Inno d’Or – Innovation of the Year 2026 competition

Date: 2026. 04. 02. 00:00

In 2026, the Trade magazine Inno d’Or – Innovation of the Year 2026 competition will once again be launched, where we are looking for outstanding and value-creating innovations! We place special emphasis on developments that aim to meet continuously changing consumer preferences and create unique customer experiences. We also expect applications from startups, as this competition offers them an excellent opportunity to introduce and promote their innovations. The best products and services will be entitled to bear the Inno d’Or – Innovation of the Year 2026 title.

Objectives and target audience:

The aim of the competition is to recognize and reward products and services offering value-creating innovative solutions that address current customer, consumer, or industrial needs. These innovations fit into identifiable trends or are inspired by existing, clearly defined needs. The Inno d’Or – Innovation of the Year 2026 competition provides an opportunity for businesses operating in the categories specified in the call for applications to present their distinctive, innovative developments and to receive professional recognition.

This year as well, the professional jury includes decision-makers, buyers, and sales professionals from retail companies, as well as representatives of leading organizations and bodies from the Hungarian food industry, trade, packaging technology, marketing, research, regulatory, and academic sectors, whose expertise ensures the professional credibility of the competition.

Categories:

By product type – MAIN CATEGORY

  1. Food: this category includes, for example, innovations in confectionery products, sweets, snacks, bakery products, meat products, dairy products, ambient and frozen foods, sauces, spices, ready meals, dietary supplements, and pet food.
  2. Beverage: this category includes, for example, innovations in mineral waters, soft drinks, fruit juices, coffees, teas, and alcoholic beverages.
  3. Cosmetics and free-from cosmetics: this category includes innovations in cosmetics, beauty care, skin and hair care, and baby care products.
  4. Chemical goods: this category includes innovations in cleaning agents, detergents, and other household or professional chemical products.
  5. Ingredient: this category includes innovations focusing on ingredients, such as new raw materials or combinations of ingredients.
  6. Service: this category includes innovations related to services in the FMCG segment, such as new online platforms, delivery solutions, customer service systems, and beauty services.
  7. Technology: this category includes innovative solutions related to technologies in the FMCG segment, such as manufacturing, logistics, and IT technologies.
  8. Packaging (standalone): in this category, we expect innovative packaging solutions that are not related to specific products, but provide innovations and developments specifically in the field of packaging. This may include, for example, sustainable packaging solutions, intelligent or interactive packaging technologies, as well as unique materials or forms that make packaging more efficient, attractive, or environmentally friendly. In this category, companies that are specifically engaged in packaging manufacturing may apply.

By brand type – Subcategory I.

  1. Manufacturer brand: in this category, we expect entries of manufacturers’ own brands.
  2. Retail brand: in this category, we expect entries of retail companies’ brands.

By target group – MARKET SEGMENT – Subcategory II.

  1. B2B: in terms of distribution, we expect innovations in corporate, industrial, and wholesale products, services, technologies, and packaging.
  2. B2C: in terms of distribution, we expect innovations in products, services, technologies, and packaging sold to consumers.

By free-from aspect – INNOVATION FOCUS – Subcategory III.

  1. Free-from: the innovation focus of the product or product family is on free-from characteristics in terms of composition or packaging.
  2. Not relevant: the innovation focus is not based on free-from aspects.

By AI – AI FOCUS – Subcategory IV.

  1. AI: AI technology played a decisive role in the development or operation of the given product, service, or process.
  2. AI aspect not relevant: AI was applied during the development and operation of the product, service, or process; however, the use of AI appears as a supplementary element throughout the entire process.

Type of classification:

  1. Product: in the case of 1 product.
  2. Product family: in the case of a joint entry of more than one product.
  3. Service

APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 2, 2026

Participation conditions:

  • The competition is open to products and services introduced between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025.
  • An application is considered valid if the application form is completed by the application deadline, the participation fee is paid within the specified period, and all conditions set out in the competition rules are accepted.
  • An Applicant may participate in the Competition with multiple applications, either in the same category or in different categories.

Documents related to the submission of the application:

  • Product data sheet
  • Product packaging (image format)
  • Nutritional information graphic (image format)
  • Preparation/preparation suggestion (in the case of products and product families)

Evaluation criteria and composition of the jury:

Applications that achieve at least 70% of the maximum available score will be awarded the title!

  • The first phase of the evaluation is conducted electronically. Jury members assess the application as a whole and score the submitted entries based on their professional experience. In the second phase, in categories where sensory evaluation is also announced, jury members will be invited to continue the evaluation with personal participation. The results are compiled based on the electronic evaluation and the sensory assessment. In the third phase, if the jury’s opinion is not unanimous, a professional consultation will be convened, in which all jury members may participate, and based on the final decisions, the final results will be determined.

During the evaluation, the jury considers the following criteria:

  • Innovation content
  • Fit with trends
  • Market viability / Survival indicator
  • Unique product/service advantages
  • Sensory evaluation

Depending on the number of applications, the Jury reserves the right to define subcategories during the evaluation process.

Awards and recognitions:

Based on the conditions defined in the competition rules, the professional jury selects, in all categories, those applications that exceed the minimum score required by the rules and awards them the “Inno d’Or – Innovation of the Year 2026” title in the form of a certificate and a prize.

Based on the results achieved in the competition, the winners will be announced, who may use the “Inno d’Or – Innovation of the Year 2026” and the “Inno d’Or – Innovation of the Year 2026 in Hungary” logos for a period of three (3) years from the date of receiving the award.

Applicants who apply with a (sub)category-creating product may also win the “Pioneer of the Future” special award.

Deadlines:

APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 2, 2026

Application fees:

  • In the case of a product: 1st application HUF 99,000 + VAT / 2nd and additional applications HUF 89,000 + VAT (co-applicant fee: HUF 89,000 + VAT), which includes participation for 1 person at the conference combined with the award ceremony.
  • In the case of product families (flavor, fragrance, and packaging variations are also considered product families) and service packages: 1st application HUF 149,000 + VAT / 2nd and additional applications HUF 129,000 + VAT (co-applicant fee: HUF 89,000 + VAT), which includes participation for 1 person at the conference combined with the award ceremony.

Innovation Day and award ceremony details:

  • Award ceremony date: May 21, 2026.
  • Innovation Day participation fee: HUF 69,000 + VAT / person

For further information, please write to us by e-mail: ress.adrienn@trademagazin.hu

The Inno d’Or – Innovation of the Year 2026 COMPETITION RULES
The Inno d’Or – Innovation of the Year 2026 DATA PROTECTION NOTICE

Application form

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