World Beverage Innovation Awards 2022: What are the judges looking for? (Part One)

The World Beverage Innovation Awards 2022, sponsored by Ecolean and in association with drinktec, is a celebration of innovation and excellence across the global beverage industry. We asked the first half of our judging panel what they are hoping to see from this year’s entrants.

There are 23 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 22 July.

Lauren Ford

News Reporter, FoodBev Media

I am excited to be the judge for the 2022 World Beverage Innovation Awards, as I’ve seen firsthand the beverage trends that have been dominating the market throughout the year. I’m interested to see what emerging brands and innovative formulas and applications have been entered into this year’s awards.

The main attributes I will be looking for are:

Sustainability: Products that are mitigating the use of the earth’s natural resources and using greener, more sustainable ingredients.
Mood enhancing: I like the idea of beverages and applications that benefit consumers’ emotional and mental well-being.
Health and wellness: This is a continual trend and I want to see brands who are going above and beyond to create new formulas to cater to the better-for-you sector.
Originality: I want to see some refreshing and innovative products.
Taste: This is probably the most important category as it’s crucial that the product tastes good in order for it to be successful.

Aparna Oak

Vice President – Flavor Innovation & Regulatory, Imbibe

As Vice President of Flavour Innovation & Regulatory at Imbibe, I’m passionate about making products come to life. I support innovation at both the flavour bench and in the development labs, with a first-hand view into the journey of creating food and beverages nine to eighteen months before they hit the shelves. From the hundreds of projects launched annually at Imbibe, I know what it takes to design and deliver compelling products for entrepreneurs to market leaders alike.

These are the boxes you’ll want to check to impress:

Innovation despite adversity: The pandemic has had a massive impact on the global supply chain. In the wake of disruption and delays, find ways to use ingredients that have a robust supply chain in place in a unique way. Utilising upcycled ingredients like whey waste, cascara, okara, and aquafaba can certainly help in this area.
In tune with immune: We might be over two years into the pandemic, but immunity remains front and centre in consumers’ minds. Infusing cleaner immune-boosting ingredients into beverages to avoid unwanted aftertastes will likely intrigue.
Sustainability: Does this product consider its role in resource utilisation and environmental strain? The most successful products will have little to no negative impact on the environment.
Packaging: Building a story around your product through packaging can set you apart from competitors, but it is important to not be misleading with the claims and marketing methods you choose. Consumers should be able to easily grasp the benefits and attributes of your product.
Flavours with flair: Unique flavour combinations and global inspiration are on the map. When trying to create a compelling narrative around your beverage, don’t be afraid to think bigger – try botanicals, spice, and unique fruit flavour profiles.

Jamal Benmiloud

Chief Inventor, Earn Studios

Share-worthy: is this a product or brand I want to tell my friends about/share on social media?
Purpose: how great is this for people and the planet?
Category defining: has this got the potential to create a new category or become a leader of an existing one?
Design: will it stand out on the shelf from afar?
Future proof: is this drink fulfilling a need for future generations?

Nicolás Hernández Ospina

Manager of Innovation & Premium Brands at HEINEKEN

Problem solved: Regardless of the product or service created, it is a golden rule that it must solve a problem that does not have a solution or improve exponentially a solution that already exists.
Engagement: Once the product or service has been launched, the engagement rate is key to analyse if it is highly approved or not by its consumers. This is an indicator of consumer approval that needs to be checked at the very early stages of the process.
Actionability: Either the product or service works or not, this indicator will show how effective the execution plan is working on the consumers. Sometimes we aren’t working with the best solution but it is the only one that could be given or adapted to the consumer.
Profitability: Unless we are working on a social project with governmental or ONG funds, every single project must have an extraordinary revenue funnel that generates profit to the owners.
Cultural/Environmental performance: Every single idea that converts into a product or service, must be approved by society, and enhance the preservation of the environment. When innovating, these two components are key to succeed in the desired market and its own global scalability.

Bo Sten Hansen

Managing Director & Co-Founder of Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company

Over the past years, we’ve seen more companies thrive to provide healthier products and more sustainable solutions, and with its dynamic and innovative passion – the food & beverage industry is no exception. It is an admirably inspiring industry to be part of, however, also one that is remarkably competitive.

Therefore, the products and brands that manage to stand out, deserve the recognition through awards like the World Beverage Innovation Awards.

It is an honour to be part of the judging panel once again for this year’s award, where I will be focusing on the following:

Balancing new vs. familiar: There’s great value to be found in just the right balance between innovation and stability. Consumers are demanding new experiences, however, a sense of familiarity is necessary in order to assist the consumers in their understanding of new concepts. Something too familiar risks being insignificant, however, something too new risks being incomprehensible.
Sustainability: Thinking sustainability into product development is a must. The industry is finally moving in the direction of more sustainable solutions. Therefore, to ensure long-term relevance of a product, this is something companies absolutely have to consider.
Design: A good design gets people to buy. A good taste gets people to buy again. Design and packaging should not be underestimated as it is a key factor in consumer’s first-time selection of a product.
Communication: Targeted and concise communication is also essential to convince consumers of the quality and experience they can expect from a product they have yet to try.
Solution: Does it solve a problem? With the immense number of new products entering the market, it is important that it does not just act as an alternative to already existing products, but instead solves a problem that consumers are facing.

Thea Bourianne

Senior Manager, Data Strategy & Solutions, NielsenIQ

As a registered dietitian and expert in food and beverage product data, labels, and trends, I will be looking for products which are exciting and nuanced. I look forward to participating once again in the World Beverage Innovation Awards and I will be paying close attention to products with the following five attributes:

Authentic and Mission-Driven: Products that will capture my attention will have a unique voice in their brand identity and have ethical core values that drive corporate decisions and profits. I am also on the look-out for products that are minority-owned and those with philanthropic commitments which benefit underrepresented populations.
Sustainable: Not limited to ingredients or packaging components, I am also looking for practices that are socially- and environmentally-responsible in all steps of sourcing and production.
Transparency: Transparency for me means clear and truthful product labels and communicating information to consumers about sourcing and processing of ingredients throughout the supply chain.
New and relevant ingredients: A cornerstone of my vote will be products that include new and emerging ingredients in categories where they are not prevalent. Ingredients should be thoughtfully added for flavour, consumer delight, or functionality while still relevant for today’s consumers.
Healthful: The beverage space is one where empty calories are rampant. I am looking for products that innovate with the aphorism “food as medicine” in mind. Whether that is achieved through nutritional value with the formulation of whole foods, phytochemicals, probiotics, or others, a product that contributes a beneficial boost is a great value-add.

Are you a beverage industry innovator worthy of our judges attention?

Enter the World Beverage Innovation Awards 2022 now!

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