Water Innovation Awards finalists and winners announced

At a special gala during the 8th Global Bottled Water Congress in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 14 September 2011, the finalists and winners in the 2011 Water Innovation Awards were announced.

Organised by FoodBev Media's Water Innovation magazine, this year's awards attracted 80 entries from 25 countries in 11 categories. The Water Innovation Awards began in 2002 as the bottledwaterworld design awards.

Categories ranged from products including still, sparkling, flavoured and functional waters, to packaging, marketing and environmental sustainability.

See images from the awards here.

The judging panel selected the finalists and winners in August. The panel included:

• Yasmin Kaderbhoy – environmental affairs and communications manager, European Federation of Bottled Waters
• Anton Steeman – independent packaging consultant
• Michael Mascha – founder and publisher, FineWaters.com
• Claire Nuttall – insight and innovation director, 1HQ
• Michael Tanousis – MD, Aqua Amore

The panel was chaired by FoodBev Media group editorial director Bill Bruce.

All of the innovations entered into the awards will feature in the 2011 Water Innovation Awards Showcase magazine.

Best new still or sparkling water

Finalists: - Krusmølle Kilde, from Denmark, with Krusmølle Kilde - Corporación Dharma, from Peru, with Aguamantra

Listen to an interview with Corporación Dharma here.

Winner: - Hijos De Rivera, from Spain, with Magma de Cabreiroá

Best new functional or flavoured water

Finalists: - Engifer, from Iceland, with My Secret - Corporación Dharma, from Peru, with Aguamantra

Winner: - Waterbaby, from the UK, with WaterBaby

Highly commended 'for introducing new category in India': - Danone Narang Beverages, from India, with Qua+ vitamin water

Best newcomer brand of business

Finalists: - Engifer, from Iceland with My Secret - Carpathian Springs, from Romania, with Aqua Carpatica

Winner: - Corporación Dharma, from Peru, with Aguamantra

Highly commended 'for its original concept': - Colorwaters, from the Netherlands, with Colorwaters

Best new bottle in PET

Finalists: - Szentkiralyi Mineral Water, from Hungary, with its 1 litre bottle - Aguas de Mondariz Fuente del Val, from Spain, with its 2.5 litre bottle

Winner: - Danone Narang Beverages, from India, with its Qua 20cl shot bottle

Highly commended 'for further lightweighting its Eco-Air bottle': - Niagara Bottling

Best new bottle in glass

Finalists: - Spadel, from Belgium, for its BRU glass bottle - Krusmølle Kilde, from Denmark, for its Krusmølle Kilde bottle

Winner: - Unicer Bebidas, from Portugal, for its Vidago glass bottle

Best new label or decorative finish

Finalists: - Carpathian Springs, from Romania, with Aqua Carpatica - Krusmølle Kilde, from Denmark, with Krusmølle Kilde - Colorwaters, from the Netherlands, with Colorwaters

Winner: - Mineral Technologies, from Russia, with Seryab kids

Best new packaging innovation

Finalists: - Niagara Bottling, from the US, with its Nested case pack - Canadian Mineral Water, from Luxembourg, with the Gize presentation box

Winner: - Hijos De Rivera, from Spain, with Magma de Cabreiroá in black alubottle with ring-pull closure

Highly commended: 'for clear premium product positioning through product design' - Grupo Epson Queiroz, from Brazil, with Minalba Premium

Best new functional ingredient for packaged water

Winner: - Engifer, from Iceland, with My Secret

Highly commended 'for novel fruit based sweetener': - Tate & Lyle, from the US, with Purefruit

Best environmental sustainability initiative

Finalists: - Estância e Água da EcoVita, from Brazil, with EcoVita - Engifer, from Iceland, with My Secret

Winner: Niagara Bottling, from the US, with its Nested case pack

Highly commended 'for its fully co-ordinated environmental sustainability initiative': - Spadel, from Belgium, with Spa Sparkling

Best ethical or humanitarian initiative

Finalists: - Water for Africa from the UK, with Water for Africa - Whistler Water, from Canada, with Free the Children

Winner: - Helioz Research and Development, from Austria, with WADI

Best consumer marketing campaign

Finalists: - Cartils, from the Netherlands, with S.Pellegrino Cannes Festival Edition 2011 - DS Waters, from the US, with its 5 gallon rack - Sanpellegrino, from Italy, with LaLitro Levissima

Winner: - Szentkiralyi Mineral Water, from Hungary, with the Face of Water campaign

Highly commended 'for communicating environmental responsibility': - Sanpellegrino, from Italy, with LaLitro Levissima

Source: Global Bottled Water Congress

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