Nutrigreen, a Portuguese company dedicated to the processing of fruits and vegetables, has won the innovation award for its fresh fruit bars at the SIAL Middle East, a leading professional trade exhibition for the food, drink and hospitality industries being held in Abu Dhabi.

A total of 15 exhibitors from seven countries were in the race for the 'SIAL Innovation Awards' which were given away at a gala dinner and awards ceremony held last night at the Aloft Hotel, Abu Dhabi.

This year's nominations included multiple submissions from the US, Portugal and South Korea, as well as entries from Argentina, Luxembourg, New Zealand and the UAE with products including frozen food items, fruit juices and beverages, baking mixes, cured and prepared meats, desserts and sweets.

The judges panel unanimously declared Nutrigreen as the winner for its packaged individual fresh fruit bars 'Keeping It Simple (KISS).

Lidia Santos, board member, Nutrigreen received the award from Xavier Terlet, the CEO of market intelligence consultancy, XTC World Innovation, and head of the judging panel.

“This is the first time we have participated at SIAL Middle East and are thrilled to receive this prestigious industry accolade. 'The ‘Wow Every Now Unboring Fruit’ fresh fruit pieces range, are a convenient solution to enjoying one of your five-a-day portions of fruit and vegetables in a simple, attractively packaged and fuss-free way,” remarked Santos after winning the award.

In his comments, Terlet said, “Our panel of industry judges were unanimous in their decision this year, with Nutrigreen (KISS) and ticking all the right boxes as a standout example of marketplace innovation reflecting the global trend for convenience, combined with new demand for products with natural health benefits that offer a pleasurable eating experience.”

Mohamed Jalal Al Reyaysa, the chairman of the higher organizing committee for SIAL and official spokesperson of Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, said: “I hope the award program and the exciting range of innovative products that took part in the contest will inspire food companies in the UAE to creatively improvise on their culinary skills and add further momentum to the dynamism of the industry."

The award program complements the basic objective behind organizing SIAL Middle East, which is to take the food industry here to the next stage of growth and diversification,” he stated.

Terlet said the demand from the Middle East consumers for natural, healthy food choices is a growing trend, and is increasingly important for the region’s economy as nutrition becomes a key factor in the purchase decision.

Turkey, he stated, currently leads the Arab world in innovation, closely followed by the UAE.

“The rise of the UAE in the innovation rankings is supported by changing consumer attitudes to food, coupled with willingness on the part of producers and the relevant authorities. While there are a lot of innovative products being launched by Occidental producers, we are also seeing more and more from local companies,” he added.

Chris Fountain, the MD of Turret Media, the event organisers said, “The innovation award is a global food accolade presented at each of our five international events - from Brazil and China to Canada and France - and has been a core feature of the show for two decades.”

“The industry thrives on its ability to constantly reinvent and innovate as consumers become more demanding, and technology allows us to enter new realms of the possible, and the SIAL award is a vital platform for the food sectors’ most creative minds to showcase their ideas and inspire their peers,” he added.

More than 50 winning products from other global SIAL events, as well as the 2012 nominations, will be on display for visitors at the innovation observatory, a highlight of the three-day exhibition and conference, which is held in strategic partnership with ADFCA.-TradeArabia News Service