Spirit of Innovation Awards
Prepared Foods’ Spirit of Innovation Awards recognize product development teams for excellence with innovative new products. Winners are acknowledged for each step of the process: from insights and ideation through formulation and full development of the product. Established in 2003 by Prepared Foods, these awards have recognized landmark food and beverage product launches.
2022 Winners
2022 Spirit of Innovation Awards
“Prepared Foods exists to inform and support those food and beverage manufacturer professionals who influence new product development. We’re celebrating 20 years of the ‘Spirit of Innovation’ and recognizing R&D teams for their behind-the-scenes achievement.”
— Bob Garrison, Prepared Foods Editor-in-Chief
Select a winner to learn more
How to Enter
Product Eligibility: To be eligible, product(s) must have been introduced between January 2022 through March 2023.
Success Story / Teamwork: Prepared Foods’ Spirit of Innovation Awards are unique in that they honor product R&D teams’ multi-functional collaboration to identify market opportunities and do work together in product development. Tell us how and why this product addresses a market need as well as how team members worked together to address and solve internal challenges.
Success Story / Sales: Can you demonstrate positive market sales results? Please do…
Packaging: Packaging innovation is a judging consideration but not weighted as highly as overall formulation and product development. Please note new-to-category packaging innovation (as appropriate).
Submissions: Products may be nominated directly by manufacturer-processor representatives, public relations firms or industry suppliers (ingredients, packaging, etc.).
Judging / How: Each product will be evaluated on an initial 10-point grading scale according to its originality, demonstrated teamwork, and demonstrated sales success.
Judging / Who: Prepared Foods staff will evaluate all submissions and seek additional input from Chief Editors of sister BNP Media titles: Beverage Industry, Dairy Foods, The National Provisioner (meat/poultry/seafood), Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, Candy Industry and Refrigerated & Frozen Foods. Related titles include Brand Packaging, Flexible Packaging and Packaging Strategies.
The Spirit of Innovation Awards team is proud to acknowledge the critical operational/judging role of CBCI in this and past years' competitions. Learn more about CBCI
Second-round Taste Test: Prepared Foods' 2021-2022 Spirit of Innovation program drew an initial 123 entries. As many as 45 advanced to first-round tasting and evaluation and an estimated 25-30 of those will advance to final, second round evaluation with a wider panel of industry judges. PF will ask manufacturer contestants to submit samples of top-scoring new products for additional taste testing / evaluation.
Why Enter?
Prepared Foods celebrates all winners with an exclusive industrywide event. Honorees also receive trophies to celebrate team achievement. Winners also earn industrywide promotion (including custom logos) and press exposure.