In an exciting display of culinary innovation, a honey-based brittle has taken top honors at the American Society of Baking’s (ASB) annual Product Development Competition. The event, held during BakingTECH 2025 in Orlando from February 15-19, challenged food science students to create grab-and-go products with honey as the primary sweetener. University of Massachusetts Amherst students Madeline Murphy and Nicholle Kirsten Tan claimed victory with their “HoneyCrunch” blondie brittle, securing a portion of the $20,000 scholarship prize sponsored by the National Honey Board. The competition not only showcased the students’ creativity but also reinforced honey’s versatility as a key ingredient in innovative baking applications.
The Sweet Taste of Success: HoneyCrunch Takes the Crown
The winning product, aptly named HoneyCrunch, impressed judges with its innovative formulation and execution. Created by University of Massachusetts Amherst students Madeline Murphy and Nicholle Kirsten Tan, this blondie brittle featured a delicate hint of lavender that complemented the honey’s natural flavors. What set this creation apart was its unique texture – thin and crispy – achieved through a clever combination of ingredients.
HoneyCrunch utilized honey as its primary ingredient, making up an impressive 39% of the total formula. The students demonstrated exceptional creativity by incorporating egg whites, gluten-free flour, and oat flour to achieve the perfect brittle consistency. Their methodical approach to formulation balanced sweetness with structural integrity, resulting in a product that could potentially thrive in the commercial market.
Catherine Barry, Vice President of Marketing for the National Honey Board, was particularly impressed with the students’ work. “This was one of the most innovative products we’ve seen at any product development competition we’ve sponsored,” she remarked during the awards ceremony. Such high praise from an industry expert speaks volumes about the quality and originality of the winning entry.
The competition continues to highlight how honey can be transformed into diverse and appealing products. As dessert trends evolve in 2025, honey remains a versatile ingredient that can be incorporated into various applications while maintaining its natural appeal and functional benefits.
Fierce Competition: Notable Runner-Up Innovations
While HoneyCrunch claimed the top spot, the runner-up entries demonstrated equally impressive creativity and technical skill. Cornell University’s team secured second place with their entry called “prOATS!” – a protein-rich, gluten-free oat cookie featuring an innovative caffeine-infused honey coating. This product cleverly combined the energy-boosting benefits of caffeine with the sustained energy release of honey, creating a functional food perfectly suited for on-the-go consumption.
Taking third place was Oregon State University’s “Garden Box Cookies,” which featured a distinctive pollinator theme. These cookies stood out with their innovative honey caramel drizzle, demonstrating yet another unique application of honey in baked goods. The judges noted the thoughtful connection between the product design and honey’s origin story through pollinators.
All competing teams faced the challenge of highlighting honey as the primary sweetener while creating products with commercial viability. The diverse range of products showcased at the competition reflects the versatility and potential of honey in modern food formulations. Each team brought their unique perspective to the challenge, resulting in a fascinating array of concepts that pushed the boundaries of traditional baking.
This year’s competition has clearly demonstrated that the future of baking innovation is bright. Similar to baking industry awards competitions, the ASB Product Development Competition gives aspiring food scientists a platform to demonstrate their technical prowess and creativity.
Elevating Student Innovation: The Competition’s Impact
Now in its eleventh year, the ASB Product Development Competition has become a significant launching pad for aspiring food scientists. Since its inception, the competition has awarded over $200,000 in scholarships to talented students across the country. This financial support has helped numerous young professionals advance their education and careers in the baking industry.
Devanshu Mehta, PDC Committee Chair, emphasized the competition’s broader impact: “The competition provides a prestigious platform for these rising stars to engage directly with industry leaders and showcase fresh ideas, creating ‘real world’ product concepts that push the boundaries of baking science and technology.” This direct interaction between students and industry professionals creates invaluable networking opportunities for participants, regardless of their final placement.
The competition’s structure mirrors real-world product development challenges, giving students practical experience that complements their academic training. Participants must consider factors beyond taste and texture, including scalability, food safety, and market potential – all critical aspects of commercial product development. This comprehensive approach prepares students for the multifaceted challenges they’ll face in their professional careers.
Recognition at this competition can significantly impact a student’s career trajectory. Many past participants have secured prestigious industry positions based partly on their performance in this competition, similar to how industry awards shape baking careers for established professionals.
Behind the Scenes: Judging Criteria and Competition Standards
The ASB Product Development Competition employs rigorous judging criteria to evaluate each entry fairly and comprehensively. Entries were assessed based on five key areas: product innovation, formulation excellence, process scalability, food safety considerations, and market viability. This multifaceted approach ensures that winning products aren’t just creative concepts but viable commercial opportunities.
Product innovation carried significant weight in the judging process, rewarding teams that demonstrated original thinking and creative applications of honey. The judges, comprised of industry experts and seasoned professionals, evaluated how effectively each team incorporated honey as the primary sweetener while maintaining appealing sensory qualities. Special attention was given to formulations that highlighted honey’s unique flavor profile and functional properties.
Scalability considerations forced students to think beyond the lab or test kitchen. Could their product be manufactured efficiently at scale? Would the formulation remain stable during commercial production processes? These practical questions challenged participants to bridge the gap between concept and commercialization.
Food safety and market viability rounded out the judging criteria, ensuring that winning concepts met industry standards and consumer expectations. The comprehensive judging approach mirrors the challenges bakers face when bringing new products to market in today’s competitive landscape.
BakingTECH 2025: A Hub of Industry Innovation
The Product Development Competition was just one highlight of the larger BakingTECH 2025 event, held in Orlando from February 15-18. This annual conference serves as the premier gathering for baking professionals, bringing together industry leaders, suppliers, educators, and students for networking, education, and inspiration.
A key feature of this year’s conference was the Future Forward Luncheon on February 17, which spotlighted emerging technologies and trends shaping the baking industry’s future. The reimagined Formulation Floor experience gave attendees hands-on opportunities to explore new ingredients and formulation techniques. This interactive approach allowed for direct experimentation and learning that extended beyond traditional presentation formats.
The expanded Student & Faculty Poster Session provided additional visibility for academic research and innovations in baking science. This component of BakingTECH creates valuable connections between academic institutions and industry partners, fostering collaboration that drives the industry forward. The session gave students another platform to showcase their work beyond the competition itself.
For many attendees, BakingTECH represents an annual opportunity to stay current with industry developments and build professional relationships. The energy and excitement at this year’s event reflected the dynamic nature of today’s baking industry, where tradition meets innovation to create exciting new products and processes. This environment is similar to what you might find at Britain’s Best Cake Competition, where tradition and innovation also merge.
The Power of Partnership: ASB and the National Honey Board
The success of the Product Development Competition stems from the strong partnership between the American Society of Baking and the National Honey Board. The ASB, with its focus on professional development in baking, provides the organizational framework and industry connections that give the competition its prestige and relevance. Their commitment to education makes them the ideal host for this student-focused initiative.
The National Honey Board’s sponsorship demonstrates their dedication to promoting honey and honey products across various applications. By investing in the next generation of food scientists and bakers, they’re helping to secure honey’s place in future formulations. The organization’s expertise in honey varieties, applications, and benefits enriches the competition experience for participating students.
Both organizations contribute valuable resources to ensure the competition’s continued success. From securing expert judges to providing technical guidance on honey applications, their collaboration creates a comprehensive learning experience that extends far beyond the cash prizes. I encourage aspiring food scientists to explore opportunities with both organizations through their websites: ASB and National Honey Board.
Through initiatives like the Product Development Competition, these organizations fulfill their missions to advance baking science and promote natural ingredients. If you have a passion for dessert innovation, consider submitting your own dessert recipe to our site – perhaps you’ll be inspired by competition winners like Murphy and Tan! The synergy between education and industry showcased in this competition serves as a model for how professional organizations can positively impact both student development and industry advancement.