From grocery giants to commercial pie pros, Florida-based companies like Publix and Winn-Dixie stacked up blue ribbons like layers of a meringue at the annual National Pie Championships in Orlando.
Here’s who took the cake — or rather the pie this year:
What is the National Pie Championship?
Hosted annually by the American Pie Council, the National Pie Championships is basically the Super Bowl of baking.
The competition, held in Orlando, brings together amateur bakers, professional pastry chefs, and commercial heavyweights from across the U.S. and Canada. Categories range from classic fruit pies to cream-filled showstoppers, and pies are judged on taste, texture and overall presentation.
Which Florida companies won at the 2026 National Pie Championships?
Florida showed up and showed out, especially in the commercial division.
Publix snagged eight awards this year, continuing its decades-long streak of pie dominance, and Winn-Dixie earned another three.
While national brands like Apple Valley Foods led overall counts, Florida’s hometown favorites held their own in a fiercely competitive field.
What pies did Publix win awards for?
If you’ve ever debated grabbing dessert during a grocery run at Publix, this is your sign to go for a pie.
Recent championship wins, including this year’s continued success, highlight fan-favorite flavors including key lime, apple and Dutch apple, cherry and blueberry and mango key lime.
Publix has been racking up blue ribbons for over two decades, competing in multiple size categories and consistently earning top marks for flavor and consistency.
Did Winn-Dixie win pie awards this year?
Winn-Dixie continued its tradition of collecting blue ribbons at the National Pie Championships, including multiple first-place wins in recent years for caramel apple, chocolate cherry, pecan, sweet potato and pumpkin pie.
How does judging at the National Pie Championship work?
Competition judges evaluate pies blind, focusing strictly on flavor balance, crust quality, texture and consistency and overall appeal.
Where can you buy award-winning pie in Florida?
You don’t need a golden ticket — just a grocery cart.
Award-winning pies are widely available at Publix and Winn-Dixie stores across Florida.
Many winning pies are even labeled in-store, so you can spot a blue-ribbon dessert faster than you can say “à la mode.”
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Publix, Winn-Dixie win big at National Pie contest in Orlando
Reporting by Alexandria Mansfield, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
