The Just Drinks Excellence Awards Winners have been announced! To see the full list you can download the full 80+ page report from the following link:
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The Excellence Awards celebrate the greatest achievements and innovations in the industry. The programme provides a platform to recognise the people and companies that are driving change.
Our programme is designed to highlight excellence within the sector by looking at a range of corporate activities including deals, business projects and company initiatives, both internal and in the community.
Featured Winners
African + Eastern is a beverage importer, marketer, distributor and retailer and a Category Award Winner in Business Expansion and Marketing in the 2023 Just Drinks Excellence Awards
Anora Group (Koskenkorva Vodka Climate Action)
Anora Group is a Nordic wine and spirits brand house and producer of the vodka brand Koskenkorva. Category Award Winner for Environmental
Produced by the Yerevan Brandy Company, Ararat is an Armenian brandy and Category Award Winner for Innovation and Product Launches in the 2023 Just Drinks Excellence Awards
Australian Vintage is a wine and drinks manufacturer and a Category Award Winner for Environmental and Product Launches in the 2023 Just Drinks Excellence Awards
De Kuyper Royal Distillers is a Dutch liqueur and premium botanical-base spirits company that is recognised for Product Launches in the 2023 Just Drinks Excellence Awards
Flor de Caña is a rum producer and Category Award Winner for Environmental in the 2023 Just Drinks Excellence Awards
Heineken UK is the UK branch of the international brewing company and a Category Award Winner for Social in the 2023 Just Drinks Excellence Awards
IFF is an industry leader in food, beverage, health, biosciences and sensorial experiences, and a Category Award Winner for Innovation in the 2023 Just Drinks Excellence Awards
Laizhou Distillery is a Chinese spirits producer and Category Award Winner for Environmental, Innovation and Marketing in the 2023 Just Drinks Excellence Awards
Lanxess is a chemicals company that develops chemical intermediates, additives and consumer protection products. Category Award Winner for Innovation and Product Launches in the 2023 Just Drinks Excellence Awards
Pentair is a provider of water and water management solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial use. Category Award Winner for Environmental and Innovation in the 2023 Just Drinks Excellence Awards
Tŷ Nant is a Welsh mineral water producer and a Category Award Winner for Business Expansion in the 2023 Just Drinks Excellence Awards
Introduction
The research for the 2023 Just Drinks Excellence Awards has shown the industry’s increased focused on two areas: reducing its carbon footprint, both in the production and distribution of beverages; and the growth of new product areas including RTD cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, and health drinks.
The drinks industry’s attempts to reduce its environmental impact range from how it sources its ingredients, to more efficient production, through to the packaging and transport of the finished products.
An area that has been of increasing interest to drinks companies is that of sustainable or regenerative agriculture. Producers are looking not only to improve the way their ingredients are grown but to go beyond that and adopt new practices that can actually improve the environment by putting nutrients back into the soil and improving its general health and stability.
Packaging is another area of focus as companies look to reduce the amount of virgin plastic used for bottles and containers, either by using more recycled materials or looking to biodegradable alternatives like paper and card. With the first paper liquid bottles now in production it will be interesting to see whether such concepts take off at scale.
The development of new preservatives and ingredients can also be linked to environmental impact, with biochemical companies developing new products that are less harmful to produce, or are free of animal products or other ingredients that consumers may wish to avoid.
Product development continues apace, with one of the most active areas being that of ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails. RTDs were given a boost during the pandemic with customers looking for at-home alternatives to drinks available in bars. Even though on-premise drinking has bounced back since, the RTD sector has not slowed, with new products still being released and even companies from outside the spirits sector looking to take advantage by releasing their own ranges.
While the convenience of RTDs is a clear selling point, when consumers do seek out traditional cocktails or spirits there is an increasing shift towards artisanal products sold on the promise of quality. Small-batch spirits, celebrity-endorsed products, or those that can point to organic or environmental production are all gaining traction.
Alternatives to alcoholic drinks have also experienced growth. While the variety of non-alcoholic beers and ciders continues to develop, it is in other areas such as non-alcoholic wine where there is the most interest, due to the underdeveloped nature of the segment. Spirit and cocktail alternatives are also being seen, particularly as consumers become more conscious of the health impact that a high volume of alcohol consumption can have.
The final area of product growth is in health or enhanced drinks, whether they be probiotics, cultured milk, or protein beverages. With the health and lifestyle sector growing, products that are seen to contribute to a balanced diet or provide other benefits are increasingly in demand.
We hope our Excellence Awards Report not only provides recognition to those companies at the cutting edge of the industry but also provides a useful snapshot of the industry’s current state.
Congratulations to all our winners.
Awards Report
Our Awards Report contains:
- Introduction and Themes
- All Excellence and Category Winners
- Featured Winner Profiles
- Country Winner Breakdown
You can download the full 80+ page report from the following link
