The best brand categories at the World Dairy Innovation Awards 2017 give us a picture of the emerging names and new players in the global dairy industry.
Whether that’s the hottest new brands and businesses, the best brand extensions or marketing campaigns, or even the most environmentally friendly and socially conscious companies in the market – these categories really can tell us a lot.
This year’s World Dairy Innovation Awards considered a host of innovation – entries from over 20 countries in 19 different categories.
FoodBev Media marketing director Isabel Sturgess said: “This is the eleventh annual World Dairy Innovation Awards, and once again we are fascinated by the level of innovation that is shown within the entries. We see new flavours, new concepts, clever packaging, state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies and new ground gained towards a more responsible and sustainable dairy industry.”
The crown for best new brand or business went to the French dairy producer En Direct Des Èleveurs, which was commended for its choice of Ecolean pouches for its sustainable and traceable milk. The pouch also won acclaim in the best packaging design category.
En Direct Des Èleveurs consists of 14 dairy farmers, with new producers continually joining the initiative. The set-up allows it to deliver products from the producer to the consumer in a direct chain, as well as providing support to the local community and supplying traceable and environmentally friendly dairy products to consumers.
The dairy company had to fight off competition in the category from Nanyang Polytechnic, for its moringa and carrot milk spread, as well as Dairy Farmers of America.
In the best brand extension category, YogOaty Yogurts from Shaken Udder Milkshakes came out on top. It offers a range of yogurt smoothies made from yogurt, oats and fruit and served in squeezable pouches. It’s the latest launch from Shaken Udder, which already produces a host of dairy milkshakes in several different formats.
BiPro Protein Water from Agropur/BioPro; Cracker Cuts from Dutch Farms; and Kerrygold Yoghurt from Ornua rounded off the category.
The best new brand or marketing activation, which celebrates the year’s most effective means of communicating with consumers, was taken by the Solid Stuff campaign from Quebec Dairy Farmers in collaboration with Lg2. Solid Stuff uses the fictional character Popeye to reinforce the nutritional value of dairy milk in a bright and fun consumer awareness bid.
Finally, there were two categories celebrating the industry’s commitment to social and environmental sustainability.
DairyPod Cogen from WoodCo Energy Ireland – a new way of heating water in a dairy plant – was the winner of the best environmental sustainability category. The Lake District Biogas Bio-energy Plant from Clearfleau was also a finalist here.
And in the best CSR report or initiative category, Dairy Farmers of America was commended for its DFA CSR report, which outlined how the company had met its goals on environmental stewardship, milk safety and quality, employee training, and animal care and wellness.
Solid Stuff – the campaign from Quebec Dairy Farmers & Lg2 – can continue its celebrations after being named a finalist in this category.
Source: Food Bev
