Each year, the Specialty Coffee Association’s Best New Product Competition recognizes new products that represent quality and add value to the specialty coffee and tea industry. Ten different product categories are evaluated using the “Best I.D.E.A.S.” criteria set out by the SCA, with a winner declared in each category.
The World of Coffee Amsterdam 2018 Best New Product Awards went to:
Commercial Coffee or Tea Preparation and Serving Equipment
Ascaso Factory: Big Dream
Consumer Coffee or Tea Preparation and Serving Equipment (Non-Electrical)
Asobu by Adnart Inc.: Cold Brew Coffee
Coffee Accessories
KINTO: Travel Tumbler
Specialty Beverage Stand Alone
Beyond the Bean: Zuma Organic Tumeric Chai
Specialty Beverage Flavor Additive (One Flavor Only)
Monin: L’Artiste de Monin
Packaging
Cloud Picker Coffee Limited
Food
Solid Coffee Ltd.: Coffee Pixels Cascara
Open Class
LALCAFÉ YEAST: LALCafé Intenso
Technology
Qualysense: Qsorter Explorer
Best I.D.E.A.S.
Judges reviewed the 45 entries to this year’s Best New Product Awards at World of Coffee Amsterdam across three sessions, beginning 14:00 Tuesday, 19 June and ending 12:00 Thursday, 21 June. Across all ten categories, each product was judged on a minimum of three of the “Best I.D.E.A.S.” criteria set out by the Specialty Coffee Association:
Innovation and/or Improvements: Does the good or service create value for which customers will pay? Is it cost effective and does it satisfy a specific need? Is it a new twist or a spin on a classic idea?
Design: Is the product aesthetically pleasing? Is the overall result a positive, creative experience? Does the process of creating the product minimize material use or incorporate recycled, up-cycled, or otherwise sustainable materials (or in the case of food and beverage products, ingredients from a sustainable sources)?
Education: How does this entry contribute to the enhancement or improve the knowledge of the coffee community? What is the greatest potential of this product?
Agro-ecology: How does this entry impact origin? Does the formulation or manufacturing process make the entry healthier and/or sustainable? Does the entry use science, business models, and/or policies to support healthy relationships between the producers and the consumers?
Science: Does this entry impact the science of coffee? If so, how? What science, if any, was utilized in the development of this entry? In addition, judges consider the availability of similar products on the market and current industry trends/consumer preferences.