Product Innovation Awards

PRODUCT INNOVATION AWARDS

Bidfood has sponsored the Product Innovation Award for both Front of House and Back of House categories.

We have been overwhelmed with the record number and quality of entries. The entries listed below are all finalists and will be judged by our independent panel of judges.

Cedo - New Cling Film Box Innovation

Cedo have designed a new Cling Film box, making the customer experience easier. The cling film tears up instead of down against a v shaped blade, allowing the film to cut easier

Celebration - Zero Touch Wooden Cutlery Dispenser

Designed to keep self-serve stations neat and tidy, avoiding messy cutlery trays which can quickly become disorganised and a hot bed for germs, with many hands digging around to select cutlery.

Clear refill cartridges combined with clear dispenser walls make it easy to see when the unit needs refilling. Wall slots either side of the dispenser can be used to house promotional adverts .

Colpac - Pioneering Direct Food Contact Inks In Foodservice

Colpac and Pret pioneered the development of uncoated platter bases using groundbreaking direct food contact ink technology, to eliminate added plastic from Pret’s platter bases.

Simpler recycling was achieved through replacing fibreboard composite materials with uncoated paperboard and direct food contact inks, which are recyclable through any paper re-pulping process.

Coveris M&S Sando Cartons

Produced by Coveris, M&S’ Sando Cartons combine sustainability, functionality, and innovation. Made from FSC-certified board and a downgauged 30-micron rPET window with up to 30% recycled content, the packs ensure durability for transport and retail while reducing material usage. Designed for
recyclability, the removable windows allow separation from the board, achieving a low OPRL plastic contamination rate of 3.2% and supporting EPR compliance.

The Sando Cartons also offer a premium consumer experience. The large rPET window enhances product visibility, while the versatile design doubles as a plate/ tray with easy closing.

eGreen - Atera

Atera is a unique range of reusable and recyclable tableware and packaging, made from 60 percent plant based materials. Certified dishwasher and microwave safe, products are ideal for serving both hot and cold foods. The containers stack effectively and are perfect for delivery and take away service or in house where a lidded option is required. The plant materials use less energy in production compared to other materials which reduces CO2. All products come in a natural straw colour, they can be produced in an array of eye catching contemporary colours.

EP Group - SealSafe Delivery/Collection Bag

SealSafe is an innovative food delivery solution which incorporates a unique, patent pending integrated tamper evident closure, providing security benefits to both foodservice operator and end user. This paper delivery bag reduces the need for store/restaurant colleagues to secure bags shut via means which can be time consuming and difficult to control costs (such as multiple secondary labels, lengths of tape and even metal staples). Instead, SealSafe incorporates a single, paper based adhesive label which is applied to the bag at manufacture, meaning that at point of packing, the label is already integrated within the bag. The evolution of this design now incorporates carry handles, further enhancing the bag’s functionality at collection/delivery. For this feature, SealSafe’s bag body features a dedicated slit, which, after the handles have been pulled through, creates a natural fold line to create a closure flap, secured shut by the integrated label.

EP Group - Splashstop Cup Cover

Splashstop is an optimised paper disc solution designed to eliminate spillages and splashes through typically ‘sip-thru’ lids in the delivery of drinks. It has been developed to provide an improved customer experience, both functionally and aesthetically, whilst providing a low cost and operationally efficient means of ensuring spill prevention for restaurant/store colleagues. During the development of Splashstop, we discovered numerous means of spill prevention methods; multiple labels across lids, plastic wrapping/cling film, bespoke delivery lids and even double plastic lidding, Whilst some of these are functional in preventing spillage, they’re not effective from a material/recycling perspective and don’t provide a strong customer experience.

The unique perforation details of our Splashtop Sip variation provide optimum customer convenience; Sip through splash prevention without the need to remove the lid!

EP Group - ThermoKraft Paper Bag

ThermoKraft is a paper-based delivery pack which utilises advanced paper technology to provide a recyclable solution with market leading insulation vs alternative products. Temperature testing has concluded that, over a 4 hour period, ThermoKraft retains a controlled temperature 57% more effectively than a standard paper bag, 54% more than a 2 ply paper bag (used as cool bags in Europe) and even 34% more than a typical multilayer polythene cool bag.

Its unique paper laminate technology is deemed recyclable, as confirmed by approved external testing in line with the ‘Assessment according to the 4evergreen protocol’ whereby it has been certified ‘Suitable for standard mill recycling’
To aid operational efficiencies, ThermoKraft incorporates integrated horizontal crease lines for effective bag closure, which is sealed shut with a label. Providing temperature controlled delivery of chilled groceries, ThermoKraft has been successfully trialled and launched by one of the UK’s leading food delivery brands.

Tork - OptiServe Coreless Toilet Paper System

The Tork OptiServe® is an innovation in front-of-house hygiene solutions. This product revolutionises the way businesses manage their hygiene needs, offering a seamless blend of efficiency, sustainability, and convenience. The coreless toilet paper design eliminates core waste, reducing the environmental footprint and ensuring a cleaner, more sustainable operation.

The compact, sleek dispenser offers a range of sizes and designs to suit your environment, enhancing the overall aesthetic while providing easy access for guests. The high-capacity rolls minimise the need for frequent refills, allowing staff to focus on delivering exceptional service. Additionally, the TorkOptiServe intuitive design ensures a hygienic experience, with touch-free dispensing that reduces the risk of cross-contamination. This innovative product not only meets the highest standards of hygiene but also supports businesses in their sustainability goals.

Eximex - Hero PE Cling Film

Hero PE Cling Film is an innovative, eco-conscious solution designed to transform the user experience with cling film. The product offers two key innovations: an internal slide cutter for precise, waste-reducing film dispensing, and a sticky pad that holds the film in place for the next use, eliminating the common frustration of searching for the film’s end.

Go-Pak - Paper Cutlery

Go-Pak premium Paper Cutlery range represents a significant advancement in sustainable food service solutions.

Constructed from multiple layers of robust, compressed paper, this cutlery is engineered to handle a diverse array of foods effectively.
The smooth mouth texture of our cutlery enhances user comfort and it suitable for both hot and cold foods. Through comprehensive real food application tests and distinctive structural design, we have achieved superior performance and user experience, distinguishing our product from other market
alternatives.

Go-Pak Paper Cutlery is a durable and proven reliable choice for all food service needs, with its creation reflecting our dedication to innovation and environmental responsibility.

Graphic Packaging International - Sushi Portfolio

This portfolio of paperboard sushi packaging innovations helps brands and retailers meet growing European demand for sushi products while reducing plastic use. Includes options that meet the plastic-free definition according to the EU’s Single Use Plastics Directive
(SUPD) guidance, alongside solutions containing no plastic lamination, and options that contain less than 5% plastic.

Each of the pack formats is recyclable in household waste streams. Engineered to preserve freshness through excellent sealing integrity, the packs have the option of fogfree cellulose film windows for effortless visual appeal. The portfolio includes clamshells, trays, pagoda-style designs, and boxes – enabling businesses to tailor their packaging to meet their precise product needs. Each design is made to optimise operational efficiency and can be supplied flat or nested to maximise storage space in sushi kiosks.

i2r - Premium Aluminium Food-To-Go Containers & Bowls

i2r’s premium aluminium food-to-go containers and bowls offer a sustainable and stylish solution for modern foodservice needs. Manufactured from 100% recyclable aluminium with reusable, stackable polypropylene lids, the range combines environmental responsibility with practicality and aesthetics.

Available in silver and black/gold ‘Eclipse’ finish, the containers are designed to meet diverse customer needs. Made from 100% recyclable aluminium, they ensure minimal environmental impact while offering
compatibility with ovens, microwaves, air fryers, fridges and freezers. Each container is paired with highquality, stackable, clip-on lids that are leak-resistant, transparent and labelled with "Rinse. Reuse. Recycle" messaging.

The versatile design is suitable for hot and cold foods, providing exceptional heat resistance to maintain product quality during transit or storage. The containers not only reduce waste but also elevate food presentation, making them ideal for premium branding, food delivery and dine-in services.

Katrin Tissue Dispenser XL - Richard Cowley (1)

Metsä Tissue - Katrin Tissue Dispenser XL

Newly released in 2025, Metsä Tissue’s Katrin Tissue Dispenser XL is a high performance hand towel dispenser for high traffic spaces. Available in black or white and designed with a strong customer focus, the XL dispenser has a multitude of features to improve the user experience. It’s multiple settings provide a flexible dispenser that is easy to adjust for different width hand towels – part of our freedom of choice concept. The large volume provides a long-lasting dispense solution and its easy to load features reduce refilling time. The major sustainability benefit is that the dispenser can be used with any hand towel, so if you have a change of requirements, you do not need to take it off the wall and throw it
away.

NCCO - TaskManager

Task Manager is a comprehensive digital HACCP solution designed to simplify and enhance food safety and compliance processes. Its paperless platform streamlines the management of checklists, forms,
and automated temperature monitoring, helping businesses improve efficiency and maintain high Scores on Doors ratings.

With advanced features like a customisable form builder, scheduling engine, automated alerts, and performance reporting, Task Manager ensures real-time oversight and seamless task management for HACCP compliance. It integrates effortlessly with tools like DateCodeGenie, providing a unified solution for everything from task tracking to automated labeling. This comprehensive system empowers teams to stay accountable, efficient, and compliant, while giving businesses greater control over their food
safety protocols. Task Manager is the ultimate tool for modernising operations and driving team performance to new heights.

PDI EMEA - Sani Professional Protect 360 Biodegradable Sanitising Wipes

Sani Professional® Protect 360° Sanitising Wipes are a premium, British-made solution tailored for the HoReCa sector. Sustainability is at the core of this product, with 100% plastic-free fabric, a 100% plantbased active formulation, and fully recyclable packaging. Designed to exceed Food Standards Agency requirements, these wipes offer a safer, more effective sanitising solution.

They deliver multiple benefits: no sticky table residue, no need to spray in guests’ presence, no dilution errors, no inhalation of harsh chemicals, and no unsightly used cloths. Additionally, they provide superior efficacy compared to industry standards, elevating hygiene practices while prioritising safety and
sustainability.

ProAmpac - HandRAP With Printed Film

HandRAP is designed for grab and go food prepared in store, and consists of a film bag attached to a profiled board, designed to wrap food perfectly while giving a rustic, hand-wrapped appearance. The board provides product protection and an excellent branding opportunity, while the film gives visibility to the food product. This all-in-one solution is available in various shapes and sizes and is suitable for products such as baguettes, wraps, sandwiches, and even hot-hold items like breakfast rolls, sausage rolls, pies, pasties, and pizza. The latest innovation in the HandRAP range is the integration of printed film, which can feature a continuous printed strip, giving a strip laminate appearance. With up to six colour printing on both the film and board, this solution delivers exceptional branding flexibility. Fully recyclable, the film separates easily from the board, allowing consumers to recycle each component appropriately. Asda will be the first to launch in March 2025 with a product for their hot breakfast baps. This innovation exemplifies ProAmpac’s commitment to sustainable, functional, and visually appealing packaging.

Reflex - Stereo Labels™

Reflex is proud to introduce Stereo Labels™. Labels have only ever been printed on one side of the liner…. until now! Stereo Labels™ is a patented construction of labels being printed on both sides of the liner and are game changing in the industry, offering significant sustainability and financial benefits.

Printing labels on both sides of the liner reduces liner waste by 50% and gives customers substantially more labels per reel which means lower storage, handling and transport costs and less liner disposal costs. All this can be achieved with no disruption to your operational process and is a smarter, more sustainable and efficient way to label products.

Sharpak Aylesham - PET Coffee Cup Lid

Sharpak has introduced a fully recyclable mono PET coffee cup lid into the coffee market. Designed to replace non-recyclable polystyrene (PS) lids, this innovative product offers a recyclable alternative without compromising functionality or consumer experience. Unlike fibre-based options, the PET lid replicates the look, feel, and drinking experience of PS lids, ensuring maximum consumer satisfaction.Supporting a circular economy, the mono PET lid can be recycled through existing kerbside PET collections, reducing plastic waste and diverting material from landfills. For every 100 million 12-16oz
coffee cup lids switched from PS to PET, 350 metric tons of non-recyclable plastic are removed from the market*.

Sharpak’s manufacturing process, developed at its Yate facility, solves PET’s historic ‘memory’ property issue, ensuring lids remains stable at hot drink temperatures. This eco-friendly innovation offers coffee lovers a sustainable, high-quality solution for their favourite beverages withoutcompromise.

*based on PS lid weight of 3.5g per lid

Vegware - Nourish Cup

The Nourish moulded fibre cup is the future of compostable packaging. It is crafted from moulded fibre without any added PFAS. The Nourish cup is the ideal choice for both hot drinks like tea and coffee, as well as cold drinks on the go. Ingeniously designed without any plastic lining, this cup remains both leakproof and heatproof, ensuring a reliable and safe drinking experience. The moulded fibre uses reclaimed natural material such as sugarcane, bamboo or wood pulp. Sleek white with a Vegware emboss on the base. This EU-compliant cup does not require the turtle graphic.

The cup features vertical grooves, providing exceptional thermal protection for hands, so our customers can comfortably enjoy their drink without the need for an additional sleeve. As with all Vegware products, the Nourish cup is designed for industrial composting and has the added
benefit of being home compostable too.

Coveris - Rollover Chicken Nuggets & Jalapeño Cheese Poppers

Coveris’ HEAT packs, recently launched for Rollover Chicken Nuggets and Jalapeño Cheese Poppers, respond to growing demand for premiumisation, convenience, and value in the hot food-to-go market. Designed with an innovative fibre-composite, dual-ovenable board, these fully recyclable packs deliver
sustainability and unmatched efficiency.

The packs simplify in-store processes with a fold-up, fully enclosed design that eliminates the need for additional wrapping. This reduces waste, cuts plastic usage, and ensures advanced heat retention and product protection—perfect for both retailers and consumers.As part of the HEAT range, the packs are dual-purpose, meaning the same pack can go from the oven to a hot-hold counter, offering unparalleled convenience for retailers.

By supporting retailer investments in hot food infrastructure, Coveris’ packs align with its No Waste vision and meet market demands for convenience, sustainability, and waste reduction. Now available at nationwide hot food counters, the packs showcase Coveris’ expertise in sustainable food-to-go packaging.

Metsä Tissue - Katrin Tissue Dispenser XL

NCCO - TaskManager

Prowrap - Speedwrap Pro

Speedwrap™ Pro is a next-generation wrapping dispenser that uses patented hygiene and safety technology to revolutionise food wrapping. Its uniquely sheathed safety blade and simple one-press operation means it is the safest dispenser on the market, reducing lost time due to cuts and improving kitchen efficiency. Its BioCote® antimicrobial protection kills 86% of fungi and bacteria within 15 minutes and 99% within 24 hours, making Speedwrap Pro the premier choice for professional kitchens.

In addition, the dispenser is designed with sustainability in mind. Its unique refill rolls fit without the use of plastic inserts, reducing the plastic waste generated by every roll while also making each refill core fully recyclable at end-of-life.

Available in two sizes – the 300 and 450 models – every Speedwrap Pro is made in the UK

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