Innovative Australian food and beverage company Preshafood Limited has beaten entries from beverage giants PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, at the prestigious international Beverage Innovation Awards held at Drinktec in Germany overnight. Drinktec is the premier event showcasing global innovations in beverage and liquid food technology and the Beverage Innovation Awards are the Oscars equivalent for the beverage industry.
Preshafood has taken out first prize in the 'Best New Juice or Juice Drink' and the overall award across the 24 award categories 'Best New Beverage Concept'. The Company's Preshafruit juice range was selected as the best product from over 340 entries from 40 countries. Preshafood was also a finalist in the 'Best Newcomer Brand or Business'. In winning these awards, Preshafood has further cemented Preshafruit's position as a significant player in the highly competitive and developed non-alcoholic beverages industry.
The unique high pressure processing (HPP) technology that developed these innovative juices uses a technique where the fruit is subjected to over 6000 times the normal atmospheric pressure to pasteurise food products. This process promotes vitamin and nutrient retention, longer shelf-life, superior taste and smell and enables a myriad of opportunities in the food and beverage industry. Preshafruit juices are available in Coles nationally and Woolworths Victorian and NSW stores.
In commenting on Preshafood's award success in the international arena, Preshafood's Managing Director Andrew Gibb said:
"These awards legitimise Preshafood's HPP method and add further credibility to the excellence of the products which were first developed at CSIRO's Food Science Australia. The unique benefits of HPP are that it kills microbes such as yeasts, moulds and bacteria and extends the shelf-life of chilled perishable products without adversely affecting the food's freshness, flavour, colour, texture and nutritional value."
Andrew Gibb further commented that:
"Preshafruit's unique triangular bottle really sets it apart from other offerings in the supermarket juice aisle. Australian consumers have really begun to embrace our fruit juice products with us recording the highest ever sales performance thus far for September. I am sure this international award recognition will assist us greatly in getting the message out to the wider market that our fruit juices are truly unique for taste quality and value for money."
"Preshafruit juices are a standout on the supermarket shelves because of our unique packaging, the all important 100% Australian fruit, and the critical components of no added concentrates, sweeteners, colours or preservatives."
The Beverage Innovation Award judges commented that, "the bottle immediately gives the product a super-premium feel and the whole presentation, including the sophisticated labelling and unique closure, gives consumers plenty of clues as to just how good these drinks taste. First purchase is pretty much assured through the packaging innovation, repeat purchase is guaranteed through a really great tasting and refreshing drinking experience."
Preshafood is listed on the Australian Small Scale Offerings Board (ASSOB) to fund the further expansion of the Company. ASSOB is Australia's largest unlisted securities platform that showcases investment opportunities in high growth unlisted companies. For more information please visit www.assob.com.au