Snack competition calls for entries

McKenna Golat, Port Huron Times Herald
·3 min read

Michigan snack makers are being called to prove they have the best treats in the state.

The Mi New Favorite Snack Competition is starting to call for snack entries for its second event. This year, over $75,000 in cash prizes will be awarded, with the top snack maker also receiving a distribution agreement with All Star Services, a vending machine supply company based in Port Huron.

Jon Holden, vice president of sales and marketing for All Star Services, said the organizers are looking for the best snack makers that Michigan has to offer.

"We are really excited to kick off our campaign for Mi New Favorite Snack 2023, and we're thankful to the City of Port Huron for letting us put it on again here," he said.

Registration ends June 30. Interested snack makers can register on the Blue Water Area Chamber of Commerce website. There is a $100 registration fee.

Companies must meet the following requirements to be eligible for participation:

  • Must be a Michigan micro-business by having 10 employees or less

  • Must carry the appropriate licensing and insurance

  • Must be headquartered in Michigan

  • Must have appropriately packaged product available for consumer purchase

This year, the organizers plan to have the competition take place on Sept. 9 at McMorran Plaza, located at 701 McMorran Blvd. Competitors will be provided with tables and chairs. However, competitors must bring their own pop-up, weighted tent. Stakes are not allowed in the plaza.

New for the competition this year is snack categories. The categories will be crunchy cravings for the salty, crunchy snacks, mindful munchies for the healthy snacks, sweet sensations for candies and confectionary creations for baked goods.

Holden said the categories will give all types of snacks a fair chance in the competition.

"How can you fairly judge a health bar versus a freeze-dried gummy worm? Those are on completely different ends of the spectrum for snacks," he said. "This way, we can break it up a bit and give everyone a fair shot."

The 20 finalists will be broken up into the top five registrations for each category.

Sweet Encounter Bakery from Lansing, displays various options of their caramel apple cheesecake during the MI New Favorite Snack competition at Vantage Point in Port Huron on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022.
Sweet Encounter Bakery from Lansing, displays various options of their caramel apple cheesecake during the MI New Favorite Snack competition at Vantage Point in Port Huron on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022.

Holden said last year's competition had 50 companies and snack makers register. He said he hopes more will register this year. Holden said he wants there to be continued growth for the competition.

Snack makers that register will still get a chance to show off their snacks even if they are not chosen to compete. Companies that do not make it to the top 20 finalists will still be invited to be vendors at the competition.

"We're trying to bring as much exposure to Michigan micro-businesses as possible," Holden said.

These snack makers will be able to sell their products to people attending the competition.

Last year's competition saw competitors from all over the Upper and Lower Peninsula, with only one being from St. Clair County. The event last year took place on Sept. 17 at Vantage Point.

Holden said he is excited to see as many Michigan micro-businesses as possible register and attend for this year's competition.

This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Mi New Favorite Snack prepares for entries