Dairy Innovation Awards 2013: Get Global Recognition. Enter Today!

Please pardon this deviation from my typical industry trends/issues blog. It’s been a long week of travel to Salem, Oregon, to speak on dairy innovations at the 102nd Oregon Dairy Industries Annual Conference. It was wonderful to see so many processors and suppliers at the show. If you missed this year’s event, consider attending next year.

For more info, visit HERE.

Right now you should plan on entering a global dairy products innovation contest—the leading new dairy products contest in the world. United Kingdom-based FoodBev Media has organized and presented the Dairy Innovation Awards every year since 2007. Finalists and winners in Dairy Innovation Awards 2013 will be presented at a special gala dinner during the 7th Global Dairy Congress in Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 19, 2013.

For more information on the congress, visit HERE.

A showcase magazine featuring all entries will be available at the event and circulated to all readers of the print and digital editions of Dairy Innovation magazine. Check out the publication HERE.

The contest is open to products and campaigns launched since April 1, 2012. The closing date for entries is April 23, 2013. Entry information is available HERE.

I am honored to be one of the 12 dairy industry authorities who will select the winning innovations. The only other U.S. judge is Greg Miller, president of the Dairy Research Institute and executive vice president of the National Dairy Council. Miller and I go back more than 20 years when we both were product innovators at Kraft Foods. Hence, our passion for dairy innovation runs deep. 

Bill Bruce, group editorial director with FoodBev Media and chair of the contest, believes innovation is the future for dairy. I agree.

“Innovation continues to be the key driver in the dairy industry and that is evident in tasty new products, new packaging ideas, use of new ingredients, great new marketing campaigns and a huge variety of nutrition and environmental projects that interact with consumers and the wider community,” he says. “All this activity helps to make the dairy sector an exciting food and beverage category.

“The Dairy Innovation Awards helps us shine a spotlight on the sector and helps us celebrate what’s going on,” Bruce says. “It will be interesting to see how major dairy companies and small energetic entrepreneurs alike are faring. And with dairy having such a long and established history, it will be great to see how dairy companies of all sizes are using the modern opportunities provided by social media and the digital age.”

Here are the contest’s categories.

 

BEST OF PRODUCT:

• Cheese
• Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt
• Yogurt
• Butter/Dairy Spread
• Dairy Dessert
• Dairy Drink
• Functional Dairy Product
• Children’s Dairy Product

BEST NEW BRAND OR BUSINESS

 

BEST DAIRY INGREDIENT (including flavors, colors, etc.)

 

BEST DAIRY PACKAGING INNOVATION

 

BEST DAIRY PACKAGING DESIGN

 

BEST MANUFACTURING OR PROCESSING INNOVATION

 

BEST IN SUSTAINABILITY:

• Environmental Sustainability Initiative
• Corporate Social Responsibility Report or Initiative

BEST IN MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION:

 

• Brand Marketing Campaign or Activation, including TV and cinema advertising, POS, print and online and social media
• Health or Nutrition Marketing Campaign

For more information on the contest, visit HERE.