Australia’s premier media platform for food and beverage manufacturers, Food & Drink Business, has launched its annual awards for excellence, The Hive Awards, and is calling for entries from across the sector.
Food & Drink Business editor, Kim Berry, said the inaugural event in 2024 was a major success, and with new categories and growing awareness she expects competition to be even tighter this year.
“While food and beverage manufacturing is Australia’s largest manufacturing sector, vital for daily life, and integral to the economy, the industry is being squeezed between the real-time pressures of rising costs and tight margins and increasingly urgent calls for the food system to transition to a more equitable, sustainable, nutritious, and profitable one.
“With that operating environment backdrop, we created the awards to recognise – and celebrate – the people and companies that embody the excellence and innovation we report on every day,” Berry said.
The Hive Awards were named as such to reflect the complexity, inter-connectedness, ambition, and tirelessness of Australia’s food and drink manufacturing sector. We couldn’t go past the concept of bees and their hive, a flawless system that runs 24/7, driven by a dedicated and determined workforce to consistently deliver a product to the highest standard.
The Sponsors of Hive 2025
Food & Drink Business is thrilled to announce The Commonwealth Bank of Australia has returned as Platinum Sponsor. We welcome RMR Process this year as the Gold Sponsor, and the return of Hawkins Watts and Heat and Control as Silver Sponsors. Our Bronze Sponsors are APPMA, Janbak, and Process Partners. Welcome to the Hive!
The Categories
There are 10 awards and entries close on 21 February. Click here for more information and to enter.
BEST INGREDIENT AWARD
This award recognises the best development and/or application of an ingredient for use in a food or beverage product.
BEST PROCESSING AWARD
This award recognises the best project displaying a product or process innovation and/or application.
BEST PACKAGING AWARD
This award recognises the best innovation and/or application of packaging for food and/or beverage products.
BEST TECHNOLOGY AWARD *NEW*
This award is open to individuals, teams, or companies that have developed or implemented
innovative technologies, equipment, or systems that set new benchmarks for excellence in food and beverage manufacturing.
LOCAL MANUFACTURING
This award recognises excellence in the production and manufacturing of Australian food and beverage products.
EXCELLENCE IN VALUE INNOVATION *NEW*
Recognising companies that have responded to current economic and cultural conditions with innovative value-driven solutions that successfully balance customer needs, profitability, and business relationships, to create impactful, sustainable, and commercially viable outcomes.
OUTSTANDING BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD *NEW*
Recognising a business that encapsulates organisational excellence, emphasising leadership, innovation, sustainability, and quantifiable performance metrics.
RISING STAR
This award recognises a startup that is less than three years old and has disrupted established markets.
GAMECHANGER
This category is for the company that embodies new ideas, innovations, and practices for the benefit of future food systems.
and
founder and CEO of Kommunity Brew,
accepting the 2024 Golden Hive Award.
THE GOLDEN HIVE
The Golden Hive recipient is selected by Food & Drink Business from the category winners.
Click here to find out more and enter the awards.
Entries close at 4pm, Friday 21 February 2024.
