Stream Drinks won first place at this year's Food Review/Symrise New Product Competition, with Chele Lite and Woolworths close runners-up. Bos Ice Tea scooped the coveted Editor's Choice Award.
Congratulations to the R&D teams that worked on the products entered into the NPC 2011! 'Innovation really is one of the most important things in any business,' said Greg Hughes, CEO of Infixion Media. 'Keep innovating and don't be afraid!'
Getting the basics right
This year's Food Review/Symrise New Product Competition (NPC) Awards Dinner was all about change: one of life's only constants. Rudy McLean, MD of Symrise, the sponsor of the NPC, also drew our attention to daunting changes such as the recession. However he believes, 'We face tough times ahead in this country but tough times offer up a lot of opportunity. Out of chaos comes great inspiration and innovation in these downward times is a strategic plan for your business.'
The invited speaker Neil Higgs, senior advisor and head of innovation at TNS, a global market research company, reiterated these sentiments and offered up a little bit of marketing advice. Fundamental human needs have not changed since the stone age, he said. 'The how might have, but not the why. Human minds work in a very primitive way. In terms of communication, we are influenced by things we are not consciously aware of. You need to understand the context of your people. Advertising has got to appeal to their emotional side.'
Going with the flow — Stream Drinks takes first place!
Stealing the show at this year's NPC Awards Dinner was the funky new SA brand, Stream Drinks. Despite its creators being against the stream swimmers, this beauty of a sports-come-rejuvenation-come-on-the-go drink is right on trend and it's set to take SA by storm! 'We really did not expect to win,' said Ryan Dix-Peek, one of the five creators of the product, 'It makes me realise why we're doing what we doing!' Having won numerous awards abroad, the team couldn't be more stoked about this home win. 'This is real, it's personal,' concluded team member Bryan Cooke.
Chele Lite gets it right!
SA beverage manufacturer's, Chill Beverages, played directly into the lap of the health and wellbeing trend with its first for SA: sugar-free mixers, Chele Lite tonic water and bitter lemon. Ross Hobbs, marketing manager, was at the dinner to collect the award and said he can't wait until next year to enter more products. 'The NPC is such great recognition and we were up against some amazing products,' he said.
Woolworth's Functional Snack Bars are close behind
Function is everything when it comes to this new product hitting Woolworth's shelves, last year November. One of the first products in SA to contain a quantitative amount of baobab, Woolworth's Functional Snack Bars captured the convenience and the health and wellbeing trend in one fantastic product. Eighteen months of research and development went into this product and Food Review hopes to see it sitting on SA shelves for a long time to come. To receive the award was Margo van der Merwe, Woolworths research and developer: 'This is fantastic for our team!'
BOS Ice tea drives the editor bos!
BOS won the Editor's Choice Award, with a marketing approach that really stole the show for this savvy SA brand. From the packaging to the story behind the product, the red dust of the Cederberg, where the organic rooibos is grown for the product, is ingrained in every aspect of this truly outstanding product. Richard Bowsher, partner in BOS Brands said of their win, 'I'd much rather be the people's choice any day!'
Symrise, NPC sponsors
Special thanks to the New Product Competition sponsors, Symrise, making it possible to celebrate innovation in SA, in style at the beautiful Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town! This fragrance and flavour house knows what it takes to create something that's new and outstanding and recognises the changing landscape of the food industry globally and in SA. It's not an easy job pleasing the discerning population of today, creating a product that's functional, of the best quality yet affordable, whilst sticking to all the rules.
