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Manufacturing Innovation Awards



Our 2024 Manufacturing Innovation Awards have closed. Thank you to all who entered. Stay tuned for an announcement of this year's winners.

ProFood World will recognize outstanding food and beverage processing and packaging innovation projects via the eighth annual Manufacturing Innovation Awards competition.

Types of projects eligible for the award

  • Major plant expansion
  • Major plant renovation
  • Greenfield facility
  • Brownfield facility
  • Major line expansion incorporating ground-breaking technology
  • Major plant automation upgrades
  • Major plant food safety upgrades
  • Major plant sustainability upgrades
  • Overall plant efficiency upgrades

Submission deadline has passed for the 2024 awards. Projects completed in the previous 18 months are eligible to compete (June 2022 to December 2023). Entries must be based on a single plant location. Company-wide programs/projects are not eligible for this award.

Judging criteria

  • High level of technology advancement in processing and packaging machinery
  • Level of automation, software and controls
  • New-to-the-industry use of technology
  • Major efficiency and cost savings
  • Major line changeover, flexible manufacturing, food safety, sustainability and maintenance improvement achievements
  • Exceptional worker recruitment and engagement programs; employee welfare programs
  • Outstanding use of tools/methods such as OEE, lean manufacturing etc.
  • Outstanding technologies implemented in response to COVID-19 pandemic

Submitting entries

Entries may be submitted by food and beverage manufacturing companies or major suppliers to the plant. If you are submitting an entry on behalf of your processor customer, please be sure the plant agrees to a plant visit from ProFood World's editorial team if it is named a winner.

All entries must be exclusive to ProFood World, so should not be submitted to any other food industry publications or awards programs. We also ask that you not allow entry to the plant by other food industry publications for at least three months after the visit from ProFood World's editors.

Please note: All winning entries must be available for editorial plant tours in the first quarter of 2024. Finished food or beverage plants, including pet food facilities, are eligible for the award. The plant must process and/or package food or beverage products. (Please note that nutraceutical or ingredient plant projects are not eligible for these awards.)

All entries must be submitted by February 9, 2024.

A maximum of 15 pages describing the plant’s technological advances based on the judging criteria, must be included.

Photos and Videos

  • Include plant floor and schematics photos to support the entry, with a maximum of 15 images. These images can be in addition to the 15-page written entry.
  • Include plant floor videos, if available
  • Include high resolution photos (1MB in size minimum) of finished foods products, brand logos and company logos
  • Download the submission form here.

Your entry form and supporting documents and images should be formatted in one low-res PDF and emailed to Aaron Hand, Editor in Chief of ProFood World, at [email protected].

Please note: All winning entries must be available for editorial plant tours in early to mid-2024. Awards presentations will be held at PACK EXPO International in November 2024.

Winning plants will be featured in ProFood World 2024 issues.

Manufacturing Innovation Awards Past Winners

2023
MyForest Foods, Green Island, N.Y.
SunOpta, Midlothian, Texas
Prestage Foods of South Carolina, Camden, S.C.

2022
Mark Anthony Brewing
Sugarlands Distilling
United AIrlines Catering Kitchen Operations

2021
MWC
Kraft Heinz
CTI Foods

2020
The J.M. Smucker Company
Hermes Boissons
Lotus Bakeries 

2019
Royal Cup Coffee and Tea
HP Hood
Just Born 

2018
Dairy Farmers of America
Clemens Food Group
Farmer Brothers

2017
Caito Foods
Castellini Group
Morada Nut Company

For more information, please contact:
Aaron Hand, Editor in Chief of ProFood World
Phone: 312-488-3392
[email protected]