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Vitafoods Innovation Awards calling for bright ideas

The Vitafoods Europe Innovation Awards 2026 promote nutraceutical NPD and innovation. Here, some of this year’s jury members discuss what they will be looking out for.

Innovation within the food and nutraceutical industry impacts our world in numerous ways, from encouraging sustainable practices and protecting biodiversity to improving our health and wellbeing. The Vitafoods Europe Innovation Awards 2026 aim to help drive positive change, through recognising groundbreaking new product development (NPD).

Innovation and scientific validation

Jury member Dr Velamur Krishnakumar, president of Giract, will be focusing in particular on innovation and scientific validation across all award categories (see below for more details of the Innovation Award categories).

“Innovation is what keeps the food sector going,” he says. “This encompasses a variety of areas – basic science, technology/process, cost/price, and even other related areas such as distribution, packaging, and communication. Innovation needs to be evaluated across all these factors, and over other aspects such as geography, time, society, and global welfare. Furthermore, innovation must be both relevant and validated from a scientific and regulatory point of view.”

To qualify for the award, companies need to prepare robust dossiers. The payoff is that success can go a long way in establishing credibility and market value. “Another benefit of the award is that it encourages [people] to continue on their path of constant innovation,” adds Krishnakumar.

Critical regulatory aspects

Jury member Efi Leontopoulou, scientific and regulatory affairs manager at EAS Strategies, will be focusing mainly on regulatory aspects across the Immune, Healthy Ageing, Cognitive & Weight Management categories. A food bioengineer with a Masters in marketing and an MBA, Leontopoulou is specialised in the regulatory evaluation of food products across the EU, including formulas, labelling, and market access.

“Food innovation is the key factor that connects science, regulation, and consumer trends,” she says. “Being a food scientist working more than 20 years in the area of food regulation, it is always inspiring to help companies with innovative ideas to navigate through the maze of regulatory opportunities and challenges.”

Leontopoulou highlights navigating the Claims Regulation and Novel Foods Regulation as two key regulatory challenges for companies. “Companies should aim to protect their innovative and creative ideas from being hindered by legislation, while also ensuring evidence of compliance with EU and/or national regulations,” she says. “Scientific evidence, research results, and robust data will be key criteria taken into consideration during the judging process of the Vitafoods Europe Innovation Awards.”

Meaningful, credible, and sustainable innovation

Jury member Sharon Moray, regulatory affairs manager at Campden BRI, is a nutritional therapist and aromatherapist, with extensive experience in food supplements, health foods, nutraceuticals and herbal medicines. “I am particularly interested in innovation that is meaningful, credible, and sustainable, not innovation for its own sake or merely products that are ‘me too’,” she says. “I will be focussing on how innovation is applied, and whether it is it aimed at a genuine consumer or public‑health need, rather than merely following a trend.”

Wearing her regulatory hat, Moray will also be looking out for entries that show that regulatory considerations have been addressed from the very start. “I also want to see evidence that claims are appropriate, without blurring the line between food supplements and medicinal products and that they can be substantiated and are responsibly communicated,” she adds.

Finally, Moray points out that when it comes to entering this competition, companies have nothing to lose and everything to gain. “Being shortlisted or recognised by an independent judging panel provides a business with a trusted third‑party validation of product quality and innovation,” she says. “It may offer commercial recognition for customers, retail partners or healthcare professionals and reflects passion, ambition and commitment.”

NPD innovations

Nick Henson, food product development consultant, will be focusing on NPD across the categories. “I’m a food scientist with deep expertise in new product and ingredient development in the food industry,” he says. “There’s nothing more inspiring than seeing a product or ingredient you have been involved with on a retail shelf.”

As a jury member, Henson will be looking out for innovations that deliver from a robust nutritional standpoint.

“My experience in understanding what creates successful products means I also pay strong attention to sensory aspects and taste delivery,” he adds. “We encourage finalists to present finished product samples, which really helps us understand the potential. ‘Taste is king’ is a cliche but I believe it’s one to adhere to in food product development.”

Henson notes that the food ingredient space is crowded and hugely competitive. Companies large and small invest significant time and money on their innovations and will only stand a chance of being successful via visibility and profile.

“There’s no doubt that these awards are a great step in promoting new materials amongst a diverse, global audience,” he says.

How to enter

To submit you entry, visit Vitafoods Europe Innovation Awards 2026 Submission Form for detailed guidelines. All other entries must provide scientific and medical evidence to support claims of bioavailability, efficacy of functionality, performance etc.; evidence of regulatory compliance; and market/commercial success to date. They must also provide evidence of performance against competitive products; the extent of ingredient/nutraceutical innovation and application; and the extent to which their entry a ‘game-changer’. Preference will be given to ingredients/nutraceuticals/consumer finished products launched in the last two years.

There are nine awards categories in total: Sports Nutrition and Active Lifestyle; Ingredient Immune and Gut Health Ingredient; Cognitive and Emotional Health Ingredient; Healthy Ageing Ingredient; Weight Management Ingredient; Nutricosmetic Ingredient; Most Innovative Consumer-ready Nutraceutical Finished Product; Diversity & Inclusion; and Sustainability. The Diversity & Inclusion award is also open to non-exhibiting companies, organisations or associations.

Winners will be announced during Vitafoods Europe on 5th May 2026 in Barcelona. Finalist or Winner stickers, provided by Vitafoods Europe, will be available for your stand onsite. There’s even a chance to win a Brand Awareness Webinar Sponsorship Package valued at EUR 5 000, offered by our sponsor Smartcore. If you have any questions or need assistance with your entry, please contact Chloe Zhang at [email protected].