2026 Winners

Carrier, American Honda Motor Co., Old School Mill win statewide competition.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Today, the day before National Manufacturing Day (#MFGDay26), the NC Chamber revealed the winners for this year’s Coolest Thing Made in NC competition:  Carrier’s Chillers in the large business category, American Honda Motor Co.’s FourTrax Foreman 4×4 in the medium business category, and Old School Mill’s Old School Brand™ Hot Cocoa Mix in the small business category.

The contest, presented by Allegacy Financial, recognizes three winners: one for businesses with fewer than 100 employees, one for businesses 100-999 employees, and one for businesses with 1000+ employees. Carrier’s product is manufactured in Charlotte, American Honda Motor Co.’s in Haw River, and Old School Mill’s in Albemarle.

Now an annual tradition, the NC Chamber launched the competition in 2020 to celebrate North Carolina’s manufacturers and raise awareness about the potential of modern manufacturing careers. As the exclusive state affiliate for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the NC Chamber knows that a strong manufacturing sector is central to North Carolina’s economic success. The state’s innovative manufacturing industry generates more than 15% of the gross state product and employs more than 8.9% of the state’s workforce.

2026 “Coolest Thing Made in NC” Finalists (in place order):

Large Business Category

Place	Product	Company Name	Manufacturing Location
Winner:	Carrier Chillers	Carrier	Charlotte Region
2nd Place:	Cheez-It Original Snack Crackers	Mars Snacking	Triangle
3rd Place:	North Carolina Sweetpotatoes	NC Sweetpotato Commission	Eastern NC
4th Place:	Wegovy® pill	Novo Nordisk	Triangle
5th Place:	Dyneema(R)	Avient Protective Materials	Eastern NC

Medium Business Category

Place	Product	Company Name	Manufacturing Location
Winner:	FourTrax Foreman 4×4	American Honda Motor Co., Inc.	Triad
2nd Place:	Texas Pete Original Hot Sauce	Garner Foods	Triad
3rd Place:	Cheerwine	Cheerwine/Carolina Beverage Corp	Charlotte Region
4th Place:	Bright Leaf Hot Dogs	Carolina Packers	Eastern NC
5th Place:	Lithium	Rio Tinto	Charlotte Region

Small Business Category

Place	Product	Company Name	Manufacturing Location
Winner:	Old School Brand™ Hot Cocoa Mix	Old School Mill, Inc.	Charlotte Region
2nd Place:	Atlantic Beach Sea Salt	Atlantic Beach Sea Salt Company	Eastern NC
3rd Place:	Carolina Soap	Sparta Candle Co.	Western NC
4th Place:	Date Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing & Marinade	CW Dressings	Sandhills
5th Place:	Deltec Homes 360° Signature Collection	Deltec Homes	Western NC

“Congratulations to Carrier, American Honda Motor Co., and Old School Mill for winning the 2026 Coolest Thing Made in NC title,” said NC Chamber President and CEO Gary Salamido. “Tomorrow is National Manufacturing Day, and we are proud to recognize the strength and creativity of North Carolina’s manufacturers who continue to lead and inspire across our state, nation, and world.”

MFG Day, organized nationally by NAM and The Manufacturing Institute, champions the next generation of creators and kicks off a campaign to highlight the exciting careers in modern manufacturing.

Allegacy Financial is serving as the presenting sponsor of the online competition, and Business North Carolina is this year’s media partner.

Join the contest’s social media campaign by following #CoolestThingMadeinNC. In addition to receiving a trophy, this year’s winning products will be featured in NC Chamber and Business North Carolina publications, podcasts, social and digital media, among additional statewide publicity efforts. Information on last year’s winner and runners-up can be found here.

###

About the NC Chamber

The NC Chamber works to research, develop, advocate, and communicate for solutions and policies that produce a nationally competitive business climate in North Carolina. For more information, visit ncchamber.com.