World Food Innovation Awards 2022: What are the judges looking for? (Part 1)

The World Food Innovation Awards 2022, in association with IFE, are a celebration of innovation and excellence across the global food industry. We asked the first half of our judging panel what they are hoping to see from this year’s entrants.

There are 25 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.

These judges’ criteria points will hopefully offer inspiration and help in crafting the winning entry.

The deadline for entries is Friday 4 February.

Maria Mascaraque
Industry manager – food and nutrition, Euromonitor

I am honoured to join the judging panel for the World Food Innovation Awards for a consecutive year. With ever-changing consumer demands and increased competition in the marketplace, here is what I am looking for this time round:

• Uniqueness: This is at the heart of innovation. How do you differentiate against the competition? How does your product stand out? Catchy food innovation that is communicated in an innovative way and that is engaging with consumers are essential for success.
• Functionality: Health is paramount for consumers, more than ever before. I am interested in functional natural ingredients that can add value to the wellness space. I will be keeping a lookout for concepts in the mental wellbeing space and foods and drinks targeting need states (eg. relaxation, focus, energy, cognitive function, sleep, etc.), where there is an enormous opportunity as a key component of wellbeing.
• Plant-based: This is one of the fastest-growing spaces in the food industry, where there has been an exponential increase in offer and demand in the last few years. I will be looking for exciting technologies and innovative plant-based ingredients that can disrupt the industry.
• Mission: I will be particularly interested to see how purpose-driven aspects are represented in the brand. From the management of food waste, supporting local farmers, to sustainable packaging, the initiatives can be infinite. How is your brand doing good in the world, environmentally or socially?
• Integrity: Honesty and transparency are essential to building trust and loyalty among consumers. How your brand is perceived will be crucial to building a good reputation so your messaging, being consistent with your goals and commitments, and clearly communicating your progression is key.

Adrian Boswell
Fresh food buyer, Selfridges

I feel proud and privileged to be a part of WFIA 2022, really excited to see what producers have been working on. Here are some of the things I will be looking out for: 

• Health: Given the events of the past two years, all aspects of health are high on the agenda. Products that promote functional benefits will continue to play an important part in our industries future, and something our customers expect.
• Sustainability: How will your brand/range play its part in making our future a sustainable one? What is the company ethos and how does this translate to your commitments over the coming years?
• Plant-based: Just because it’s suitable for vegans does not make it healthy. With many of the Plant-based/vegan products hitting the shelves being highly processed, ranges with a clean deck of ingredients are something we are passionate about delivering to our customers.
• People: This can be the difference between how successful a product will be. What’s the brand story? Who’s the driving force behind the brand/concept? What’s their purpose? What’s their vision for the future of their offer?
• Knowledge: Having knowledge and understanding of how the product/range is positioned within the category is fundamental in delivering something that will stand out on the shelves.

Louis Bedwell
Co-founder & head of operations, Mission Ventures

As we enter 2022, challenger brands have evolved to deal with the pressures faced by the ongoing global crisis. The pandemic, supply chain issues and Brexit have all made SME’s more resilient to the challenges they face. Before applying for these awards, I think it’s important to ask yourself these questions:

• Do you provide consumer value? Does your product or brand fulfil the needs of your intended audience? The best products are on-trend and meet the needs of their intended audience.
• Are you mission-driven? Beyond the functional benefits offered, does your business make a positive impact? Whether it contributes to tackling the climate crisis, reducing food waste or using more sustainable manufacturing technologies. Does this mission drive you?
• Are you future proof? The last few years have shown us that the unthinkable can happen. Are you thinking about how to mitigate against this risk and build a sustainable business? 
• Are you ready to scale? Does your business have the ability to scale within a market? 
• Does your brand express and live its purpose? The most innovative challenger brands have an authentic voice that provides them with an edge against competitors.

Stefania Perez Beltran
New categories manager, Team Foods

It’s an honour and pleasure once again to be part of the judging panel at the World Food Innovation Awards 2022. Living in the world of food and beverages through my expertise in gastronomy and business strategy has changed my vision into new product concepts.

Innovation in new products requires more than just good taste, it is a blend of knowing your consumers, exploring trends, ingredients, origins and the needs consumers are expecting to be solved. This blend forms a complete experience that creates value through sustainability, nutrition, innovation and awareness.

I will take into consideration the following aspects:

• Taste: The product must have an amazing taste and blend of flavours. If it tastes yummy your consumer will be connected to your product!
• Nutrition: Products now must deliver natural ingredients with clean products to consumers.
• Sustainability: Ingredients and packaging materials must consider the economic, social and environmental; and the message delivered to people to make conscious decisions on how it impacts the planet.
• Innovation: The concept of your product must be developed into a 360° process, considering the environment, supply chain, ingredients, communication, wellness, and people. Does your product address consumer needs? 
• The experience: I will consider looking for products and packaging that delivered and address consumer needs in terms of nutrition, flavour and real communication!

Rafaela Sousa
Assistant editor, FoodBev Media

Over the last couple of years, our eating habits have significantly changed, with consumers becoming more aware of what they put into their bodies, as well as the sustainable issues around food production and consumption. The five factors I am looking forward to seeing at the World Food Innovation Awards 2022 include:

• Convenience: Consumers are looking for convenient, on-the-go foods, such as readymade or easy-to-prepare foods and meal kits. Convenience is a major factor in determining purchasing behaviours, especially since many individuals are lacking the time to prepare food in their busy schedules. 
• Health: Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a substantial increase in snacking habits. However, consumers are showing an increased demand for foods that are more nutritious, whether that might be organic or functional foods, less sugar or products that contain high protein, among others.
• Sustainability: Most consumers are seeking products that align with their values. I hope to see ingredients that are ethically and sustainably sourced, and that meets important and evolving environmental demands.
• Packaging: Sustainable packaging is essential for the environment, and with more consumers demanding such elements, I hope to see more companies investing in this category.
• Product design: Packaging design is a great marketing tool, as it grabs consumers attention and helps a product stand out on the shelves. I want to see unique graphic designs and attention-grabbing colours and formats.

Chloe Anderson
Food science & product manager, JourneyFoods

Food consumption changes are dependent on consumer groups but most groups have experienced lasting changes since 2019. I am excited to be part of the 2022 World Food Innovation Awards and support brands that have listened to consumer challenges and are proposing impactful innovations based on those criteria:

• New staples: One of the major lasting changes is home cooking. Consumers are looking for packaged options to improve the efficiency and taste of their cooking. Brands can take advantage of creative or nostalgic flavours to help consumers make a restaurant-quality dinner in a few minutes.
• Plant-based v2: Consumers have adopted plant-based food items. The next generation of those products should use more natural ingredients and include superior nutritional benefits. With the diversification of the consumers entering that market, it is also a great time to see more exotic and culturally relevant plant-based options.
• Ingredient innovation: Food is closely linked to health for consumers. Ingredient innovations have created exciting solutions for label-friendly products allowing brands to remove undesirable ingredients. Other innovations include biotech ingredients that can offer high-quality functional ingredients for immunity and other health benefits.
• Online presence: With the boom of ecommerce over the last two years, brands are increasingly an online experience. Consumers should be able to find relevant information about what they eat quickly and effectively. Brands should find creative ways to differentiate themselves through interactive or educational online content.
• Sustainability: Consumers have learnt a lot about the world that surrounds them. Sustainability can take many forms, from a transparent supply chain using blockchain technology, carbon labelling on the front of the pack, to using upcycled ingredients or products from regenerative agriculture. Food companies will need to include a clear strategy if they want to stay relevant for the consumers of 2022 and beyond.

Do you have an award-worthy food or beverage innovation? Enter your products into the World Food Innovation Awards 2022 now!