13 Dec 2021 Just Drinks Excellence Awards 2021 – winners announced!
The Just Drinks Excellence Awards celebrate the greatest achievements and innovations in the industry – and you can access this report FREE from this excellent but subscription-only global drinks website.
The Awards provide a platform to recognise the people and companies that are driving change – 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.
The awards are split into five main category groups:
Excellence Categories
These categories look at achievements in focus areas of excellence and
include everything from Covid-19 Response to Social Impact.
Sector Excellence
These categories look at achievements within each individual market subsector and can include everything from notable business expansion through innovation to diversity and environmental initiatives.
Firms of the Year
These categories look at achievements by specific types of companies and
includes everything from new market entrants to finance and legal firms.
Deals of the Year
The most notable finance and M&A deals from the research period.
People of the Year
An outstanding individual from the sector as MVP (Most Valuable Player).
Highlighting some interesting winners:
Fungtn
UK company Fungtn’s line of alcohol-free craft beers containing mushroom-derived adaptogens.
Fungtn says the beers deliver functional benefits for body and mind because they contain myco adaptogens, an ingredient derived from mushrooms and used in some medicines.
The range comprises three SKUs, each with a different functional benefit.
• Lion’s Mane IPA is an “earthy yet light IPA” that helps protect the brain and improves cognitive function, focus and the nervous system;
• Chaga Lager is a dark, European-style lager that is high in superoxide dismutase, which is used as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
• Reishi Citra Beer is described as a “cloudy and juicy citra beer” and helps to boost the body’s immune system
Endorphin Dealer Institute (Edi)
The Endorphin Dealer Institute (Edi) has launched Spirited Euphoria, a 100% natural hempbased endorphin-releasing alternative to alcohol. The drink blends hemp1, cannabidiol (CBD), nootropics2 and adaptogens3 that trigger feelings of pleasure and relaxation.
Distiller Anthony Wilson, is behind the drink and was also involved in the creation of Seedlip, Edi itself was founded by racing driver and two time Formula E champion Jean-Éric Vergne and entrepreneur Alexander Jakobi.
Better Juice
Better Juice is an Israeli start-up that has developed a technique to reduce sugar in orange juices by up to 80%. The process works by using enzymatic technology and natural ingredients to convert fructose, glucose and sucrose into prebiotic dietary fibres and other non-digestible molecules.
Founded in 2017 and supported by The Kitchen FoodTech Hub, the company raised $8-million in a seed funding round in 2021 and aims to expand and develop the process across other juice products.
Danone
Danone has launched a label-free Evian bottle that the group says will help streamline recycling efforts.
The water brand’s new bottle, which is made from 100% recycled plastic, circumvents recycling issues associated with labels. In traditional recycling processes, the label has to be removed before the rest of the bottle can be broken down.
Danone said the new bottle is a “key milestone” in making Evian a “fully circular” brand by 2025.
Bevi
Bevi has produced an app-based touchless water dispenser for the office environment.
The development allows consumers to use their smart phones to control the dispenser allowing for a touch free experience that has become increasingly in demand since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Tastry
Up until recently, the methods wineries used to decide what to produce and what to sell have been almost entirely subjective. Without data, it is really hard to figure out how to make a great wine that will sell well in the market.
Tastry, a sensory sciences company based in California, is using machine learning and advanced chemistry to teach artificial intelligence to “taste” – technology that is shaking up the wine industry by providing valuable information to winemakers and retailers about the wines that customers enjoy.