Prins & Dingemanse and Grant's Smokehouse edged out 43 finalists representing 14 countries to win the grand prizes in the tenth annual Seafood Prix d'Elite new products competition at the European Seafood Exposition on Tuesday.
The winners were announced during a reception and awards ceremony in Auditorium 2000 of the Brussels Exhibition Grounds.
Prins & Dingemanse of Yerseke, the Netherlands, captured the best new retail product for its Oyster Tasting Platter. The competition's judges were encouraged by the product's innovative approach to serving oysters. It features three different types of oysters - four Zeeland oysters, four flat oysters and four French oysters - in a three-compartment package, allowing consumers to easily serve a fresh oyster platter and experience the three unique tastes.
Grant's Smokehouse of Maryport, United Kingdom, took home the best new foodservice product for its MacKnight's Smoked Salmon Bacon, which also won the best new foodservice product at the Seafood Excellence Awards during the International Boston Seafood Show in March.
The product features Atlantic salmon cured with a special blend of rock salt, spices and maple syrup. It's carefully air dried and smoked to create a rich, flavorful smoked salmon bacon. The judges noted the product's unique taste and that it offers a healthy alternative to traditional bacon products. What's more, the slices are portion-controlled for ease of use.
MacKnight's Smoked Salmon Bacon was also presented with a special award for originality.
In addition to the two top prizes, five special awards were handed out for originality, convenience, health and nutrition, retail packaging and seafood product line.
Prawn Lollipop from Dish Hospitality of Mumbai, India, won a special award for convenience. The savory appetizer features prawns marinated in a North Indian Achari spice blend of anise, mustard, coriander, onion and cumin and is coated with crispy rice flakes. The lollipop includes a sugar cane stick, which infuses a juicy finish.
The special award for health and nutrition went to Heiploeg Group of Oostende, Belgium, for its Heidema & van der Ploeg North Sea Shrimp Stock. The concentrated shrimp stock is made at the source from just-landed North Sea shrimp. No artificial flavorings are added. Packed in glass jars, the stock is used as a base for nutritious seafood soups and sauces.
Krustagroup of Barcelona, Spain, captured the special award for retail packaging for its Langostino Austral Pelado. The peeled and deveined Argentinean red shrimp are packed in a black trayskin package that shows consumers the size of the shrimp as well as the quantity they are buying. An attractive black-and-white outer box provides product details.
The special award for seafood product line went to Seachill of Grimsby, the United Kingdom, for its Saucy Fish Co. range of ready-to-serve products. The chilled retail line features an array of seafood species offered with sauce combinations, including Salmon with Watercress & Crème Fraiche Sauce, Sea Bass with Beurre Blanc Sauce, Haddock with Mustard and Dill Sauce, and Salmon with Sunblush Tomato Dressing.
The winners and the finalists will remain on display through Thursday at the Seafood Prix d'Elite stand, located in the Patio of the Brussels Exhibition Grounds.
The judges for this year's competition were Juergen Pauly, category manager for Fresh Fish with Globus in Germany; Maria Begoña, fresh fish commercial manager for Grupo Eroski in Spain; Luk Goormans, fish buyer for Makro Stores in Belgium; Valérie Boucly-Frère, seafood manager for the northern region for Intermarché in France; and Peter Joyner, marketing director-contracts, for Elior in the United Kingdom. Joyner also served as chairman of judges.
The finalists were judged on taste and overall eating experience, packaging, marketability, convenience, nutritional value and originality. The judges' scores were verified by Ernst & Young.
