For my first time, I decided to try AI to analyze one of my most burning questions — what currently are the most vibrant places where food crafters who enter the Good Food Awards win awards?
So I asked Claude: Based on the list of the 2025 Good Food Award finalists, help me analyze, which cities and regions in the United States have been the most popular and successful for small food crafters to establish their businesses.
Claude’s Conclusion: The data suggests California’s diverse agricultural base, progressive food culture, and proximity to both ingredients and educated consumers makes it the premier location, while the Pacific Northwest and craft-focused Mountain states offer strong alternatives for small food businesses.
It’s important to double-check results from AI. Luckily with my many years of insights into the Good Food Awards, it’s a no brainer for this foodie human!
Susie’s Conclusions:
Claude nailed it although there are other regions with the strong incubator / food innovation centers similar to those that California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Colorado offer.
The first three states in particular have vast agricultural resources and local production, also seen in their famous farmers’ market. Those states are also home to many co-packers / co-manufacturers, making them a “natural” for natural food business.
The analysis is just one data point in your decision. I’m always happy to brainstorm. Specifically if you are ultimately going to produce your food using a co-packer it is important to first research availability before getting started. That’s what Good Food, Great Business is all about, although it’s kind of out of date.
Good Food Award Finalists Geographic Distribution Analysis
Top States by Winner/Finalist Count:
1. California – Clear Leader
- Won in 11 categories with products from multiple cities (Berkeley, Point Reyes, San Leandro, Concord, Richmond, Grass Valley, Eureka (where Dick Taylor Chocolate is based), Los Angeles)
- Strong presence across diverse categories: chocolate, oils, preserves, pickles, grains, drinks, snacks
- Cities: Berkeley, San Francisco Bay Area, and Northern California wine country show particularly high concentration
Berkeley is no surprise. Storied restaurant Chez Panisse’s Alice Waters was a founding force in the Good Food Awards, which for many years was based in San Francisco.
Berkeley has always been home to beloved food producers from a little coffee roaster known as Peet’s to Clif, Cult Crackers, and TCHO Chocolate among many others including beer and wine makers.
It’s important to note that Good Food Award entrants do not need to be small companies.
2. Oregon – Second Place
- Multiple winners across charcuterie, cheese, cider, elixirs, oils, pantry, and grains
- Portland stands out as a major hub (Olympia Provisions, Sibeiho, The Bitter Housewife)
- Strong showing in artisanal meat products and fermented foods
Portland is home to the Oregon Food Innovation Center which has helped dozens if not hundreds of small food producers get started.
3. Colorado – Mountain State Success
- 6+ finalists/winners across beer, spirits, elixirs, honey, pickles, and grains
- Cities: Durango, Longmont, Salida, Berthoud, Boulder — so interesting to learn about smaller towns outside of the usual city centers.
- Particularly strong in craft beverages (beer, spirits, cider)
4. Massachusetts/New England Cluster
- Strong showing in chocolate (Goodnow Farms in Sudbury), pickles (Real Pickles in Greenfield), honey, beer, and cider
- Vermont also notable with multiple winners in spirits, beer, grains, and maple products
- New England region collectively very competitive
Vermont has some of my favorite goat cheese cheesemakers — Vermont Creamery and Jasper Hill along with a favorite goat milk caramel maker Big Picture Farm (who wins in my book for their cute goat pics). The state has its own cheese council.
There’s no understating how helpful collaboratives among food producers can be to support and promote a category of food within a state.
5. New York – Urban Artisan Hub
- Brooklyn particularly successful (Brooklyn Cured charcuterie, Laurie Ellen cookies)
- Strong in charcuterie, spirits, and snacks
New York also has extensive rural food production and in past years had award-winning food producers around the state.
Regional Food Company Winner Patterns:
West Coast Dominance: California, Oregon, and Washington together account for approximately 40% of all winners/finalists.
The Pacific Northwest shows particular strength in seafood, cider, pickles, and preserves.
Interesting Success Stories
Claude had the subtitle “unexpected,” which I changed to “interesting,” because these regions are actually not unexpected!
- Hawaii: Punching above its weight with multiple winners in coffee, honey, spirits, charcuterie, and preserves. From Susie: Hawaii has some wonderful food incubators to help food businesses using Hawaii-grown ingredients get started.
- Missouri: Springfield and St. Louis produced notable chocolate and cheese winners, adds Susie: See and taste Askinosie which seems to win for its bean to bar chocolate every year.
- Texas: Successful in coffee, confections, and pantry items. From Susie: I was going to call out Texas as having been the spot where some beloved snack and jam makers have emerged. Austin has a strong eco-system for small food producers to get started and grow as well as a great farmers market.
Mountain/Intermountain West: Colorado leads this region with consistent performance across categories, suggesting craft food culture thriving at altitude.
From Susie: Colorado also has ample food incubators to support new food entrepreneurs such as Kitchen Network Denver. Do a search and you will find a series of shared kitchens and programs to get a business started in Colorado.
Ideas for Where To Base a Small Food Craft Business
Favorable Types of Places To Live Include:
- West Coast states with strong farm-to-table culture and proximity to quality ingredients
- College towns and progressive smaller cities (Boulder, Durham, Madison)
- States with existing craft beverage infrastructure (beer/wine regions transitioning to broader craft food)
- Areas with strong local food movements and farmer’s market culture
Food Craft Category Specialization by Region:
Note that just because these states have had winners in these categories does not mean they’re the right places to land. It could mean they are over-saturated. Then again it could mean that there are bottlers in the beer-intense states and obviously more access to seafood in the states mentioned.
Specifically the chocolate and coffee categories — which depend on imported core ingredients — are more flexible in where to base. Oakland, where I live, has untold coffee roasters. We are lucky here in that one of the country’s biggest green coffee bean importers is based here.
- Seafood: Alaska, Pacific Northwest, California
- Coffee: Hawaii, Texas, Pacific Northwest
- Spirits / Beer: Colorado, Vermont, New York
- Chocolate: Massachusetts, California, Georgia, Missouri
- Cheese: Oregon, California, Vermont, Missouri
Key City Hubs
- Portland, OR – Multiple winners across categories
- San Francisco / Berkeley, CA – Concentrated artisan food scene
- Brooklyn, NY – Urban craft food pioneer
- Smaller cities showing strength: Durango CO, Honolulu HI, Springfield MO, Durham NC
Thinking of Moving To Start a Food Business?
If you’re thinking of making a move to one of these regions, or anywhere in the U.S., I’d love to help you connect with local resources and help find a place. I’m a real estate agent in the San Francisco Bay Area and have been iinvolved with the Good Food Awards since the beginning
While these regions are among the priciest in real estate, there are plenty nearby areas that are more affordable and home to the resources a food crafter needs.
