Vitafoods Introduces Innovation Awards, Unveils Panel of Judges

Vitafoods Europe has opened submissions for its 2025 Innovation Awards, a debut event which will take place as part of the Vitafoods Europe 2025 conference to celebrate innovations that are reshaping the nutraceutical landscape.

Organizations have until March 7 to submit their ingredients, products, and initiatives launched in the past two years to be recognized as significant contributions to the advancement of nutraceuticals. The organizer, Informa Markets, has unveiled the panel of expert judges which will evaluate entries for innovation and impact.

Winners will be announced on May 20 at Fira Bacelona, Gran Via during the event’s award ceremony.

Judges

Colin Dennis, chair of the board of trustees at IFIS Publihsing, will preside over the panel of judges, drawing on his decades of experience in research, development, education, training, and consultancy. Other panel experts include:

• Sandra Einerhand, PhD, founder and head of Einerhand Science & Innovation BV, a nutrition consultancy firm
• Velamur Krishnakumar, PhD, managing director of Giract, a food ingredient and technology market research and forecasting business consultancy firm
• Efi Leontopoulou, manager of scientific and regulatory affairs at EAS Strategies, a consultant for food and ingredient businesses
• Joao Brites, director of growth and innovation at HowGood, a sustainability platform that provides guidance to food and agricultural companies on their social and environmental impact
• Nick Henson, food product developer and NPD practitioner with 35 years of experience and cross-category expertise

“Innovation is fundamental to the success of any sector, but especially in the drive for health and wellbeing in our current society,” said Dennis. “My fellow judges and I are excited about the launch of the Vitafoods Europe Innovation Awards. Our panel has been carefully curated to represent a breadth and depth of perspectives from across the industry – but we are united in what we’re keen to see from contenders: pioneering advancements that are helping to shape a better future. As judges, we shall be looking for the latest data and evidence which supports the impact of the most innovative and sustainable ingredients and products.”

Categories

Categories in the awards will recognize exhibitors with the most innovative ingredients in multiple categories, including sports nutrition and active lifestyle; immune and gut health; cognitive and emotional health; and healthy aging.

The awards will also recognize exhibitors with the most innovative consumer-friendly finished products and forward-thinking sustainability practices.

Other outstanding initiatives will also be awarded, such as industry partnerships and contributions to diversity and inclusion.

A shortlist of finalists will be announced in April, and these finalists will present their entries to judges live in Barcelona the day before Vitafoods Europe. The winning companies will see increased visibility throughout the event with dedicated signage spotlighting their stands on the show floor. Smartcore, the event’s digital marketing services coordinator, will offer winning companies an exclusive brand awareness seminar webinar sponsorship package worth €5,000.

“These awards are an exciting opportunity to recognise the very best in industry innovation, with our expert judging panel at the heart of the process,” says Julien Bonvallet, group brand director at Informa Markets. “Their keen eye for excellence will ensure Vitafoods Europe continues to support the outstanding achievements of organisations that push the boundaries of nutraceutical innovation. And with the backing of our Awards Digital Marketing Services Sponsor, Smartcore, winners will have the opportunity to further amplify their success and reach a wider audience. We’re excited to see what the industry has to offer and crown our very first champions.”