World Food Innovation Awards 2022: What are the judges looking for?

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 second 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.

Philippa Christer
Event director, IFE and IFE Manufacturing

IFE is delighted to be continuing our partnership with FoodBev Media for the eighth edition of the World Food Innovation Awards. For over 40 years, IFE has been the beating heart of food and drink innovation in the UK and it has been truly inspiring to see some fantastic businesses grow their presence and ranges at the show over the years.

As one of the judges for this year’s Awards, I’m looking for entries that are able to convey what makes a product truly special and innovative. This is a chance to perfect that all-important elevator pitch and demonstrate what makes your product or business stand out from the crowd.

Key points to consider:

Market impact: Where is your product on its commercial journey? Can you demonstrate real interest from buyers and a consumer need that’s being filled? While the taste and quality of a product go a long way to ensuring success, true innovation needs to be backed up by a sound understanding of the market you operate in, and your place within it.
Honesty: Buyers and consumers, perhaps more than ever before, expect brands to be transparent when it comes to business practices, brand messages and labelling, etc. Particularly when it comes to categories like sustainability and health & wellness, if your product’s branding is conveying certain messages I’d be looking for follow-through and consistency with how your business operates.
Sustainability: Sustainability might seem like an omnipresent buzzword, but the fact is that when we’re talking about innovation and new products in the world of food & drink, there’s an expectation that there will be environmental considerations at every stage of the NPD process. Whether it’s in your ingredient and supplier sourcing, the manufacturing process, your product’s packaging or in other key areas, I’m keen to see how sustainability fits into your business.
Go natural: One of the key trends we’ve seen emerge over the past two years is a desire from consumers for fewer artificial products and ingredients. Combining innovation with simple, natural ingredients and transparent labelling is a strong start on the road to success.
Personality: As director of IFE, I’m well aware of the volume of new products that are launched into the food & drink market each year. However, standing out from the crowd isn’t about having the most colourful labels or the most outrageous social media accounts, it’s about having a clear idea of your brand identity, brand voice and brand story.

Marc Matsumoto
Culinary creator & advisor, NoRecipes

It’s an honor to be invited back as a judge for this year’s World Food Innovation Awards. We live in uncertain times and face unprecedented challenges ahead. However, history has shown that challenging times bring out the best in human ingenuity. That’s why I’m looking forward to seeing the exciting new products that have been submitted this year. Here are some questions I will be asking about each brand and its product(s).

Why do they exist?: In my experience, genuinely innovative companies know who they are and why they exist. That’s why I’ll be looking for brands that can clearly articulate who they are and where they stand.
Is it authentic?: I don’t mean this in an ethnocentric-gatekeeper kind of way, or even in a credibility kind of way. I’ll be looking for products that embody their brands’ values in a consistent and meaningful way.
What’s the value?: The purpose of innovation is to solve real-world problems. These problems could be anything from consumer pain points to sustainability challenges like food waste or environmental degradation. That’s why I’ll be looking at what problem each product solves and the incremental value it provides.
Is it transformational?: To overcome compounding challenges like climate change, environmental degradation, food security and health crises, we must pursue transformational changes in many aspects of society, including what we eat and how it’s produced. These game-changers don’t come around very often, but they’re exciting to witness when they do. That’s why I’m always on the lookout for the next transformational innovations in food.
Would I eat it?: When it comes to food, we have a lot of choices. While many considerations factor into a consumer’s decision-making process, the anticipation of how it will taste plays a considerable part in my process. This is why I’ll be asking myself if this is a product I’d want to try myself.

Mieke Roux
Food technologist, Veggie Crisp

I am beyond excited to see what this year’s World Food Innovation Awards entrants will be presenting. I will be focusing on the following key points for this year’s innovation:

Convenience: Products should be easily accessible, easy to prepare and easy to consume, while maintaining flavour. Even the most indulgent food products should be easily enjoyed by consumers with time constraints.
Moreish appearance: Food is enjoyed with the eyes as much as the mouth. Products should be presented to draw visual attention before taste is even considered. This applies to both the product and the packaging.
Nutrition & health: Food should serve the purpose, among other things, of enriching one’s health. Functional ingredients that also enhance taste and texture, are a win.
Relevance: Products should be relevant to their consumer market, to current and rising trends, to current global issues and should showcase that sufficient research has been done to ensure product success.
Sustainability & recyclability: With the Earth’s resources being depleted at an alarming rate, together with landfills piling up, the ability to produce food in a sustainable manner and with a low environmental impact is more important than ever. This includes all aspects of the product, from farm to table to discarding of the packaging.

Silvia D’Alesio
Brand strategy and packaging design professor, NABA

2021 has reinforced the idea that we need to revolutionise the food and beverage market. Every aspect of our eating habits has become related to the quality of human health and the wellbeing of the planet. In each world region, the possibility to live healthily in the future is determined by the relationship we can establish with food today.

These aspects are important when it comes to empowering the food & beverage education, through the offering and designing of new products. In my opinion, new food developers who decide to enter the #WFIA22 should show their product developed by criteria such as:

Eco-innovative: To what extent does the entry meet expectations of sustainable foods?
Industrial and market feasibility: Are the chosen product ingredients and materials used/combined in an innovative way? Does the design reflect the concept in the best possible way?
Nutritional and taste characteristics: To what extent does the selection of ingredients become compatible with sustainable production levels, consumer taste and a healthy diet?
Packaging and communication: To what extent does the design fit with the product category? How aesthetically pleasing, eye-catching and outstanding is the design? Do any kinds of ingredients, material & embellishment support the idea?
Leading the way: Does the proposal gently guide people into eating decisions, rather than being prescriptive? Do any kinds of small changes or experiences support the proposal?

Morgan Oliveira
Founder & Principal, Grounded, Etc.

The food space has never been as forward-thinking and exciting as it is today. From plant based, to upcycling, to gluten-free, and beyond, entrepreneurs have met consumers’ rising demands for “better” food in a variety of innovative and clever ways. And as we gear up for the World Food Innovation Awards, here are some of the key criteria I’ll be looking at in making selections for this year’s winners.

Sustainability: Yes, there are a lot of new and hot products on the market, but are they incorporating sustainability into their formulations and packaging? Is there a biodiversity element? The planet is desperate for this factor to be considered when it comes to food, and this will be a top pillar for me this year in the companies I choose.
Health: A new energy drink or bar is great, but if it has 50g of sugar, well, not so much. Health is of growing importance to consumers and (hopefully) to us all as a society as we come out of a pandemic and keep this at the forefront of our minds. Are there functional ingredients? Whole foods nutrition? Low or no sugar? All key drivers when it comes to the “healthy” category in food today.
Brand + Story: As a storyteller myself, I want to see the companies that are connecting to consumers with a powerful story. Do they have a food waste aspect? A motivating founder background? Are they insanely unique in their category and sharing this well to their target audience? This is massively crucial for new, innovative companies and those that nail it are the ones that rise to the top — in this contest and in the space.

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