HARTFORD, Conn. — Did you know? Connecticut is home to many foods and products created and manufactured here!
The Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA) is celebrating over a dozen state-made products in a friendly competition. It's up to Connecticut's residents to vote for The Coolest Thing Made in Connecticut!
Each week until the beginning of October, voters will go down the bracket and choose what they believe are the coolest in each bracket faceoff.
In no particular order, here are the products up for the voting challenge. As the competition continues, check this webpage to see and hear interviews with the people behind the products.
Run Wild IPA - Athletic Brewing
Athletic Brewing Company, based in Milford, is not just another beer brewer. Athletic is considered the leader in non-alcoholic beer, including its best-selling Run Wild IPA. This popular drink specifically has less than 0.5% ABV and has around 65 calories. Run Wild IPA is crafted with a blend of five Northwest hops, keeping the brew close to home.
'It's a Wonderful Life' Keepsake Bell - Bevin Bells
We all know the quote from the classic Christmas movie, "It's a Wonderful Life": "Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings!"
It was a Connecticut-made Bevin bell that rang on the Bailey family tree in that film, and Bevin Bros. manufactures keepsake bells to remember the moment.
Based in East Hampton, Bevin has been making the keepsake bells for 80 years and currently makes 15,000 keepsake bells annually.
Folding Cartons - Curtis Packaging
Think - and look - outside the box for this one. Since 1845, Curtis Packaging has been making cartons for products seen all around the world. Curtis touts clientele like Titleist, Grey Goose, Lindt, and more, who rely on Curtis to create a "silent salesperson on the shelf" that also protects their products during transport. The Connecticut-based manufacturer produces over 300 million cartons a year.
GE Profile Smart Mixer with Auto Sense - GE Appliances (Haier)
Turns out smart devices can innovate everyday cooking and baking. This stand mixer has "Auto Sense," which can weigh what's in the mixing bowl, take commands from your voice and can share recipes. There are also sensors that can automatically adjust mixing speed and time. The smart mixer can be paired with other smart home devices.
While manufacturing in Stamford for the past two years, GE Appliances has made thousands of these smart mixers.
Himalayan Pink Salt Popcorn - LesserEvil Snacks
This popcorn with pink flair can be seen on store shelves, and come from Danbury.
With just three ingredients - organic non-GMO popcorn, organic coconut oil and Himalayan pink salt - LesserEvil provides a sustainable, minimally processed product for snacking.
The manufacturing team is 60% female, helping to break the glass ceiling. Over 7.9 million units of Himalayan Pink Salt Popcorn were produced in 2023.
Constant Comment Black Tea - Bigelow Tea
Bigelow Tea is serving up Constant Comment Black Tea as a contending Coolest Thing in Connecticut. For over 75 years, the Bigelow family has been sharing this special blend with the nation.
The Fairfield location produces 10.5 million bags on Constant Comment annually.
Hi-Top Apple Pie - Lyman Orchards
For generations, Lyman Orchards has been making its signature Hi-Top Apple Pies out of the Apple Barrel store at its Middlefield farm.
The pie is stuffed with two pounds of freshly peeled apples from their farm, held in with crust made from scratch and the "perfect blend of the highest quality spices."
Hi-Tops have been in production for over 50 years and have been made commercially since 1996. Around 600,000 of these pies are made annually.
"As one of the oldest farms in the U.S., we've taken pride in our crops and handmade products," Lyman Orchards said.
Virginia-Class Submarine - General Dynamics Electric Boat
Groton, Connecticut is known as the "Submarine Capital of the World," where EB designs and constructs nuclear-powered submarines for the U.S. Navy.
These attack subs can find and take down enemy submarines and ships on the surface, as well as carry out important missions.
"It's arguably among the most complex and sophisticated machines ever made in order to protect America and our allies," Electric Boat said.
EB's first practical submarine, "Holland," was delivered to the U.S. Navy in 1900. EB manufacturing operations started in Groton in 1911.
Signia Stapling System - Medtronic
Not an office stapler, not a power drill. (It might be cooler than those).
The Signia is an endoscopic stapling delivery system for surgeons to reinforce medical parts or parts of the body with precision during surgeries.
Its many features include an LED screen for the surgeon to see displays in real-time and a balanced design for single-hand use.
The stapling system has been in production in North Haven since 2017.
Fragrant Lemon & Mascarpone Girasole Ravioli - Nuovo Pasta Productions, LTD
This Italian-inspired stuffed pasta is made in Stratford but is a globally acclaimed product.
The Fragrant Lemon & Mascarpone variety contains mascarpone, ricotta and mozzarella cheese, as well as lemon zest, inspired by Italy's aromatic lemons. The blend is then piped into pasta rounds.
This pasta won a 2024 Gold Sofi Award from the Specialty Food Organization, which took thousands of entries from around the world.
The pasta is also used in five-star hotels and resorts around the country. Since 2008, Nuovo's variety of pasta, pesto and sauces can be found on store shelves.
Pop-Up Park Community Table - Penn Globe
"The power of possibility" has popped up with these accessible and electrifying picnic tables.
The Community Table was created last summer and was brought to market last fall. Penn Globe estimates it will make 50 Community Tables a year in North Branford and believes demand will go up from there.
The tables have an option for handicapped-accessible seating. There are also high-tech features that can be included; examples include light stands, decorations, charging stations and little free libraries.
PEZ - PEZ Candy
A classic candy possibly presumed to be "cool" by the many collectors that enjoy PEZ not only for the candy, but for the unique dispensers they come in.
Since 1973, PEZ has been manufacturing its candy bricks full of sugar and flavor in Connecticut. Every day, its only factory in Orange makes 12 million candy tablets per day, which adds up to about three billion tablets, or 250 million rolls of candy, per year.
The candies are made for distribution across the U.S. and Canada, but the countless, collectible dispensers have a global fan base, which makes them "a nostalgic piece of pop culture."
Bagel - PopUp Bagels
A bagel so good that it "pops up" in the New York bagel game has got to be cool.
PopUp Bagels started during the pandemic in 2020 as a cottage license business. While the bagels are baked in Connecticut, PopUp has expanded into New York City, known as "the bagel capital of the world."
PopUp says it has "redefined the bagel experience with our dedication to high-quality ingredients and fresh baking."
PopUp has made over two million bagels in 2023, and projects to make over five million bagels this year.
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Pratt & Whitney GTF Engine - Pratt & Whitney
The engines on commercial airplanes help people get to their destinations and back home for vacation, work and other trips. The Connecticut-made GTF engine helps people around the world get to where they need to go. You won't get anywhere far and quickly without it.
Pratt & Whitney manufactures the GTF engine to be fuel-efficient and sustainable for its 90 global customers. Since the program launched in 2008 and entered service in 2016, over 11,000 engines have been ordered. Around 775 engines are made per year.
The GTF engine has up to 20% better fuel efficiency, which saves more than $1.7 billion gallons of fuel and 17 million tons of carbon emissions, PW says. The engines are quieter, leaving a 75% smaller noise footprint compared to older engines.
GTF engines can be found on the Airbus A220, Airbus A320neo, and the Embraer E2 E-Jets.
Schick Xtreme 3 Disposable Razor - Schick
Developed in Connecticut and made in Milford for the past quarter of a century, this razor helps shave off body hair with just three blades.
The disposable razor can flex and pivot to the shape of the user's face and head. The handle is made with 61% recycled plastic.
Black Hawk Helicopter - Sikorsky (Lockheed Martin)
The Black Hawk helicopter has been flown by the U.S. military in countless combat zones and natural disaster areas, protecting our country and saving lives. Those aircraft are made in Stratford, which Sikorsky has called home for 95 years.
The U.S. Army and international customers rely on the ever-improving technology of the Black Hawk. Sikorsky aims to to make a new and improved Black Hawk, with a new turbine engine with 50% more power, better fuel efficiency and more mission possibilities.
The Black Hawk may even someday be capable of controlling swarms of small, unmanned drones, part of the effort to make the Black Hawk more autonomous.
"Simply put, we are making the Black Hawk faster, more powerful, more survivable, more sustainable, and more connected than ever before," Sikorsky said.
About 70 helicopters are made per year, and over 5,000 have been made throughout 45+ years.
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