Simson's Pantry received the Best NPD Award for its High Protein Souvlaki, which delivers 10g of protein per serve while still maintaining the texture, flexibility and versatility consumers expect. By combining functional nutrition with everyday usability, the company has successfully introduced a new point of differentiation within the Australian flatbread category.

Freshwater Bev Tech has received this year's Gamechanger Award for its patent-pending unpasteurised production process, developed specifically to preserve bio-active compounds in the company's functional beverage brand, SUMMi Soda.

Sam Musson has been awarded the 2026 Golden Hive, impressing the judges with her work reshaping how the food industry thinks about surplus agricultural produce.

The 2026 Hive Award for Best Packaging goes to Amcor Flexibles, for its AmPrima Recycle-Ready Packaging for Shredded Cheese. The product replaces PET and PVDC with a mono-PE structure that meets Australasian Recycling Label requirements, without compromising performance.

Aquafab received the Hive Award for Best Beverage Product for its novel approach to replicating the foaming capabilities of egg whites in cocktails, creating a first of its kind product with a shelf-stable formula of faba bean protein and water.

Bendigo Brittle has been awarded the 2026 Hive Local Manufacturer Award. The company is family-owned, employing a small team hand-producing hundreds of thousands of units of brittle every year in a custom-designed commercial kitchen in regional Victoria.

The Rising Star award took on a new format for 2026, honouring an individual shaping the future of the industry through leadership, initiative, and innovation. The Hive Award went to Sam Musson, who founded Zest Element and HarvestResQ to tackle the food waste crisis in Australia.

The 2026 Hive Award for Best Technology goes to Treasury Wine Estates, for its low- and no-alcohol wine production process. The company unveiled its new $15 million Barossa Valley dealcoholisation facility in February, which uses a proprietary Flavour Lock process to capture and reintroduce the wine’s aromatic essence.

The winners of the 2026 Hive Awards have been recognised and celebrated as some of Australia's most innovative food and beverage manufacturers over the past year. The awards were presented on Thursday 21 May during a long lunch at Linseed House, Sydney, to a room of over 100 industry leaders abuzz with excitement.

Mars Food & Nutrition Australia is increasing its support for Foodbank Australia once again, helping to provide 4.4 million meals to Australians experiencing food insecurity in 2026, as frontline charities struggle to cope with rising demand.

As frontline food charities struggle to cope with rising demand, the Victorian government is supporting Neighbourhood Houses across the state with dedicated food relief funding.

Family-owned Australian dairy producer, Brancourts, has been acquired for an undisclosed sum by Arla Foods Mayer Australia (AFMA) – the joint venture formed in 2015 between Mayers Fine Food and global dairy cooperative, Arla Foods.

The Hive Awards would not be possible without the support of its sponsors. This year, Food & Drink Business was thrilled to announce The Commonwealth Bank of Australia as the Headline Sponsor for the third year in a row.

After matcha, hot honey, and Dubai chocolate went viral for Australian tastebuds in 2025, it’s Asian-inspired foods and fusions that are leading the charge this year. Pureprofile Australia senior account director, Kate Richards, shares insights on the latest trends in hospitality, and how they are impacting retail.

The winners of the 2026 Melbourne Royal Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) have been announced, receiving more than 2200 entries from 381 breweries across 22 countries.

Sustainable Winegrowing Australia has appointed an inaugural executive officer and advisory board, aiming to enhance impact and guide strategic direction moving forward.