after the results are published. Silver medals, judges' written feedback, and shortlist mentions are always free, regardless of outcome.

Can I enter the same product in multiple categories? +

Yes — and we encourage it for products that genuinely sit in two or more categories. Each entry is judged independently by the panel relevant to that category. If you win Gold in multiple categories, each Gold medal is invoiced separately at €219.99.

What if I don't win? +

You pay nothing — guaranteed. You receive your judges' notes (one paragraph written specifically about your product) and a non-public shortlist mention if applicable. No payment, no embarrassment. Founders consistently tell us the judges' notes are the most valuable part of the process regardless of result.

When do I pay for a Gold medal? +

We invoice Gold medal winners within 7 days of the results announcement (November 12). Payment is due within 30 days. The invoice covers the full Gold medal package: physical trophy, press kit, badge license, distributor introductions, gala seats, and 12-month editorial coverage. There is nothing else to pay — ever.

How do I use the award badge on my packaging? +

Winners receive a full badge license (SVG, PNG, hi-res TIFF) immediately following the November 12 ceremony. You may apply the badge to packaging, website, sales materials, and social media. The license is perpetual for the winning year's edition — e.g., "America Awards 2026 Gold" may be used indefinitely.

Begin your 2026 entry

Submit a brand,
step by step.

The full entry takes ~12 minutes. Save and return any time before .

Before you start — here's how it works

Entry
€0

Free to enter.
No credit card needed.

Silver medal
€0

Silver is free.
Judges' feedback included.

Gold medal only
€219.99

Per Gold medal won.
Invoiced after results.

Which verticals? · select all that apply

Food
Beverage
Health & Beauty

Brand information

Product entry

HI-RES HERO IMAGE
TIF / PNG · 4MB min
SHIP SAMPLE TO BROOKLYN
Arrive by Sep 28 · Oct 02 tasting

Review & submit

Entry summary
Food · 1 product
Today you pay
€0
Gold medal if won: €219.99
🛡

Risk-free commitment. By submitting you agree to the America Awards entry terms. Entry is free — you will only be invoiced €219.99 per Gold medal won, after the November 12 results. All entries are treated as confidential during the judging period.

Submit free entry →

Don't watch it. Win it.

Free entry. Pay only if you win Gold — €219.99 per medal, invoiced after results.
No Gold = no payment. Entries close .