Meghalaya-based Centre of Learning, Knowledge and Services (COLKS), a company which works for the empowerment of farmers by encouraging sustainable farming practices and create market linkages for their produce through innovative branding and marketing, has won the first ever SIAL Innovation Awards for India for their BEE Natural product.
BEE Natural is a regional honey with guaranteed traceability harvested by farmers in the Meghalaya region and sold directly to consumers.
COLKS’ BEE Natural has been selected for the ‘Gold’ Innovation Award from 10 finalists, five each from India and overseas, at the second SIAL India Food Exhibition which got underway in Delhi.
It is the first time SIAL has introduced its Innovation Awards in India. While KIMCHI season Mix - Seoul Sisters – by Food Cultural lab, South Korea, won the Silver Award; Buzzballz Cocktails by Buzzballz, LLC, Southern Champion, USA received the ‘Bronze’ Award.
The other finalists from India who got into the final list of 10 are G-Low Sugar by Simbhaoli Sugar; Sauces & Mayonnaise by Wingreens; Stirred Cocktail Mix by Artisanal Drinks and Amaranth Cookies by Lovely Bake Studio.
“We have the Innovation Awards in all our shows. This is the first year in India. We have received 100 products for the competition. We had a jury which scrutinised all the products. There were diverse o products in contention. Our jury decided the winners considering how those innovations shape the future of food in the world. Three best products selected will be exhibiting in all our shows across the world in the next one year for free,” said Adeline Vancauwelaert, Deputy Director – Food Division, Comexposium (SIAL Network).
Around 250 exhibitors from 30 countries are exhibiting at the second SIAL Food India show at Pragati Maidan New Delhi. There will be an estimated 2000 B2B meetings at the three-day exposition. Out of the 250 sellers, 102 are international and the rest domestic sellers. “We always try to maintain a good balance of domestic and international sellers,” said Vancauwelaert.
SIAL Food India organisers expect a footfall of 8,000 B2B visitors over the three days.
She said that the focus at SIAL is to deliver good RoI to exhibitors year on year.
“We are still small. But the ambition ist to grow this show by 50% every year for the next 5 years,” she informed.
SIAL has partnered with Food Importers Federation of India (FIFI) for a hosted buyers programme for their India show. “We have forged great partnerships in India,” she said.
Ram Vilas Paswan, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food Public Distribution and Conrad K Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya were present at the inaugural. Meghalaya is the partner state for SIAL Food 2019 India.
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