Manitoba-based product Von Slicks Finishing Butter won a pair of awards at the Canadian Grand Prix New Product Awards in Toronto.

Landon Kroeker and Rob Sengotta were in Toronto for the awards ceremony. Kroeker details the awards they won. "The categories were innovation and originality as well as we won the dairy category as well."

Sengotta adds that the moments leading up to the announcement were filled with all kinds of different emotions. "It was so surreal. We were in a big room with a bunch of people we didn't know, big lights and we just kinda go with it. It was so great."

Von Slicks was the lone Manitoba business nominated. For Kroeker, he says going up against some major competition and coming out on top, makes all the hard work worth it.

"It's totally crazy. There is no other way to put it," Kroeker says. "We were in a dairy category against a national brand and to have your name called in that category is just unbelievable. It was a wild wide."

If these two thought it was crazy leading up to the awards, after they won, they realized just how popular their product is.

"After we won the second award, we had people coming up to us trying to make appointments. I'm sure we're going to have a lot of meetings in the next few weeks," says Kroeker. "Also, we're finishing off some licensing to sell outside the province which we hope to get done in the next couple of months."

No matter where they go from here, Sengotta says they'll always be a Manitoba business at heart and they were able to slow down after the awards, appreciating all they've accomplished to this point.

"It's quite humbling. It's an honor to go with this," says Sengotta. "With all the hard work that's gone into it, we were able to sit back after and just soak it all in. We had some fun, which is great."

With Fathers Day right around the corner, Kroeker doesn't see things slowing down as Von Slicks Finishing Butter is the perfect gift. "We offer four packs and six-packs. They're all over in different retailers. It's a great gift for those who love to grill and to bbq. Go to VonSlicks.ca to find out where to get it closest to you. It goes well with just about everything."