Now in its sixth year, the New Zealand Innovation Awards aim to shine a light on the success of New Zealand innovation and entrepreneurship. The event is a showcase of some of the best and brightest ideas in the country, and includes ten categories in which to enter. 

 “We’re really excited to be able to support New Zealand’s food and beverage innovators in this way,” says Plant & Food Research’s General Manager of Science, Food Innovation, Dr Jocelyn Eason. “I see innovation simply as the process of taking what we have now, and finding ways to make it better. As a scientist, I believe new knowledge can drive that process faster, and to new places.

“New Zealand has a strong track record in food and a number of people are doing some truly innovative things when it comes to the F&B sector, it’s great to be able to recognise and celebrate their achievements."

The Innovation in Food & Beverage category looks for ambitious innovators who are scaling up their food, beverage or hospitality businesses to meet customer demand in national and export markets. Innovation includes the creation of new food and drink products or segments, innovative packaging, approaches to food safety, improved production techniques, unique branding, advertising or social media campaigns, or communication programmes in this sector, and smart approaches to distribution.

Of particular focus for the evaluators will be examples of uniqueness and innovation in either a new category or the transformation of an existing category.

Entries for the 2016 Innovation Awards opened on 13 June and close at 5.00 pm on 29 July, with finalists due to be announced on the 6 September. All winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony on 20 October at Auckland’s SkyCity Convention Centre.

Last year’s ceremony saw more than 650 guests and innovators from around New Zealand come together to celebrate the country's top innovators, organisations and teams at the Cloud on Auckland’s waterfront.

Plant & Food Research is one of seven Crown Research Institutes and among the largest research companies in New Zealand. As a research leader in food science, the Institute’s Food Innovation Portfolio has a significant track record of scientific discovery, and has contributed to several innovative food and food technology start-ups.