Organisers of this year's Food and Drink iNet (Innovation
Network) Innovation Awards are reminding firms, individuals and
researchers connected to the East Midlands food and drink sector
that entries close in a month.
Previous winners have gained a string of benefits after scooping
an accolade in the annual awards including media exposure, raised
profiles in the industry and the chance to network with those who
work in the sector.
Food critic Jay Rayner, who is perhaps best known for his
Observer food column, will be the guest speaker at the Innovation
Awards ceremony, which will be held on November 17th at Nottingham
Conference Centre, Burton Street, Nottingham.
Being held for the fourth year, the Innovation Awards aim to
reward some of the most exciting innovations in the East Midlands
food and drink industry.
Previous winners have included the development of a new material
for food and drink packaging that featured non-leaching and
antimicrobial properties, the invention of modified salt crystals
to create a more intense flavour from less salt and thus allow a
reduction in salt used in manufacturing, and the development of a
sweet-tasting broccoli.
Now the hunt is on across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire,
Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland for
entries to the 2011 awards, which need to be in by September
30th.
The Food and Drink iNet Innovation Awards have three categories
open to firms, organisations and individuals working across the
food and drink sector. They are - Most Innovative Food and Drink
Business, Most Innovative Business Supplying into the Food and
Drink Sector and Most Innovative Research Project.
The Campden BRI Innovation Champion 2011 will be chosen from the
winner of the three categories.
"In previous years we've had some really interesting winners,
and we're looking forward to this year's entries," said Food and
Drink iNet director Richard Worrall. "We want to celebrate the
different ways that food and drink firms are innovating and the
exciting research that's being carried out in the region."
Forms to enter the Innovation Awards are available to download
from the iNet section of the Food and Drink Forum website
www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk.
Funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Food and Drink iNet
co-ordinates innovation support for businesses, universities and
individuals working in the food and drink sector in the East
Midlands. One of four iNets, it has developed an effective network
to encourage the collaboration of academic expertise and knowledge,
and local food and drink business innovation needs.
It aims to build on the tradition of innovation in the food and
drink industry in the region by helping to create opportunities to
develop knowledge and skills, and to help research, develop and
implement new products, markets, services and processes.
The Food and Drink iNet is managed by a consortium, led by The
Food and Drink Forum and including Food Processing Faraday,
Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the
University of Nottingham. It is based at Southglade Food Park,
Nottingham, with advisors covering the East Midlands region.