The Gourmet Retailer Magazine selected Frontier Soups Holiday Gathering Sausage & Bean Soup as an Editor’s Pick of 2012 and included it in their 2012 Best New Products.

We picked it because: Our testers loved the rich, hearty flavor and texture of this easy-to-prepare soup. Using curry spices, chicken sausage and apple, Frontier Soups in Waukegan, Ill., has created a holiday hit. We also loved the visual appeal and festive colors in the layers of cranberry beans, white beans, red beans and green lentils that were fully visible in the packaging. Hearty Meal is a perfect hostess gift or gift to self on a cold winter day.

Winners were selected by an exhaustive screening process that involved the entire staff of our Jersey City, N.J., office – the editorial staff of PG and Convenience Store News, and our non-editorial staff alike. Products were judged on three criteria: taste/functionality, innovation and value. To be eligible, products had to be introduced between March 2011 and June 2012.