The winners of the Caffè Culture Show 2016 Exhibitor Awards have been announced.
Winner of Best Drink Product at the Show was Himalayan Coffee & Tea from Himalayan Treasures. The company sources premium tea varieties and coffee beans from the highest farms in the world and donates 10 per cent of profits to communities and farmers in Nepal affected by the catastrophic 2015 earthquake.
Award judge Brian Williams, Editor of Brian’s Coffee Spot, said: “As usual, judging the award was hard, with a very high level of entries. In the end, what won me over was the work that Himalayan Treasures is doing in Nepal. Not only is it raising money for communities devastated by the earthquake, but it’s sustaining and growing the tea and coffee growing communities. By trading directly with farmers, Himalayan Treasures is able to pay considerably more than the commodity market price and can promote quality, which in turn, can lead to increased incomes for farmers. It’s these sorts of relationships which can turn coffee and tea from subsistence crops into thriving businesses which support whole communities.”
Sunder Lama, Founder of Himalayan Treasures, says: “The earthquake had a profound impact on me and I wanted to do something positive to help the communities affected. After initial fundraising amongst friends and family to support victims, I worked to set up a social enterprise that would support local growers and communities with basic life improvements. We’re so proud that the quality of our coffee and tea has been recognised by these awards.”
Winner of the Best Food Product at the Show was the Cadbury’s Crème Egg Brownie from Heavenly Cakes Ltd.
Award judge Nic Belfrage, Editor of Essentially Catering Magazine, said: “This is a deliciously indulgent chocolate treat that looks wonderful too.”
Janine Ward, Sales and Marketing Manager at Heavenly Cakes said: “We are absolutely over the moon with this award, particularly when the competition was so tough. We love to create seasonal cakes for the café and coffee shop market and we’re delighted this Easter treat is a winner!”
Winner of the Most Innovative Product at the Show was the Barista Milk Mate by Mulmar Foodservice Solutions.
Award judge Helen Marriott, Editor of Caffè Culture Connect, said: “This clever ergonomic solution has so many benefits for cafés. It reduces milk wastage and eliminates the clutter of milk cartons which helps staff keep a presentable counter.”
Giovanni Altieri, Senior Commercial Manager at Mulmar Foodservice Solutions said: “Minimising wastage is what led us to develop the Barista Milk Mate. It manages portion control so that baristas don’t need to refoam and retexturise milk every time.”
Caffè Culture Show Event Director Cheryl Carroll says: “The judges were hugely impressed by these three highly deserving winners. With 80 entries in this year’s awards and a really strong shortlist, it’s clear that when it comes to developing innovative new ideas, the café industry never stands still.”
The Caffè Culture Show (#CaffeCulture2016) is the leading annual event for the UK café industry and took place on 10-11th May 2016 at London Olympia.