This year the World Beverage Innovation Awards product categories once again welcomed brilliant entries that truly captured the spirit of innovation.
The brands showcased finished products that tap into top consumer trends in the food and beverage industry, from health and functional benefits to the use of natural and organic ingredients, on-the-go convenience and premium and artisan positioning.
Here, we’re having a closer look at the winners and finalists in the best packaged water, best functional drink, best sports and fitness drink categories.
While the health-savvy consumers look for better and healthier options for fluid intake and hydration, water has proved to be a rising star in the beverages aisle this year and the best packaged water category has reflected the diverse selection of quality drinks available in the marketplace today.
The glacial water from Chilean Patagonoia, Ice Swan, and Guitig’s artesian spring water stood out not only with the quality of their natural sources but also with their exceptional bottle designs, underscoring an important trend emerging of late – the collaboration between design and food and beverage products.
While Ice Swan comes in a glass bottle designed by the Chilean artist Sebastian Errazuriz, who masterfully brings together the beauty of a drop of water with the elegance of the slender-necked swans, Guitig’s artesian spring water special-edition bottles are designed by famous Ecuadorian fashion designers Olga Doumet and Gustavo Moscoso.
MaiAqua Springs natural spring water also capitalises on the packaging aspect with their bag-in-box silver-coated Kraft paper boxes that are dust-proof and liquid-repellent, thus keeping the water cooler, offering a fresh and convenient choice.
Utilising ViCap Systems’ Blast Cap technology, Hey Like Wow offers added functional benefits thanks to the smart cap that delivers the vitamin ingredients into pure natural mineral water when the drink is ready to be consumed.
The winner of the category, Purely Sedona artesian spring water, is a premium range that is bottled in Arizona and offered in glass and PET bottles. Inspired by the look of small-batch whiskey, Purely Sedona’s heritage bottle design and label offers a fresh breath of life to a category awash with streamlined and modern designs.
The best sports or fitness drink category also offered brilliant hydration and performance drink options.
A finalist of the category, Kulau Organic Coconut Renew harvests the naturally fat- and cholesterol-free coconut goodness and mixes it with the antioxidants from aronia berries and pomegranate to create an isotonic drink that quickly replenishes liquid in the body.
State Drinks, on the other hand, is a functional energy drink that focuses on securing a stable blood glucose level during exercise. It improves performance, delivering fast, balanced and prolonged energy with a unique combination of caffeine, green tea, niacin, taurine, B vitamins and Palatinose.
The winner of the category, Protein Water Co, blends premium whey protein isolate and hydrolised marine collagens, which are two key natural ingredients that provide clear health and vitality benefits and boost energy.
Whey protein isolate supports muscle repair and recovery and helps satisfy hunger, whilst hydrolised marine collagen helps improve skin collagen density and structure and improves joint function.
The best functional drink category addressed further health and wellness concerns, from beauty to sports supplements, protein intake, weight control, free-from options, seniors’ and children’s nutrition, prebiotics and digestive health.
The winning natural energy drink from Divas offered two options, coenzyme Q10 and collagen, which contain extracts from guarana, green coffee and a mix of vitamins. While Q10 helps supply the energy for cardiovascular system, collagen supports the bones, skin, blood vessels and tendons.
Focusing on energy as well, Virtue energy water has no sugar, calories or sweeteners in its formulation. Each can contains the same amount of natural caffeine as a cup of coffee, as well as extracts from natural energy sources like yerba maté, guarana and ginseng.
Offering a dairy-free probiotic drink alternative, Plenish Water+ is designed specifically to improve gut health, boost immunity, rejuvenate skin and improve mood. Available in three different flavours, each bottle contains raw, cold-pressed juice, water and 1 billion live cultures proven to aid digestion.
PlantHemp smoothie mixes and Innocent Invigorate super-smoothies stood out more as great superfood options.
PlantHemp Protein SuperFoods provides a great plant-based protein from hemp with the added benefits of alfalfa. The range is available in three flavours: original, maple cinnamon and vanilla chai.
Its super-greens blend is enhanced with spirulina, barleygrass, wheatgrass and chlorella, which provides the body with essential trace vitamins and minerals not readily found in our daily diets.
On a similar vein, Golden Milk from Olibar calls on to turmeric’s medicinal properties. Turmeric’s anti-inflammatory effects help digestion and can also soothe joint and muscle pain, ease coughs and relieve cold symptoms. To maximise the absorption of turmeric in the body, the drink also includes powdered black pepper.
Finally, representing the rising relaxation drinks trend, Zendo Calm +Focus is a functional drink that contributes to less stress and more focus thanks to its unique combination of active ingredients of natural origin with scientifically proven effects. The drink contains no added sugar and excludes any type of preservatives, artificial colourings or flavourings.
To find out more about the World Food Innovation Awards 2017, click here.
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