Italianfood.net, the international project of the Food Publishing Group, is back in style to present the Italian Food Awards 2026. The awarding ceremony of the prestigious international award dedicated to highlighting the top-performing and most iconic product lines from Italian F&B companies in European markets, now in its eleventh edition, will take place on October 18 at SIAL Paris, starting at 5:00 P.M. The initiative is supported by Italia del Gusto, NIQ, and Universal Marketing as Technical Sponsors.
Applications officially open today, July 15th, inviting Italian companies to nominate their standout products and compete for this internationally recognized seal of excellence.
WHO CAN APPLY?
The award is open to Italian companies operating in the food & beverage industry across both the retail and food service channels.
- Products: Each participating company may submit an application choosing to present from 1 to 3 products or product lines (up to a maximum of three) currently available in the retail or food service market.
- Special Category – Future Excellence: Designed specifically for cutting-edge pipeline innovation. If you have a product or product line that hasn’t officially launched yet, but will hit the market by June 30th, 2027, you can apply in this dedicated category. The winner will be selected and crowned by our specialized Jury of Experts.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
To ensure a rigorous, transparent, and comprehensive selection process, the Italian Food Awards 2026 relies on an advanced evaluation system combining objective data and expert sensory/market judgment:
- Brand Performance (NIQ Data): Technical sponsor NIQ will provide empirical sales and category performance data representing the candidate product line’s performance in the European market over the last 18 months.
- Jury of Experts: A highly qualified international panel composed of large-scale distribution buyers, food service operators, professional Italian chefs, and importers will judge both the manufacturing company and the quality/market positioning of the nominated product line.
THE PLANNING TIMELINE
To secure your entry, please keep these crucial key dates and deadlines in mind:
- Opening of the Applications: July 15, 2026
- Closing of the Applications: September 4, 2026
- Opening of the Polls: September 10, 2026
- Closing of the Polls: September 18, 2026
- Prize-giving Ceremony: October 18, 2026, at 5:00 P.M. (@ Sial Paris)