FiE Paris 2015 review: the event where innovation is rewarded

AAK won two awards for Best Bakery Innovation and Best Confectionary Innovation at Food ingredients Europe 2015 took place in Paris this December 1-3. 

The trade fair brought visitors from over 119 countries and over 1,400 exhibitors to one of the world’s leading events for the food and beverage ingredients industry. 

Thought leaders presented to delegates from all over the world at the Fi Europe onsite conference and visitors had numerous, free on-site features including presentations in the Industry Insights Forum and Global Seminar Theatre, the ever popular New Product Zone, the self-guided Discovery Tours and guided Innovation Tours around the show floor. 

AAK won two awards for Best Bakery Innovation and Best Confectionary Innovation while Novozymes‘ innovation LactoMonitor was also highlighted for signposting the direction into the future category ‘Innovation in Technology’, which will be introduced at the next Innovation Awards in association with Expo FoodTec. 

The Awards were presented at an evening canape and drink ceremony on 1 December at Fi Europe & Ni 2015 by the Awards Judging Panel Chairman, Peter Wenstromm of Healthy Marketing Team and Fi Europe’s Brand Director, Richard Joyce. The winners in each category endorse the exemplary work and contribution to the food and beverage industry.  

The Fi Innovation Awards was held just last week on Tuesday 1 December in Paris at Fi Europe & Ni 2015. A panel of expert judges from various sectors and industry professions, including thought-leaders such as Albert Zwigers of Unilever and John Madden, Global Head of Ingredients Research at Euromonitor, critically appraised all entries and nominated the winners for each of the 10 categories. 

The complete list of winners  of the Fi Innovation Awards 2015:

Most Innovative Food Ingredient

• Scelta Mushrooms – Scelta key Accelerator

Best Bakery Innovation

• AAK – Akopastry HP 400 & 200

Best Beverage Innovation

• FrieslandCampina Kievit – FrieslandCampina Kievit’s Vana-Cappa 26W

Best Confectionary Innovation

• AAK – TROPICAO ™

Best Dairy Innovation

• Arla Foods Ingredients – Nutrilac®

Best Functional Innovation

• Scelta Mushrooms – Scelta key Accelerator

Best Natural / Organic Innovation

• Fiberstar Inc – Citri-Fi 100

Best Savoury / Meat Innovation

• Roquette – NUTRALYS® T70S

Best Sustainability Innovation

• Cargill – Affordable finance for cocoa farmer cooperatives

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Dr. Daryl B. Lund

New Scientist Award

• Dr. Xiaonan LU

Innovation at FiE Paris

GoodMills Innovation chose FiE as the launch pad for WHEATMEAT flakes and YePea, and it also showcased its comprehensive Clean Label portfolio of functional and process flours as well asfibre-rich grain products.  

The extruded WHEATMEAT flakes are especially suitable for adding texture and structure to bakery and snack fillings, as well as for the production of meat-free hamburger patties. Based on high protein wheat fractions, the flakes can be used to produce end products with up to 76 per cent protein. Thus, snacks and dishes containing the flakes can form a valuable part of a healthy diet, particularly for the growing number of vegetarian and vegan consumers.
YePea is a toasted pea meal that offers the baking industry a non-GMO alternative to soy grits – and according to the FIC Regulations it does not have to be labelled as a possible allergen. The raw material used in YePea (an abbreviation ofyellow pea) is the yellow-podded snow pea – a legume which was almost forgotten until it was rediscovered by GoodMills Innovation during a research project. The resulting pea meal is a perfect alternative to soy grits and can be used in baking mixes, bread recipes and small baked goods where it enhances water-binding capacity and provides a soft texture. End products gain an appealing nutty flavour, and allergen labelling is not required. YePea’s raw materials, all of which are non-GMO, are grown in Europe. 

Another company who presented innovation at FiE was Solvay Aroma Performance. The company is further expanding its comprehensive product portfolio offering the highest quality vanillin and functional vanilla flavors to fully natural flavors based on core patented technology and vanilla beans. At this year’s Food Ingredients Europe               (Fi Europe) show in Paris, France, Solvay Aroma Performance launched two new natural flavor ranges marketed under the Vanifolia and Vanifolia Bean brands.
The leading exhibition will coincide with the official opening of a new state-of-the-art vanillin manufacturing facility in Zhenjiang, China which complements Solvay’s established sites in Saint-Fons, France, and Baton Rouge (LA), United States. The new plant will boost the company’s global Rhovanil production capacity and strengthen its leading market position as a fully integrated aroma ingredients supplier, worldwide. “With these two strategic developments, we continue to lead the market as a reference supplier, helping our customers to enter the infinite world of our expertise in aroma ingredients, vanillin and vanilla flavors,” says Christophe Gas, Solvay Aroma Performance business director. 

On the other hand, Cargill, company who won „Best Sustainability Innovation“ award, had as focal point of its stand, a futuristic “Innovation Hub” where food manufacturers interacted with dedicated R&D specialists and discovered new product concepts. The main theme will substantiate how Cargill works to fuel sustainable business growth by meeting the industry’s needs and delivering consistently on commitments.
“Innovation is creating new value, or going about capturing value, in a new, different way. At Cargill we have made innovation one of our strategic pillars for growth, implementing new ideas and helping our customers create successful new products,” says Frank van Lierde, Executive Vice-President Cargill Food Ingredients and Systems.

Nest Fi Europe will take place in Germany, 2017

For more than 25 years, Food ingredients (Fi) Europe & Natural ingredients (Ni) has provided a global platform for sourcing ingredients, knowledge and solutions for food and beverages. Many exhibitors have already confirmed their participation at the next edition in Frankfurt, November, 28-30 November 2017, including leading companies such as Cargill, Brenntag, ADM, DSM, Naturex and many more.

Fi Europe returns in 2017 to the Messe Frankfurt, Germany with four halls of exhibitors and exciting features to come to the next edition! The majority of the show is already sold out, according to the organizers.