Same format and many new Italian products that aim to leverage the emerging trends of the global market. The Italian Food Awards are finally back live to reward the most innovative authentic products launched between 2020 and 2021 and to showcase them to the large audience of professionals at Anuga on October 10.
INNOVATION BY PRODUCT CATEGORY
How are Italian companies interpreting the current consumers’ needs? In addition to the wide range of PDO and PGI certified items, the new products launched by Italian companies in the last 24 months seem to follow three trends: the healthy trend with organic and free from products, above all aimed at the vegetarian and vegan target; the trend of the historical tradition of Italian production and gastronomy; the flexitarian trend.
In the meat and cured meat sector, among the most used claims are antibiotic free, animal welfare, low salt. Among the formats, snacking and meal kits for Italian aperitifs are on the rise.
In the dairy sector, PDO and PGI cheeses are mainly found, also in slices, suitable for sandwiches, but also buffalo milk cheeses: not only mozzarella but also mascarpone.
In the frozen food sector, the launch of new ice-creams and desserts, some of which are also plant-based, stands out. There is also an increase in the number of ready-made dishes that can also be used as snacks or appetizers.
In the pasta sauces sector pesto is no longer just the classic Genovese style with basil, but also pistachio and local ingredients. Increasingly, there are proposals for vegan pesto using vegetable cheese made from rice shoots etc.
Among condiments, in addition to extra virgin olive oil obtained from increasingly sustainable and transparent supply chains, there are new ways of using it, such as special for pastries extra virgin olive oil, but also dressing for the preparation of dishes that are not necessarily Italian, such as sushi.
Coming to desserts, the use of high quality raw materials is growing, such as fresh milk or free range eggs, but also attention to health with low sugar and gluten free recipes. Kits with everything you need to prepare Tiramisu, a typical Italian recipe, but also pancakes and other types are part of the made in Italy sweet offer. Cappuccino is a much appreciated product and is also used as a flavor in sweet bakery and confectionery products.
In the snack sector we see the use of natural and healthy ingredients without affecting the taste: so we find cornmeal rings, pulse-based snack oven roasted not fried, healthy vegetable crisps, sun dried tomatoes, soft slices of bread prepared with sourdough and natural ingredients such as sprouted flour, legumes and grains.
In the dry pasta sector we find mainly better for you pasta (i.e. with spirulina and oats).
In the fresh pasta sector there are several meal solutions based on gnocchi with traditional Italian condiments such as cacio e pepe.
In the rice sector we find authentic aromatic Italian wholegrain black rice for all types of cuisine.
THE SELECTION CRITERIA
Italianfood.net has selected over 90 products that have been nominated by about 50 companies in the F&B sector in 9 categories. These are the evaluation criteria: business potential that the product can develop in the buyer’s country of origin (focus on sustainability of the supply chain, production process); level of product and packaging innovation (selling proposition, service content, quality of marketing and communication, attractiveness on the shelf of the packaging of the candidate product).
THE AWARDS
Nine products will be awarded in each category and 3 special awards will be assigned in these 3 areas: Innovation, Packaging and Sustainability.
THE JURY
We have selected a jury of experts made up of professionals from the international food business community (retailers, importers and distributors of the Italianfood.net network).