Ten companies were recognised for their achievements in soft drinks innovation at a global presentation organised by softdrinksworld business journal in Amsterdam last night (3 March 2005). 80 entries from 16 countries were judged across ten categories, ranging from best new flavor to best TV advertisement.

The gala dinner evening was part of the First Global Soft Drinks Congress organised by Zenith International, which spread over three days and included speakers from around the world presenting under the theme “Choices for Tomorrow’s Consumer”. The event was sponsored by three key industry suppliers: Frigoglass, Nutrinova and Quest International.

The winner in the fast growing adult soft drink category, which stretched from edgy functional drinks in cans to enhanced juice drinks in designer glass, was the new Healthy Thirst range from Britain’s Thorncroft. Other finalists were UK based Firefly Tonics and innocent, with German Eckes-Granini’s tactile Cuaro a close runner up.

In the children’s or family drink sector, the winner was Portuguese Compal’s Um Bongo ice tea, with The Big J’s Roald Dahl juice cartons from Britain and Eckes-Granini’s Hohes C low acid orange juice also finalists.

Best new flavor was won by Del Monte’s Brazilian watermelon, with UK Shloer’s white grape with rhubarb and ginger and innocent’s baby carrot and mango following closely.

Best new ingredient favoured a major innovation from Holland’s Borculo Domo Ingredients, whose Vivinal Dental specific milk fraction protects teeth from erosion when used in acidic drinks. Other finalists in this category included DSM with its Pepto Pro sports recovery ingredient and Quest Citrusense flavors, both also based in the Netherlands.

In the fruit drink category, the winner was the increasingly popular innocent 100% fruit smoothie – now in a 1 litre carton with longer shelf life. Second and third were a highly topical range of Fruitful Superjuices from Berri of Australia and the youth appealing Firefly Tonics.

Best consumer website was the kooky www.juicy.com.hr/juicyfruits/ from Jamnica of Croatia, with crisply amusing runners up Bulldog of the Netherlands at www.enegy-drink.nl and Firefly Tonics at www.fireflytonics.com.

In the best TV or cinema advertising category, some excellent entries produced one overall winner ‘Drink in the five senses’ from Eckes-Granini, with runners up The Gleeson Group of Ireland for its Finches advertisement and Jamnica for Juicy Fruits.

A variety of entries in the best packaging innovation category, ranging from dual function caps to grids that keep wasps out of canned drinks, made the decision difficult. The winner was the Seduction range of Coca-Cola cans designed by famous Belgian artists and manufactured by Sleever International. Other finalists were US based Advercan customised labelling and Seaquist Closures’ no spill Smart Pouch.

The best retail promotion had entries from as far afield as Mexico with a 3.3 litre promotion from Kola Real by Ajemex. However the winners were Jones Soda Co from the US with crazy meals in a bottle holiday pack, followed by Grace Tropical Rhythms and Crown Bevcan Europe with its Coca-Cola designer cans in aid of the charity Shelter.

Best newcomer brand saw Fresh & Co of Serbia’s not from concentrate glass packed NeXt juices (48 raspberries in a bottle) and Thorncroft Healthy Thirst drinks beaten by H2Olive, a range of unusual olive water blends from yourdrinks.biz.

The judging panel comprised Secretary General of UNESDA and CISDA Alain Beaumont, Albert Heijn soft drinks category buyer Remco van Haarstrecht, Dragon Brands Global Trends Consultant Claire Nuttall and softdrinksworld Editor Claire Phoenix, chaired by Zenith International Publishing Managing Editor Bill Bruce.

softdrinksworld editor Claire Phoenix concluded the evening: “Our congratulations to all entrants. It’s no mean feat to take a new idea from mind’s eye to consumer’s heart. The judges were impressed by the combination of imaginative twists on what is already out there and real breakthroughs.”

Notes for Editors:
An illustrated review of the awards is available at www.zipublishing.com

Photographs of all the entrants, finalists, winners and awards ceremony are available for publication from Isabel Lightfoot on tel +44 (0) 1225 327858 or isabel.lightfoot@zipublishing.com

For further enquiries or comment, please contact softdrinksworld editor Claire Phoenix on tel +44 (0) 1225 782298 claire.phoenix@zipublishing.com