Once again, Virginia makers prove they don’t just create products—they make statements. Bold, brilliant, and, yes, delicious statements. Virginia Living’s 14th annual Made in Virginia Awards honor 20 exceptional talents across four categories—Food, Drink, Home & Lifestyle, and Style & Beauty—chosen through the discerning eyes (and palates) of Virginia tastemakers. With guidance from our Virginia Living staff and a panel of experts in flavor, design, craft, and style, only the most remarkable rose to the top.
And because every great story deserves a finale, we crowned one Grand Prize Winner who stood out among equals. Consider this your holiday-season gift list, wish list, and must-know maker list all in one—a collection as inspiring as it is irresistible.
Food
Keya’s Chips – Grand Prize Winner
Keya’s Snacks, Richmond | $2.49 for 1.5-ounce bag, $5.49 for 6-ounce bag | KeyasSnacks.com
Richmond’s own Food Network champion Keya Wingfield delivers serious flavor with her additive-free kettle chips, transforming her Mumbai roots into Virginia’s most coveted snack. Her celebrated Bombay Spice variety layers 29 aromatic spices, and Black Salt brings a tangy punch similar to classic salt and vinegar. Born from simple thank-you treats, these chips evolved into a snack sensation across the state, with every package honoring her late son Daksh.
Virginia Maple Caramels
Gearharts Fine Chocolates, Charlottesville • Richmond | $10 | GearhartsChocolates.com
Gearharts Fine Chocolates continues to reimagine luxury chocolate with their signature Virginia Maple Caramels. These handcrafted confections showcase Highland County’s rich, mountain-kissed maple syrup, enrobed in premium milk chocolate and crowned with exotic Alaea red sea salt. From their Charlottesville shop, founder Tim Gearhart transforms local ingredients into nationally recognized chocolate artistry, delivering pure Virginia terroir wrapped in world-class craftsmanship.
Crows Nest Cookies
Crows Nest Cookies, Hopewell | $2 | DoYallLikeCookies.com
This Hopewell family bakery crafts irresistible cookies that redefine dessert expectations. Their handmade treats ship nationwide, arriving individually wrapped and vacuum-sealed for oven-fresh taste. The lineup includes bestselling Thick & Chunky Chocolate Chip with three chocolate varieties; “Stepmom,” which blends butter, coconut, maple, and toffee; and elevated Churro, bursting with snickerdoodle’s cinnamon-sugar magic. These Virginia-made cookies deliver maximum convenience and flavor.
Ice Cream
Tysons Creamery, McLean | $5 | TysonsCreamery.com
Flavors from top to bottom: basil, coffee mocha with chocolate bits, and pistachio nut with a hint of cardamom.
In McLean, Tysons Creamery churns out pints of personality in pre-portioned 3-ounce cups—creamy, rich, and impossible to forget. Founded by healthcare-executive-turned-culinary-entrepreneur Catherine Ahearn—who trained at L’Académie de Cuisine and Penn State’s Ice Cream University—this award-winning creamery dreams up flavors from Madagascar vanilla to avocado-lime-chili. The indulgent cups ship nationwide and can be found locally in Great Falls, Vienna, McLean, and Alexandria.
Merry Men Manchego-Style Cheese
Locksley Farmstead Cheese Co., Middleburg | $20 per pound | LocksleyCheese.com
Locksley Farmstead Cheese Co.’s Merry Men Manchego-style cheese channels Robin Hood’s rebellious spirit in creamy, tangy perfection. Crafted on a 412-acre sustainable farm, it’s aged for a minimum of six months, developing rich buttery flavor with notes of beef broth. Unlike traditional Spanish sheep’s milk Manchego, Merry Men uses local cow’s milk for a uniquely Virginia twist with Parmesan-like piquancy and silky texture, plus an edible rind.
Meet the Food Judge
Dominic Brown
A Richmond native with an insatiable curiosity for all things food, Dominic Brown travels the world in search of dishes and food products that serve up all manner of excellence. As the creator of TallTravelEats (TallTravelEats.com), he celebrates culinary creativity wherever he finds it—from street eats to fine dining.
“A food product is great to me when it has amazing flavor, quality ingredients, uniqueness, and most importantly, exceptional taste,” he says. Tiramisu, unsurprisingly, holds a special place in his heart. Dominic lent his adventurous palate to help us recognize the Virginia culinary makers packaging flavor with a punch of personality.
Drink
The Spirits of the Blue Ridge Vodka
Chesapeake Bay Distillery, Virginia Beach | $20 | ChesapeakeBayDistillery.com
Chris Richeson, owner and gold-medal-winning master distiller at Chesapeake Bay Distillery, believes craft distilling requires complete quality control from start to finish. His flagship Blue Ridge Vodka exemplifies this philosophy—made from 100 percent corn, it’s one of Virginia’s first double gold medal spirits. Artfully distilled and carbon-filtered for 30 hours, it marries art and science for consistently award-winning flavor.
Reservoir Founding Bourbon 100% Corn Bourbon
Reservoir Distillery, Richmond | $45 for 375-mililiter bottle, $80 for 750-milileter bottle | ReservoirDistillery.com
Reservoir Distillery’s Founding Bourbon features a unique 100 percent corn mash bill, balancing the sweetness that’s between their wheat’s softness and their rye’s spice. As Virginia’s third post-Prohibition bourbon distillery outside Kentucky, Reservoir crafts this traditional expression using local grains. The nose offers vanilla, chalk, corn, and toast, while the palate delivers char, coffee, and pecan with medium full body, finishing with tobacco and lingering sweet cherry.
H3RO Power Punch
Erin’s Elderberries, Warrenton | $3.25 for 8-ounce plastic bottle, $13.50 for DIY kit | ErinsElderberries.com
This vibrant fruit punch-style “tea” is the ultimate refreshment for all ages, crafted with 100 percent certified organic hibiscus, rosehips, and orange peel. Hibiscus provides natural electrolytes, making it perfect for hot summer days or post-workout recovery. This caffeine-free powerhouse drink stands out as a sought-after alternative to sugary sodas and comes in ready-to-drink bottles or make-your-own kits for customizable, guilt-free refreshment. Its track record is positive with even with the pickiest kids.
Orange Smash
Devils Backbone Distilling Co., Roseland | $11–$13 | DrinkASmash.com
Meet the cans sparking the latest cocktail buzz across Virginia and nationwide: Smash Cocktails from Devils Backbone’s Roseland Basecamp Brewpub & Meadows. Now available at major retailers like Target and Walmart, each can contains fresh crushed citrus, premium spirits, and iconic fruit juice flavors that transform any occasion into a vacation moment. The brand offers tequila, bourbon, and a classic vodka smash—our winner, with the signature flavors that started the ready-to-drink revolution!
Loose Leaf Tea
Appalachian Teas & Botanicals, Abingdon | $18 | AppalachianTeasAndBotanicals.com
Since 2020, Appalachian Teas & Botanicals has crafted small-batch artisan teas from the Appalachian wildlands, blended with premium organic ingredients. Founder Lori Briscoe combines traditional plant wisdom with modern science, creating products that honor the land’s healing power, while supporting sustainable harvest practices. Her work bridges ancestral knowledge with contemporary wellness, benefiting both community and environment.
Meet the Drink Judge
Melanie Wynne
Melanie Wynne has spent more than 15 years exploring the world through wine and spirits, scribing her experiences across five continents. She has worked two wine harvests in Sonoma County, earned a degree in viticulture, and contributed to outlets including Richmond Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, and National Geographic Traveler. “A great beverage gets my attention with its balance, texture, and finish, then connects me to wherever I happen to be, who I’m with, and how I feel in that moment. Basically, it resonates as a liquid memory,” she says. Melanie’s expertise guided us to drinks that linger long after the last sip. Follow her on Instagram: @Wynne_Win.
Home & Lifestyle
Beyond the horizon
Alicia Dietz Studios, Richmond | $425–$895 per circle | AliciaDietzStudios.com
Alicia Dietz creates striking wall art combining live-edge walnut with artisan concrete, forming natural horizons that celebrate material dichotomy and cooperation. Each unique piece speaks to embracing differences through the intersection of wood’s natural technical precision and concrete’s fluid nature. Available individually or in sets of three, these quietly layered artworks honor each material’s honest nature while creating a beautiful balance between disparate elements.
Soy Wax Candles
Trillium Candle Co., Radford | $30 | TrilliumCandle.co
Trillium Candle Co. transforms homes into Appalachian wilderness with long-lasting, hand-poured soy candles inspired by Virginia’s natural bounty. Each fragrance captures the essence of the Blue Ridge Mountains—from pine-scented trails to riverside moments under Virginia skies. Using 100 percent soy wax and clean-burning wicks, these candles provide peaceful pauses from daily life, bringing the wild beauty and tranquil spirit of the mountains indoors.
The Nightstand Collection
Ovid & Lane by Essentially Zen, Staunton | $45 per diffuser, $160 for set of four | OvidLane.com
Owner-maker Sherrie Brown says this lineup of reed diffusers is her answer to the question: “What would it feel like to bottle a moment of calm?” Each diffuser is understated yet fully enveloping, capturing scents from summer’s freshness to autumn’s spice and winter’s cozy days. Hand-poured from eco-friendly bases and essential oils, they’re finished with a darling dried flower bouquet nestled among the reeds.
Genuine Flower Coasters
Infused Moments Artistry, Dumfries | $25 each | InfusedMoments.square.site
Every coaster from Infused Moments Artistry is as unique as the flowers themselves. Artist Caroline Scott gathers blooms from her own backyard or neighborhood whenever possible, then transforms them into enchanting designs that grace each functional piece. The result is a delicate, feminine accent for any coffee or side table—a marriage of natural beauty, creative innovation, and practical purpose.
Curator’s Choice Fine Wood Polish
Brooke’s Bank Farm, Champlain | $24 | BrookesBankFarm.com
Curator’s Choice Fine Wood Polish keeps a family legacy from Brooke’s Bank Farm in Essex County alive. The treasured recipe, passed down from father to daughter, cleans, hydrates, and shines wood surfaces while repairing damage. Each batch is hand-mixed and bottled by the family, with packaging inspired by Federal period woodwork and original house colors, making it the perfect hostess or housewarming gift.
Meet the Home & Lifestyle Judge
Justine Platt
Style & Beauty
Apple Watch Bands
KEVA + Created By, Midlothian | $58 | MyKevaStyle.com
Available in both premium Italian leather and CACTUS vegan leather, these Apple Watch bands bring luxury within reach, designed to fit a variety of wrist sizes and personal styles. From sleek metallics to vibrant florals, the patterns strike just the right balance of bold and refined, transforming wearable tech into a true fashion statement—and even a piece of jewelry in its own right.
Double Strand Bracelet
Tess & Company Jewelers, Gordonsville | $2,600 | TessAndCoJewelers.com
Handwoven from fine silver and accented with 14-karat yellow and white gold and natural diamonds, this double-strand bracelet is the work of Gordonsville jeweler Tess Sakellariou. She crafts each piece from start to finish—coiling the silver, fusing every link, weaving the strands, and finally casting the gold clasp with diamond-set divots—an intricate process that reflects meticulous Virginia artistry.
Virginia-Raised Alpaca Mittens
Hoagland Handmade, Ashland | $54–59 | HoaglandHandmade.com
This winter’s warmest mittens might just come from alpacas right in Fauquier County, with fleece in natural whites, browns, and blacks or hand-dyed hues across the rainbow. The fleece is milled into yarn just over the state border in West Virginia, then returned to Virginia to become the softest hand-warmers. Hollow fibers make alpaca up to seven times warmer than sheep’s wool—lightweight yet incredibly cozy.
All-Natural Handmade Artisan Soap
Cadence Rose, Chatham | $8 | CadenceRoseCo.com
At just 14, Cadence Reyes launched her all-natural soap line with transparency and ambition. Now 16, she crafts bars that lather silkily, soothe with subtle aromatics, and brighten any sink or tub with subtle pastels, warm hues, and hypnotic swirls. Some varieties even double as natural shampoos—making her creations as versatile as they are beautiful.
Native Fiber Flower Pins
The Roaring Run, Richmond | $45 | TheRoaringRun.com
The Roaring Run celebrates hand-knit, crochet, and punch needle artistry at founder Heather Myers Barker’s Richmond studio. Since 2018, Myers has combined sustainable living with local community connection, creating joy through fiber art. Her native plant pin collection includes Virginia bluebells, asters, and black-eyed Susans crafted from 100 percent organic, plant-dyed wool. Available online, at Richmond’s Shop Made in Virginia, and at local markets, her work promotes regional watersheds and cruelty-free practices.
Meet the Style & Beauty Judge
Anne Weber
Style, sustainability, and storytelling are Anne Weber’s guiding principles. Based in Richmond, she has written for Garden & Gun, Washingtonian, RICtoday, and The Roanoker, always highlighting the local makers and small businesses she champions. “To me, a great style or beauty product is thoughtfully designed to be aesthetic, functional, and built to last,” Weber says. “I’m drawn to high-quality, sustainable pieces, especially those with a story behind them. That’s why I love shopping locally—it connects me to the people and places behind the products.” We’re enchanted by Anne’s impeccable taste, her shopping recommendations around town, and the adventures she shares with her husband and two Brittanys on Instagram (@AnneTate).
This article originally appeared in the December 2025 issue.
