27th January 2023 By Contributor | contact@foodticker.co.nz | @foodtickernz
An overhaul of the New Zealand Food Awards judging criteria and categories aims to encourage larger producers to showcase their innovation and send a message that the awards are for products and processes that are truly pushing the envelope, writes the New Zealand Food Innovation Network.
At the New Zealand Food Innovation Network we know that innovation can mean different things in different contexts, but for us it’s about shifting the dial, growing our exports, and capitalising on new opportunities.
We recently celebrated a host of small artisan producers winning many of the categories of Aotearoa New Zealand’s premier food innovation awards. These products clearly showcased innovation to earn the coveted quality mark, but were there enough winners exhibiting innovation that can be scaled to make an impact on the food industry, and should the New Zealand Food Awards be focusing on this a bit more?
Which leads us back to what is innovation and what is the role of the New Zealand Food Awards, which are powered by Massey University and who “have celebrated New Zealand’s food and beverage manufacturers, focusing on innovation and excellence, since 1987”.
So over the years, what’s happened that has caused our larger producers to shy away from the awards scene and what can we do to showcase this nation’s food innovation through both our large and small scale producers at the New Zealand Food Awards?
The team behind the awards have made significant changes to the programme in their ongoing efforts to return the awards to their rightful place. Back to being front of mind for innovative businesses, and back to its heyday when the awards evening was a who’s who of the New Zealand food and beverage industry, and an opportunity for the seasoned household names to mix with the newcomers shaking up the food scene?
The introduction of the Product Lifetime Achievement Award, won this year by Whittaker’s for its iconic Peanut Slab, gives a nod to innovations of the past, with the hopes that some of the fresh young players now, may win that award in years to come.
We know all too well the impacts of Covid-19 and ongoing staff shortages, meaning that resources are thin on the ground for this sort of ‘extracurricular activity’. It was great to see poultry giants Tegel Foods Ltd named a finalist this year, but sadly large scale companies such as this were scarcer than hen’s teeth on the awards night.
But with an overhaul and revision of the New Zealand Food Awards judging criteria and categories, we strongly encourage the larger producers to once again showcase their innovation to Aotearoa and the world, and send a clear message to innovators in the food and beverage space that this is the specialist awards programme for products and processes that are truly pushing the innovation envelope.
All products are put through a vigorous judging phase, with Head Judge and awards stalwart Kay McMath having said “it’s the most robust judging of food and beverage products that I have been involved with”.
She added: “In no other competition which I have headed does each product get reviewed by such a wide range of disciplines – from food technologists to packaging experts, to food regulators and nutritionists.”
With this in mind, there’s no reason why large and small food producers can’t sit as equals, side by side, and with no bias.
So our challenge to kiwi food and beverage industry players, both large and small, is to engage with the New Zealand Food Awards – let the team know what they mean to you and what needs to change to get you and your innovation to the awards table.
We’re heartened to know that judging is at the heart of the New Zealand Food Awards and that the team is taking it back to its roots where science, food technology and innovation shine.
We know we can expect a transparent judging process and a quality mark truly representing a high level of innovation, sustainability, and excellence. We’re putting our weight behind the New Zealand Food Awards in 2023 – will you?
More information about the New Zealand Food Awards can be found here.
