MANITOU TRADING COMPANY Wins Spirit of Innovation Award, Presented by Prepared Foods Magazine

WAUKEGAN, Ill., Sept. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- MANITOU TRADING COMPANY, a retail brand of WOODLAND FOODS, one of the nation's leading providers of specialty foods and ingredients, is proud to announce that Prepared Foods magazine and Ventura Foods have awarded its Porcini Funghi Risotto second place in the Retail Category of the 12^th annual Spirit of Innovation Awards. The gluten-free, cook-and-serve blend of seasoned Arborio rice and dried porcini mushrooms was developed by Corporate Chef Jeffrey Troiola, head of WOODLAND FOODS' research and development team. MANITOU TRADING COMPANY'S Porcini Funghi Risotto, one of three winning retail products selected from a field of 52 entrants, showcases porcini mushrooms' naturally rich, deeply satisfying flavor in an authentic, creamy risotto mix that minimizes the effort required to prepare this normally labor-intensive Italian dish.

"I developed our Porcini Funghi Risotto to highlight the quality of porcini mushrooms we offer," says Chef Troiola. "Porcinis have a reputation for being both flavorful and sophisticated. By blending them into a classic Italian risotto mix that is simple to prepare, we've turned a delicious but complicated classic into a pantry staple that's ideal for any night of the week."

Implemented in 2003, the Spirit of Innovation Awards are designed to recognize prepared food product development teams for excellence in creating and bringing to market innovative new products. The winners are acknowledged for each step of the R&D process: from ideation and development to design, creation and launch of the product. Winners received their awards during the Spirit of Innovation Awards Ceremony at Prepared Foods' New Product Conference, on September 15, 2014.

About MANITOU TRADING COMPANY
MANITOU TRADING COMPANY searches the globe to discover the highest-quality natural ingredients for every kitchen. The ingredients come directly from farms, with no additives, colors, artificial or genetically modified ingredients. MANITOU TRADING COMPANY's products include: Exotic Rices, World Pastas, Sacred Grains^®, Wholesome Legumes and Naturally Seasoned Fusions™. To find out more, visit manitoutradingcompany.com.

About WOODLAND FOODS
WOODLAND FOODS is a leading provider of the world's finest dried specialty food ingredients. Our wide offerings include mushrooms & truffles; chiles; legumes; rice; sun-dried tomatoes; grains & corn; couscous, noodles & orzo; herbs & spices; vegetables; fruits; nuts & seeds; snacks; organics and more. Click to view our newest catalog. To find out more, visit woodlandfoods.com.

Contact: Lisa Halverson
Phone 847-693-7542
[email protected]

SOURCE WOODLAND FOODS