What are the Spirit of Innovation Awards?
The Spirit of Innovation (SOI) Awards are a unique opportunity to acknowledge outstanding product development teams and the innovation used to design and launch successful new products, while providing new products and companies with priceless worldwide exposure.

Co-sponsored by Prepared Foods and the Ventura Foods Awards are designed to recognize innovative new products introduced nationally (commercially) during 2012-2013 and the inspirational teamwork and creativity that made these new products possible. The SOI Awards are steeped in a deep history of recognizing landmark food and beverage product launches, while rewarding true excellence in innovation, whichPrepared Foods began over eight years ago.

The Spirit of Innovation Awards will be presented in two categories: Retail and Foodservice, the winners of which will receive their awards during the Excellence in Innovation Awards Ceremony at Prepared Foods' New Products Conference. There, the winners will also offer a presentation on the strategies involved in creating the winning product and in the challenges the product development team had to overcome.

To submit your nomination for the 2013 Spirit of Innovation Awards, please click on the appropriate category (Retail or Foodservice) ballot bar and summarize the product, its innovative qualities and the product development team and the challenges they had to overcome in formulating the product.

You may submit more than one nomination per company; however, only one product may be submitted per ballot.

Confidentiality

The Spirit of Innovation Award nomination is not intended to divulge any proprietary or confidential company or product information. The information you provide is only intended to allow the judges enough description to differentiate between many innovative product development teams and their exciting new products.

The two 1st Place Winners are asked to receive their Spirit of Innovation Awards at the prestigious 31st Annual New Products Conference. The Spirit of Innovation Awards ceremony will precede the Awards reception on Monday evening, September 16, 2013. This visual presentation should highlight the teams' major accomplishments and innovative aspects of the product.

There, 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners will be recognized, with all winners receiving a crystal award in recognition. The six winners are encouraged to provide samples of the products, so that the 250 attendees of the New Products Conference are given the opportunity to taste the award-winning new product.

Winners also are recognized with a feature article in Prepared Foods, appearing in the October 2013 issue of the magazine.

The deadline for entering your Excellence in Innovation Award nomination is June 10, 2013. Submit your nomination today! Winners will be notified in Ju.