Innovative new Australian confectionery products rewarded at ConTechPlus
A showcase featuring some of the Australasian confectionery industry’s most innovative and ground breaking new products and services was a major highlight at the industry’s premier annual conference, ConTechPlus, held last month.
The inaugural Supplier Innovation Showcase, run by the Confectionery Manufacturers of Australasia (CMA) to celebrate confectionery supply chain innovation, attracted extensive interest from throughout Australia and overseas.
The four finalists were Innovia Films, Scalzo Food Industries, FTA Food Solutions and the CRT Group, with Innovia Films and Scalzo taking home the top awards.
“Innovia Films won for its innovative NatureFlex NM, a cellulose based film manufactured from renewable wood pulp that, even after metallising is biodegradable and suitable for home composting,” CMA Chief Executive, Trish Hyde, explained.
Innovia says the unique product is naturally anti-static with excellent slip and dead fold characteristics for twist wrap applications.
“Scalzo had partnered with its supplier of roasted soy nuts who had developed the innovative roasting technique that gives soy beans a nut like crunch that’s a tasty nutritious alternative to nuts and is used in Sweet William’s popular ‘Not Nuts’ chocolate bar,” Ms Hyde added.
The two winners presented their innovations to delegates at ConTechPlus 2009 as part of the official conference speakers program.
FTA Food Solutions, in association with US principle Meduri Farms, reached the finals for its innovative range of dehydrated premium fruits suitable for use in the confectionery industry. Its unique dehydration process retains the fruits natural juice, flavour and nutrition.
The CRT Group also reached the final for its CRT Pod Trailer, which it said capitalised on the financial advantages that containerisation and intermodal transport brings to the supply chain that ensures high quality rapid and safe transfer of products using a vacuum pressure cycle.
