Best new products named in Hotelympia Innovation Awards shortlist
2016 has been dubbed a vintage year by judges in Hotelympia's 2016 Innovation Awards.
Judges, including Jack Sharkey, CEDA chairman, Carl Weldon, CEO at HOSPA, Lisa Jenkins, products and suppliers editor of The Caterer and Stirling Johnstone, editor of GS
Innovation was so plentiful in the equipment category that the judges declared seven products through to the final round:
- Carpigiani UK with their ice-cream and milkshake machine Multiple Choice
- De Manincor UK with their energy consumption monitoring software Total Control System
- Gamble Foodservice Solutions with the high speed Ovention Matchbox 360-12 oven
- Manitowoc Foodservice's Frymaster FilterQuick 2FQE3OU
- MKN GmbH & Co with the compact SpaceCombi Magic Pilot
- Pneu-Therm (Hoeller Buffet Solutions) with the new hot to cold CCP (Comfort Combi Plate)
- Winterhalter's dishwasher-come-air-conditioning unit PT Climate Plus.
The judges in this category also wanted to make special mention of entries submitted by Falcon Foodservice for the new F900 series, "for being the first British manufacturer to develop a linking system that creates a complete cooking line in this category" and Foster Refrigerator for developing the Foster +stayclear aero tube condenser "which could help to maintain more reliable temperature control to improve food safety".
"We judged the equipment entries based on the innovation to the market as a whole, and the subsequent impact," said Jack Sharkey, CEDA Chairman. "We were really impressed by the range and quality of the entries."
The Interiors finalists are:
- Alfresco Spaces with its outdoor heating solution Fire N Table
- Burgess Furniture with a contemporary banquet chair Inicio
- Divine Atmos Private with the eco-friendly Palm Leaf Slippers
- Hotel Contract Interiors' Engineered Vinyl Tile
- Signature FSE with Inductwarm tables
- Vegware with recycled compostable black cutlery for eco-friendly dining
The Technology finalists are:
- Hawk Safety with food safety analytical tool Heat
- Kaba with their Mobile Key Access
- The Ordamo System of interactive displays and restaurant ordering
- Smart Space Strategy with a cloud based application Smart Space
- The Chef Tree with its job search app for chefs, app.thecheftree.com
- The Wi-Q order and payment mobile solution.
Stirling Johnstone, chair of the judges and editor of GS magazine, said: "Without question, this is the best batch of entries to date. Some truly great ideas which have been well thought through to provide the industry with new and improved products. Finding a winner from these will not be an easy task."
Visitors to the show will be able to view the innovations in a special area in the halls and category winners will be crowned at an awards ceremony held on the Stage on 29 February at 4pm.
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