lunch! ramps up innovation levels again, with a record 110 new products ‘going for gold’ in its Innovation Challenge Awards.  Many of these innovations will be enjoying their official trade launch at the show, which returns to ExCeL London next week, on 19-20 September.

Products competing for a much-coveted gold Innovation Challenge Award will be showcased in the Innovation Challenge Gallery, which offers visiting buyers – working across food-to-go, retail, hospitality, catering and wholesale – an industry-leading preview of what’s new and launching on the market. 

lunch! visitors get to choose the award finalists by voting for their favourites on opening day (between 10am and 4pm), with their top picks going forward to the exciting Innovation Challenge Live pitches session the following day.  Successful exhibitors (there’s usually around 15 finalists) will then take turns to wow the judges.  They have just 90-seconds to impress them.

The Innovation Challenge judges – who’ll be putting this year’s finalists to the test – include Paul Ettinger, co-founder and business development director at Caffè Nero; Martyn Clover, head of food at Tortilla; Shereen Ritchie, operations director at LEON; Shane Kavanagh, MD of Crussh; James Kidman, head of food at Crussh; Simon Woplin, head of innovation at Ambassador Theatre Group; Martin Hambleton, head of procurement at En Route International; Louise Direito, head of innovation at Krispy Kreme UK; Kristian Katin, owner of Feed Wagons (former ops director at Small Batch Coffee Roasters); Frank Boltman, director of TRADE; and chef/consultant Jay Morjaria, a winner of BBC’s Million Pound Menu.

Innovation Challenge entries include:

• Abakus Foods: Seaweed Crisps - Lightly Salted 
• Beast: Beast 
• Bells & Whistles: BELLS & WHiSTLES Berry and Cashew Cake Slices 
• Berrington Spring Water: Aluminium Refill Bottle 
• Biogroupe: KARMA Ginger Beer 
• BioPak UK: BioPak Carnauba-Wax Coated Cutlery 
• Bio-tiful Dairy: Biotiful Kefir Protein Mango & Passionfruit Compote 160g 
• Boka Food: Boka Strawberry Granola 
• Borna Foods: Unsweetened Pistachio Drink 
• Bravura Foods: Laidback Lemonade 
• Bravura Foods: Relaxing Raspberry  
• Bravura Foods: Mindful Mango & Passionfruit 
• Cheesies: Cheesies Cheddar 20g 
• Counterline: ECHF Duel Heated & Chilled Merchandiser 900mm Wide Version 
• Crické: Cricket Cracker - Ginger & Chilli 
• CUP&CINO Kaffeesystem Vertrieb: Barista ONE Twin  
• The Curators: The Curators Salt & Vinegar Pork Puffs 
• DELI LITES: Plant Based Coconut Mocchaccino Breakfast on the Go 
• DELI LITES: Guilt Free, Plant Based Donner Kebab 
• The Dreamery: Zefir  
• DRGN Turmeric Superdrink: DRGN Turmeric Superdrink - Citrus 
• Drink 420: Drink 420 Elderflower Lime CBD drink 
• Drinks Cubed: Water Cubed Natural Mineral Water 500ml & 1L
• Enviroware^®: Paper Cutlery from Enviroware 
• Evolution Foods: Natural Selection Mango Dippers with Raspberry Coulis Dip 
• Fire Grain Freekeh: Fire Grain Organic Freekeh 
• FITCH Brew Co: FITCH Sparkling Cold Brew Tea - Rosehip, Hibiscus and Elderflower 
• Flower & White: Flower & White Salted Caramel Meringue Bites 
• FrieslandCampina UK: Yazoo No Added Sugar 200ml Carton 
• Fruit Bowl: Fruit Bowl Perfectly Pressed Blueberry & Acai Berry Bar 30g 
• fwip: fwip Portobello Machine 
• Good Root Bakery: Empotato  
• Gut Instinct: Oatstix 
• Holy Moly Dips: Holy Moly Dips - Snack Pack 
• Huel: Chocolate Huel Ready-to-drink 
• Hullabaloo: Nutty Munch 
• Humble Acre: GOGO ROOS 
• ima vegan sushi: Ima Vegan Salmon
• International Delicacies: Kitchen & Love Cauliflower Meals - Indian Vegetable Curry 
• J&G Pecans: Pecan Crunch 
• Jack & Bry: Jackfruit Pepperoni 
• The Jackfruit Company: The Jackfruit Company - Pouched Jackfruit 
• Joe & Seph's: Vegan Coconut & Cacao Popcorn 
• Johnsons Juice Co: Johnson's Cloudy Still Limeade
• Kepak: Goode and Tucker
• Lazy Vegan: Lazy Vegan Ready Meal Tikka Masala 
• Lizzie’s Food Factory: Lizzie’s Vegan Rocky Road Bar
• Lizzie’s Food Factory: Lizzie’s Plus Bar Orange & Apricot
• Lizzie’s Food Factory: Lizzie’s Plus Bar Pecan & Cranberry
• Lord Sandwich/FullWrap: Full Wrap 
• Love Taste Co: CaFiend 
• Love Taste Co: Matcha the Day 
• Love Taste Co: Livin La Vida Cocoa 
• Magrini: Magrini B285 Blender with App Control 
• Matok V'Kal: Liteez 
• Mighty Sesame: Mighty Sesame Tahini 
• MiiRO Plant-Based: Crisp-Coated Signature Chocolate with a Peanut Heart 
• Mindful Bites: Mindful Bites - Veganettone
• Mr Lee's Noodles: Mr Lee's Coconut Chicken Laksa 
• Munchy Seeds: Warm Cinnamon  
• Nairn's: Nairn's Gluten Free Pop Oats BBQ 
• Nairn's: Nairn's Gluten Free Pop Oats Salt & Vinegar 
• Nairn's: Nairn's Gluten Free Pop Oats Sour Cream & Chive 
• Native Snacks: Native Snacks Popped Lotus Seeds - Jalapeno & Kaffir Lime 
• Nix & Kix: Nix & Kix Watermelon and Hibiscus  
• Nooj: Nooj 
• Norseland: Applewood^® Vegan 
• nüber food: Green Pepper, Lime & Chilli Veggie Bar 
• Nush: Nush Almond Milk Cheese Spread Chive
• OGGS: OGGS Mini Vanilla Cupcakes  
• Other Foods: Crunchy Shiitake Mushrooms 
• Paterson Arran: Paterson's Fruity & Filling Oat Bars 
• PERKIER FOODS: Perkier Cacao & Salted Caramel Quinoa Bars 
• The PIEwich^®: The PIEwich^® 
• PLAYin CHOC: PLAYin CHOC ToyChoc Box 
• Popcorn Shed: Mini Pop! - Toffee Mini Popcorn 
• Pri's Puddings: Pocket-sized Pies - Pecan Pie 
• Qwrkee Foods: Qwrkee Vegan Jerky Maple Bacon Flavour 
• Qwrkee Foods: Qwrkee Plant Based Probiotic Puffs - Vegan Cheese 
• Rapid Action Packaging (RAP): Precious Planet 
• Rapid Action Packaging (RAP): M&S Asian and Global Food Range 
• RATION - The Better Bite: RATION Apple, Mango and Passion Fruit 40g Snack Bar 
• Re:Nourish: Re:Nourish Digest Soup 
• Rebel Kitchen: Rebel Kitchen Chocolate Hazelnut Mylk  
• RJF Farhi: Farhi Snack On the Go Range
• Rubies in the Rubble: Rubies in the Rubble Tomato Ketchup 
• Rubies in the Rubble: Rubies in the Rubble Plant Based Mayo 
• Sabert Europe: BePulp Compostable Meal Box to Go 
• Satisfied Snacks: Roughs - Tomato and Feta 
• The Savourists: The Savourists - Black Olive and Nori Seaweed 
• The Savourists: The Savourists - Sundried Tomato and Herb  
• SCI-MX Nutrition: PRO 2GO Gooey Bar - Salted Caramel 
• Scraegg UK Distribution: Scraegg Pro 
• Seedful - The Heart of Nature: Seedful To Go
• Stoats Porridge Bars: Apple & Cinnamon Mini Porridge Oat Bar 
• Sweetland: Light Vegan Baklava  
• TENZING Natural Energy: TENZING Raspberry & Yuzu 
• The Turmeric Co: The Turmeric Co. Raw Turmeric and Beetroot 
• Unrooted Fresh Energy: Unrooted Fresh Energy - Baobab & Ginger 
• Upbeat Brands: Upbeat Sparkling Protein Water with Natural Energy
• Veg of Lund: MyFoodie Raspberry Organic Drink 
• Vita Mojo Operating Systems: Dynamic Menus 
• Wales - Fine Food Cluster: Daioni Organic Mocha 
• Wales - Fine Food Cluster: Saveg Goan Curry Pie 
• Wi5: Wi5 
• Willy's: Willy's Kombucha + Apple Cider Vinegar Sparkling Apple Drink 250ml 
• Willy's: Willy's Apple Cider Vinegar + Beetroot Shot  
• Yorvale: Yorlife Kefir Ice Cream - Jaffa Orange 
• Your Daily Protein: Your Daily Protein Vanilla Drink 
• Yummycomb: YummyComb rus-STIX - Sea Salted caramel 

The Innovation Challenge Live (The Pitches) starts at 11.15am on Friday 20 September in Keynote Theatre 1.  The results will be announced at 4.15pm that day. 

For further information about the products up for Innovation Challenge Awards, the 2019 online Show Guide is now available to view online at www.lunchshow.co.uk/2019-showguide. 

Free trade registration
lunch! returns to ExCeL London on 19-20 September. To register free in advance, please visit www.lunchshow.co.uk and quote priority code LU22 (https://eventdata.uk/Forms/Default.aspx?FormRef=Lun99Visitor&PageNo=20&TrackingCode=LU22).