What are the World Plant-Based Awards 2020 judges looking for? (Part 2)

We have asked some more members of the judging panel for the World Plant-Based Awards 2020 what they will be looking out for from this year’s entries, in order to offer some inspiration to entrants.

The awards, which are in association with Plant Based World, are designed to celebrate innovation and excellence across the global plant-based food and drink industry. There are 15 trophies to be won in total, and being shortlisted provides a hallmark of success that will prevail long after the awards draw to a close.

The deadline for the awards is 24 July.

Tabitha Sewell
Senior Category Manager, KeHE Distributors

KeHE retailers strive to be first to market with the most innovative products that bring excitement to shoppers and increase sales in their store. In this competition, I am searching out products that fit the needs of KeHE’s retailers and consumers across these five product attributes. 

• Ingredients: Is the product clean, functional, integrating new ingredients? How does this product solve a health issue or allergy? What certifications does your product have? Specifically for dairy and meat alternatives, I want to find the best product high in complete protein. 
• Purpose Driven: Is the product sustainable, recyclable, transparent, mission-based? How does your brand conserve energy and water? How does your item reduce waste? What is your brand story? How did you choose your brand name?
• Innovation: Is the product capitalizing on an existing trend, starting a new trend, unique to the marketplace? Does it fit any of the trending diets such as paleo, keto, whole 30?
• Salability: How is your product the best option of all the items launching today? Who is your competition and how is your product better? Where is the product sold currently? What section of the store is the best location for the product? What is your price and SRP? How are you marketing merchandising your product to the consumer on and off shelf? What is your target market?
• Taste and Usage: Does the product have a good taste, texture, mouth feel? What gives your product its unique flavor? What is the best usage occasion for your product?

Florence Dusseaux
Founder, VEGG2FOOD

I have been following innovation in the plant-based food industry for five years now and I am excited to see the new products entrants have to offer, from dairy alternatives products to plant-based beverages. I am so happy to be part of the judging panel for the World Plant-Based Awards 2020, whilst judging I will be expecting to see:

• The originality of the product: Does it exist in other countries? How the product is different from competition?
• The ingredients: What are their origins? It is important to relay the origins of ingredients. What is the transparency of the nutrition and formulation claims?
• How does it respond to customer needs: How does it precede the demand? Is it to answer a regional aspect of consumption or can it be propelled on global market?
• The story: around the product, the company and their founders. We know that consumers are more and more attracted by products and companies with values and a strong story to tell.
• How the packaging is treated: ecological, alternatives to plastics… Is it simple or structured to manage issues such as long conservation, preservations of nutrients, etc

Emma Letessier
Freelance vegan business and technology writer

As a freelance writer and content creator in the area of plant-based innovation and technology, I keep my eye on the emerging trends within the industry. In line with the trends that I have seen plant-based living propelled into the mainstream, I’ll be particularly interested in brands that excel in the following areas:

• Sustainability and transparency: environmental concerns and sustainability continue to be key drivers towards plant-based living. How does the product capture the essence of this in its offering to consumers? Plus, how is this communicated effectively via the brand, enabling and building trust and loyalty with consumers? Consumers want products that provide more than just lip-service in this area so they don’t have to compromise on their values.
• Gamechangers and forerunners: how is the product unique from others in its category? Or does it stand alone? How will it increase interest and drive growth in the plant-based segment? What new need or desire does it meet for the plant-based audience that other products have failed to service so far?
• Nutrition and taste: today’s plant-based consumer wants a product to not only taste great but to also become a healthy addition to their diet. How does a product bring innovations in taste, while still providing a healthy offering, through the creative use of whole food plant-based ingredients?
• What’s the story?: Millennials are a major buying force in the plant-based segment and in order to appeal to this sector, a product’s marketing needs to be on point. How does the product or brand take a unique approach in reaching these key demographics?
• Accessibility: when transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle, it helps to have familiar analogues that make plant-based living easy. How does a product provide familiarity while also bringing something unique to its category?

The plant-based sector has been so disruptive to the food industry in general simply down to the huge amount of innovation it’s inspired. I can’t wait to learn more about the nominees for each category in the awards.

Jenna McGuinness
Head Buyer, TheVeganKind Supermarket and Subscription Boxes

I’m so excited to learn all about the entries in this year’s World Plant-Based Awards! Here are some key factors that I’ll be looking out for:

• Sustainability: This is something really important to us here at TVK, we like when products are sustainable and environmentally friendly from the ingredients to the production, to the final packaging.
• A much-needed and desired vegan alternative: Is your product an alternative to a non-vegan product, that everyone has been waiting for? This is super important for the vegan movement, and will help your product create a buzz online if it’s something people are desperate to get their hands on.
• Revolutionary: Innovation is key, I’m looking for products to be exciting, something where there’s nothing else like it out there yet.
• Delicious: Does the product look appealing? Can you convince me it tastes good? What innovative methods do you use to create the right textures and flavours? For example, if you’re developing a vegan chocolate, smoothness and creaminess is something I always look for. 

Can you convince our judges why your plant-based food and beverage innovations deserve a World Plant-Based Award? Enter now for your chance to win!