After much waiting and anticipation, the 2023 World Food Innovation Awards winners have finally been announced. The awards ceremony at IFE was a success, 21 winners have been selected from the hundreds that entered. This year we are celebrating the commended as our 3rd place entries, finalists as our 2nd place entries and the overall winner of each category.

Dan Bunt, Marketing Manager: "This year we chose to recognise more companies in our shortlist than any previous year, allowing companies to have a 3-tier outcome. The awards ceremony at IFE celebrated the hard work of the companies and individuals and created a space to further network and develop. I look forward to seeing the success of all the entered companies in the future.”

The awards are a highly anticipated event in the food and beverage industry, recognizing the world’s top inventors and pioneers. This year, the competition was immense, as the companies, products and innovations were incredibly diverse. Thank you for being part of the World Food Innovation Awards!

Please find the full shortlist below.

Artisan product

WINNER  AraBello® Ltd – Peanut Marble – it’s simply magic®

FINALIST Aldi US – Emporium Selection Hot Honey Gouda 
FINALIST Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd – Cute Star Natural DHA Pure Milk
FINALIST Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd – Yili Cute Star Lactoferrin Pure Milk

COMMENDED Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd – Satine Active Lactoferrin Organic Pure Milk

Children’s/baby product

WINNER  Little Dish – Little Dish fresh kids’ meals

FINALIST Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd – Yili Cute Star Lactoferrin Pure Milk
FINALIST For Aisha Ltd – For Aisha Oaty bar Broccoli & Apple 5x25g
FINALIST Good4U – Nutri Balls Strawberry

Snack product

WINNER  BiteMe Nutrition – BiteMe Protein Cookie

FINALIST Daily Crunch Snacks – Daily Crunch Nashville Hot Sprouted Almonds
FINALIST Franui – Franui
FINALIST Truede Limited – 6 x 30g Peng Assorted Savoury (BBQ, Sea Salt & Vinegar and Chilli Nacho Flavour) Roasted Chickpeas Snacks
FINALIST Issei – Issei Mochi Gummies – Mango

COMMENDED Grace Foods UK – Grace Exotic Chips
COMMENDED The Original Chicken Crackling – Chicken Crackling

Low or no product

WINNER  Buddee – Buddee Chocolate Spread

FINALIST Rice in Action – SlowCarb Rice
FINALIST Barry Callebaut – Second generation chocolate
FINALIST Jnck Bakery – Milky Chocolate Cookie
FINALIST Nanyang Polytechnic – KuMayya Sweet Potato Milk

COMMENDED Juicy River – Bolle Oro
COMMENDED Landbase / CHOCDAY – Dark Premium
COMMENDED T-cket – Ticket Saffron Enriched Beer

Natural/organic product

WINNER  Aldi US – Simply Nature Keto Dark Chocolate Coconut Clusters

FINALIST Barry Callebaut – Second generation chocolate
FINALIST Four Sigmatic – Four Sigmatic Think Organic Creamer
FINALIST Four Sigmatic – Sweet Vanilla Organic Plant-Based Protein

COMMENDED RISE Brewing Co. – Salted Caramel Nitro Cold Brew Oat Milk Latte

Dairy product

WINNER  Biotiful – Kefir Protein Choco-lite

FINALIST Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd – AMBROSIAL Youqier
FINALIST Hyproca Nutrition Co., Ltd – Kabrita YingJia Yingxin Goat Milk Formula
FINALIST Strive Nutrition Corp – Strive FREEMILK, Whole & Chocolate
FINALIST YILI/SHUHUA MILK – Shuhua Sugar Control Lactose-free Milk

COMMENDED Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd – Cute Star Natural DHA Pure Milk

Plant-based product

WINNER  MyForest Foods – MyBacon

FINALIST Aldi US – Simply Nature Chickpea Penne
FINALIST Be Better My Friend – Be Better plant-butter
FINALIST Beyond Meat – Beyond Tenders
FINALIST Bravura Foods Ltd/ Free From Fellows – Free From Fellows Strawberry Vegan Mallows
FINALIST Biotiful – Oat Kefir Yor-gut Cherry
FINALIST Cathedral City – Cathedral City Plant Based
FINALIST Dole Food Company – DOLE(r) Sheet Pan Meal Starter Kits
FINALIST Forest Feast – NUTM!LK CHOCOCORN
FINALIST GOE Wellness – Healthfullicious’ly – Creamy plant-based hemp drink
FINALIST Issei – Issei Mochi Gummies – Mango
FINALIST LoveRaw – Nutty Choc Balls
FINALIST Lypid – Pork Belly
FINALIST SOAK’d OATS – High Fibre Probiotic Oat Bars
FINALIST Strong Roots – Strong Roots Good Made Easy Entrees
FINALIST Verdino Green Foods / the Unfished brand – PlantZalmon Smoked Slices

COMMENDED Extraordinary Foods / Pimp My Salad – Coconut Bacon
COMMENDED Impossible Foods™ – Impossible™ Spicy Chicken Nuggets Made From Plants
COMMENDED Mind Blown™ by The Plant Based Seafood Co. – Mind Blown™ Crab Cakes
COMMENDED The Vegetarian Butcher – vegan Happy Go Glucky Burger
COMMENDED ST MICHEL PROFESSIONNEL – Vegan madeleine
COMMENDED Wicked Kitchen – The Saucy Motz Pizza

Chilled/frozen product

WINNER  Franui – Franui

FINALIST COCORICO ORIGINAL – COCOBAKED – BAKED CHICKEN WINGS
FINALIST Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd – Xujinhuan Cheese Flavored Ice cream
FINALIST Jnck Bakery – Milky Chocolate Cookie

Meat/poultry product

WINNER  The Original Chicken Crackling – Chicken Crackling

FINALIST COCORICO ORIGINAL – COCORICI CLASSIC

Seafood product

WINNER  Responsible Foods, ehf – Næra (TM) Snacks- Fish Jerky Crunch

FINALIST Nanyang Polytechnic – Crispy Fish YT
FINALIST TRATA – SalmonPocket smoked salmon fillet pieces in vegetable oil

Functional product

WINNER  Damazonia Teas – Sleep Tea

FINALIST ió fibrewater – ió fibrewater Lemon & Lime
FINALIST Four Sigmatic – Sweet Vanilla Organic Plant-Based Protein
FINALIST FHIRST – FHIRST LIVING SODA
FINALIST TCI Co., Ltd. – Soba!™ Buckwheat Husk Extract
FINALIST Rice in Action – NutriRice Plus

COMMENDED Energy One – Energy One Lite 
COMMENDED Jnck Bakery – Milky Chocolate Cookie
COMMENDED TRIP – TRIP lightly sparkling CBD infused drinks

Drink innovation

WINNER  ió fibrewater – ió fibrewater Lemon & Lime

FINALIST Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd – Changyi 100% Lactic Acid Bacteria Drink
FINALIST FHIRST – FHIRST LIVING SODA
FINALIST KISSD – KISSD WATER CUCUMBER
FINALIST Strive Nutrition Corp – Strive FREEMILK, Whole & Chocolate

COMMENDED KISSD – KISSD WATER COCONUT

Food innovation

WINNER  Fermenti – Fermented Fruit Bites

FINALIST Aldi US – Season’s Choice Breaded Buffalo Cauliflower
FINALIST Barry Callebaut – Second generation chocolate
FINALIST Little Dish – Little Dish Fresh Kids’ Meals
FINALIST Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd – AMBROSIAL Youqier
FINALIST SRSLY Low Carb – SRSLY Low Carb Pizza
FINALIST VEGEMITE – Gluten Free VEGEMITE

COMMENDED THIS™ – THIS™ Isn’t Streaky Bacon Rashers
COMMENDED Takul Halal Kitchen (Part of Stonehouse Foods Ltd) – Takul Halal Kitchen
COMMENDED Responsible Foods, ehf – Næra™ Snacks Skyr Crunch
COMMENDED ACCRO – 100% plant-based burger

Ingredient innovation

WINNER Lypid – PhytoFat

FINALIST Barry Callebaut – Second generation chocolate 
FINALIST DSM – Vertis™ Textured Pea Canola Protein
FINALIST GNT Group – EXBERRY® Compound Red
FINALIST Meeat Food Tech – MUU Fermented Fava Beans

COMMENDED GOE Wellness – Healthfullicious’ly – Creamy plant-based hemp drink

Health innovation 

WINNER Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust – N-ICE Cream (Nottingham High Protein Vanilla Ice Cream, fortified with additional leucine and vitamin D)

FINALIST BIOHM – Super Kids
FINALIST ió fibrewater – ió fibrewater Lemon & Lime 
FINALIST TCI Co., Ltd. – Banana Flower Stamens Extract 
FINALIST Landbase / CHOCDAY – Dark Premium 
FINALIST Merlyn Health Foods – Omega 3,6,9 Ex

COMMENDED Impossible Foods – Impossible™ Beef Lite Made From Plants 
COMMENDED Jnck Bakery – Milky Chocolate Cookie

Technology innovation

WINNER Haus Holdings – Döner / Shawarma Robotic Kebab Machine Cutters

FINALIST Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd – Yili Cute Star Lactoferrin Pure Milk 
FINALIST Lypid – Pork Belly 
FINALIST THIS™ – THIS™ Isn’t Streaky Bacon Rashers
FINALIST YILI/SHUHUA MILK – Shuhua Sugar Control Lactose-free Milk

Marketing campaign

WINNER Dole Food Company – Dole Healthy Heroes, Assemble!

FINALIST Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd – AMBROSIAL Environmental Protection marketing campaign
FINALIST Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd – Ambrosial Regional Marketing For Rural Revitalization

COMMENDED Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd – AMBROSIAL 2022 Chinese New Year ‘Tiger for Chinese Style’marketing campaign

New/start-up business 

WINNER Meeat Food Tech – Meeat Food Tech

FINALIST AraBello® Ltd – Peanut Marble – it’s simply magic® 
FINALIST Lime Caviar Ltd – Lime Caviar
FINALIST SOAK’d OATS – High Fibre Probiotic Oat Bars

COMMENDED Franui – Franui
COMMENDED Issei – Issei Mochi Gummies – Mango 

Packaging design 

WINNER Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd – Satine No Printing No Ink Environmental-friendly Edition

FINALIST Alzamora Group – Oil Premium Pack
FINALIST Graphic Packaging International – McDonald’s hexagonal salad box
FINALIST Graphic Packaging International – Dogfish Head Hoppy Variety Pack Scratch’n’Sniff
FINALIST Graphic Packaging International – Mars Malteser Giant Easter Egg Carton
FINALIST Graphic Packaging International – ProducePack™ Punnet tray for  Smithy Mushrooms
FINALIST Graphic Packaging International – Keelings Blueberry Carton
FINALIST KISSD – KISSD WATER
FINALIST Meeat Food Tech – MUU

COMMENDED Graphic Packaging International – Boardio™ for Perfetti Van Melle Mentos gum bottle
COMMENDED Product Ventures – Planters Dry Roasted Peanuts
COMMENDED Beatson Clark – Bespoke glass packaging for BOL Power Shakes
COMMENDED Graphic Packaging International – KeelClip™ for Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages 

CSR/sustainability initiative

WINNER Strong Roots – Carbon Footprint Labeling and Initiatives

FINALIST Brownes Dairy – Recycled Ocean Bound Plastic Yoghurt Tubs
FINALIST Meadow – Sustainability initiative
FINALIST ofi (olam food ingredients) – Cocoa Agroforestry Restoration in Pará, Brazil

COMMENDED TCI Co., Ltd. – Establish Sustainability DNA from the Inside Out
COMMENDED KISSD – KISSD WATER

Foodservice initiative

WINNER Quorn Professionals – Carbono Cero, a delicious carbon neutral solutions

FINALIST Rice in Action – Instant Flavored Rice Solution
FINALIST The Original Chicken Crackling – Chicken Crackling