Fi Europe Review


Meet the finalists and winners of the 2024 Fi Europe Innovation Awards


 companies and organisations made the cut thanks to their efforts to make food and drink products healthier, more sustainable, and more delicious.


T 10


he Fi Europe Innovation Awards celebrate the people, companies, and organisations breaking new ground in the food and drink industry and are a chance for the winners


to receive the recognition they deserve for their achievements.


 highlight the diversity of the food industry itself, ranging from large multinationals to small startups and contract research organisations. The panel of judges, composed of esteemed industry professionals, will rigorously assess each nomination in the nine categories behind closed doors during Fi Europe and winners were announced at the prestigious Innovation Awards ceremony on 19 November in Frankfurt during Fi Europe. The judging panel, chaired by Prof. Colin


Dennis, chair of the board of trustees at IFIS and the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), was comprised of Michael Adams, head of product innovation at Campden BRI; João Brites, director of growth and innovation at HowGood; Nicolas Bordenave, research director at INRAE, Sandra Einerhand, nutrition science consultant at Einerhand Science & Innovation; Ian D. Healey, editorial director at Dr. Harnisch Publications; Nick Henson, food product developer; V. Krishnakumar, managing   Strategies; and Rosemary Maguire, managing director at Essence.


 Innovation Awards were:


Kennedy’s Confection November 2024


Dairy Alternative Innovation Award (NEW) This award recognises an organisation or company that has developed the best plant-based dairy alternative ingredient, or application based on a plant-based dairy alternative ingredient, in terms of sensory and physical properties or application costs. ChickP Protein with its entry “ChickP Cracked The Code for Dairy alternative applications”, a protein that demonstrates high  non-dairy applications. KMC with its entry “Unlocking stretch in


plant-based cheese with new ingredient from KMC”, a potato starch-based solution for plant- based cheese that offers a long, thick stretch that stays stable across a wide temperature range. Royal Avebe with its entry “The Plant-


based Yogurt: TEXTURE takes centre stage  is a texturiser derived from sustainable potato protein and starch that delivers a similar eating experience to traditional yoghurt, offering full mouthfeel and creaminess.


WINNER: BUNGE


Bunge with its entry “Bunge’s Beleaf


Plantery: a sustainable, versatile, and unique fat system to replace dairy fat”, a plant-based ingredient designed to replace anhydrous milk fat (AMF) partly or fully based on shea, coconut, and rapeseed oil, matching the melting behavior and structuring properties of AMF.


Diversity & Inclusion Innovation Award This awards an organisation or company for creating a work environment that offers equal opportunities for all employees, irrespective of their gender, race, religious background, sexual


orientation, and physical or mental ability. This award is open to non-exhibiting companies, organisations and associations. Roquette with its entry “Women@ Roquette”, its internal network for gender diversity that plays a key role in promoting diversity and inclusion at every step of the employee journey, from recruitment and onboarding to training and development, leadership or career management. Ingredion with its entry “Women of Ingredion Network”, an inclusive network  women, and women with disabilities, along with their allies (including men and non-binary individuals) to realise their full potential. Agronutris with its entry “Shared


WINNER: AGRONUTRIS


governance, enabling diversity and inclusion”, its organisational system where governance is shared among all employees. It has launched an emotional intelligence training program for all and it pays particular attention to gender equality and pay equity. It has also set up a hiring system which promotes diversity.


Food Manufacturing Award (NEW) This award recognises an organisation or company that has developed innovative food manufacturing or packaging equipment which  waste and/or enhances product safety. Nutris with its entry “Fava bean processing in Nutris”. Based on licences for patented mild processing of various crops into high-value plant-based food ingredients, it was developed at the University of Copenhagen. Planteneers


KennedysConfection.com


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