In April 2025, Butter Braid® Pastries and Country Maid, Inc. entered the 2025 “Coolest Thing Made in Iowa” contest.
The “Coolest Thing Made in Iowa” Contest
The nominees for the contest, over 60 in total, were announced on April 28th. The following day, all the products nominated competed in a popular vote round which concluded on May 7th. As the contest progressed, Butter Braid® Pastries went up against various other products in head-to-head matchups and went on to be voted into both the “Top 16” and “Top 8” rounds of the competition.
On May 22nd, Butter Braid® Pastries were thrilled to learn we had made it into the Final Four! In this final popular vote round, we competed against Viking Pump, Inc.’s CHC Chocolate Pump, the Moose Fireplace Grill, and the John Deere CP770 Cotton Picker.
The winner was announced at ABI’s annual Taking Care of Business Conference on June 11, 2025. Butter Braid® Pastry supporters really rose up to represent their favorite Iowa-based product. However, in the end, it was John Deere’s Cotton Picker that was named the “Coolest Thing Made in Iowa” for 2025.
Thank You for Your Support!
All of us at the Butter Braid® brand want to express our gratitude for your incredible support and participation in the “Coolest Thing Made in Iowa” contest. While we’re disappointed that we did not win this year’s title, we are immensely grateful for each and every one of you who took the time to vote and cheer us on throughout this journey. Our time in this year’s contest may have come to an end, but we’re proud that we got to be part of this opportunity to showcase what makes Iowa special. And we look forward to throwing our hat into the ring for next year’s “Coolest Thing Made in Iowa” contest.
Once again, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your support, encouragement, and votes. We’re incredibly fortunate to have such an amazing community behind us!
Want to Learn More About the “Coolest Thing Made in Iowa”?
The Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI), once again, partnered with MidWestOne Bank to determine the “Coolest Thing Made in Iowa” in 2025. The competition’s aim is to highlight the state’s vibrant manufacturing industry. This is not only to bring attention to all the amazing things made in the state but also to the outstanding career opportunities in manufacturing.
For more information about the competition, visit https://www.coolestthingia.com/.
