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We are thrilled to announce the expert panel of judges who will be presiding over the highly anticipated World Coffee Innovation Awards 2023. For the first year, we have gathered an extraordinary group of coffee connoisseurs, industry experts, and innovators, all ready to discover the groundbreaking ideas and exceptional innovations that will shape the future of the coffee industry.

The anticipation is building, and the stage is set for the coffee industry's most prestigious event; join us at Caffe Culture as we announce this year's winners on stage. As the submission deadline approaches, we encourage all coffee professionals and enthusiasts to submit their groundbreaking ideas and revolutionary innovations for a chance to impress our esteemed panel of judges. Get ready to witness the future of coffee unfold at the World Coffee Innovation Awards 2023!

Erwin Wetzel

Director General, European Vending & Coffee Service Association

Seeking Cutting-Edge Innovation and Sustainability: World Coffee Innovation Awards 2023 As the coffee industry continues to evolve, pushing boundaries and embracing new technologies and sustainable practices, it is essential to recognise and celebrate the trailblazers who are driving positive change. The World Coffee Innovation Awards 2023 will provide a platform for showcasing the most exceptional initiatives and innovations within the coffee sector. I am thrilled to announce that I will be serving as a judge for these prestigious awards, and I am particularly eager to explore entries that highlight new technologies and sustainability. Exploring Innovation: In a rapidly changing world, innovation is at the heart of progress. The coffee industry has witnessed remarkable advancements, from precision brewing techniques to automated coffee machines and smart supply chain management systems. As a judge for the World Coffee Innovation Awards, I will be actively seeking award entries that demonstrate pioneering technologies aiming to satisfy the consumers’ expectations Embracing Sustainability: Sustainability has become a critical focus in every aspect of our lives, and the coffee industry is no exception. I firmly believe that sustainable practices are not only essential for the environment but also for the long-term success and reputation of coffee businesses. As a judge, I will be eagerly looking for award entries that showcase sustainability efforts, whether it's through environmentally friendly packaging, responsible sourcing practices, carbon-neutral operations, or initiatives that empower coffee-growing communities. Recognising and rewarding these sustainability-focused endeavors will inspire the industry as a whole to strive for a more sustainable future. By recognizing and celebrating these exceptional innovations, we can inspire others to follow suit and drive positive change within the industry. I eagerly await the award entries and the chance to discover the most remarkable coffee initiatives that will shape the coffee industry's future.

Connie Blumhardt

Founder/Publisher, Roast magazine

I am very proud to have been selected as a judge for The Coffee Innovation Awards. There aren’t very many award competitions' available to the coffee industry so competitions like the World Coffee Innovation Award’s are very important to reward excellence in the food and beverage industry. I’m hoping to see a few keys factors in judging the competition. Innovation – Is this a truly new product to our industry? So many new products hit the market each year, is this a game changer? Sustainability – How does this product impact the industry from a sustainability standpoint? Flavor Profile – Does the product taste good? Thank you to the World Coffee Innovation Awards for hosting this competition and including me as a judge. It is an honor.

Francois Knopes

Manager / Coffee Quality Advisor, The Independent Coffee Lab

Developing functional, impactful and innovative products or technologies is not an easy task. In an era of mass media and information, it can also be difficult to cut through the noise and imagine the positive impact a creative idea could have on people's lives and their environment.

The last few years have been particularly arduous for coffee businesses around the world. Between coronavirus, the energy crisis, labour shortages, growing concerns about climate change and, perhaps the biggest one of all, the historical low prices paid for (green) coffee, the challenges are many.

Innovation for the sake of economic growth is not sufficient anymore. The population of the northern hemisphere is now (slowly) realising the true environmental cost of their lifestyle on the health of our planet and consumption choices are being made more conscientiously. Many businesses, on the other hand, are also shifting their strategy from a purely mercantile mindset to being more driven by their fundamental values and their wish to be a force for good. Using their influence and economical power to create a positive impact on the lives of their employees, of their customers and their environment.

To every problem, there is a solution, and the product innovations of tomorrow are likely to be driven by environmental sustainability and quality consistency as primary factors. Waste reduction, energy efficiency, quality automation, shorter food supply chains and coffee prices benchmarking are just a few examples of the many areas in which the coffee industry still has a long way to go.

The popularity of coffee as a beverage has been increasing gradually over the past 500 years to become a staple of our culinary cultures. Let’s work together in making sure that humans around the world will be able to enjoy it as we much as we currently do in the next 500!

Jessica Munro

Beverage Expert, Monin

Jessica has worked in the Food and Beverage industry for 15 years across a variety of roles, each one helping to guide and build her in-depth understanding and knowledge of all things drink related. Her work with MONIN has seen her develop hundreds of beverages for National Account chains across the coffee sector and the On-Trade. Since joining the MONIN Beverage Expert team, she works with customers across the globe and helps MONIN distributor partners with training, trend research and custom menu creation, delivering quality and continent at scale. She excels at identifying current and future trends, recognising the significance of consumer demands and delivers those insights to decision makers in the industry with confidence. Prior to MONIN, Jessica worked for various drinks brands for 7 years and holds many years of experience working On Trade in the Beverage industry, to which she credits her fascination and approach to innovation today.

Rafaela Sousa

News Reporter, FoodBev Magazine

Rafaela is a news reporter at FoodBev Media and Refreshment magazine, a publication that focuses on the water, coffee and vending industries. Rafaela enjoys keeping up to date with the latest trends and developments in the food and beverage sector, particularly plant-based and functional applications. From bakery to botanicals, plant-based to packaging, functional foods to flavours, Rafaela has written about it all! She is excited to see products that fall within the milk alternative category, as well as flavouring innovations and products.

About FoodBev Awards

FoodBev Media awards schemes have been running for more than 20 years and are now recognised as the most credible and respected awards schemes to influence the international food and beverage industry.

For more information about our selection of awards programmes, please visit foodbevawards.com or email awards@foodbev.com.