The Foodies is a sustainability award recognising the standout achievements among the 4.5 million small and medium sized enterprises powering Europe’s agri food ecosystem. This year, the award steps onto an even bigger stage by joining forces with SIAL Paris, the world’s largest food and drink exhibition, and being supported by the European Commission. If your SME is driving meaningful change from farm to fork, this is the award that puts your impact in the spotlight.
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What Agri-food SMEs mean for the EU
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We have four categories, representing the seven aspirational objectives outlined in the Agri-Food Code*. Find out which one is right for you.
For an SME that reduces greenhouse gas emissions in its own operations, working towards a climate‑neutral food chain. This might include cutting energy use, adopting renewable energy, improving logistics, and investing in low‑carbon technologies that shrink the climate footprint from farm to fork.
Your efforts would directly contribute toward the following objective:
For an SME that helps consumers adopt healthy and sustainable diets, by offering foods and drinks with improved nutritional profiles and lower environmental footprints. This could include product reformulation, new nutritious products, appropriate portion sizes, and clear information or initiatives that make healthier, more sustainable choices easier every day.
Your efforts would directly contribute toward the following objective:
For an SME that acts on the prevention of food loss and waste while using resources efficiently, contributing to an optimised circular, resource‑efficient food chain. This could involve avoiding waste across operations, valorising byproducts, supporting redistribution, and innovating in packaging and processes to keep food and materials in circulation for longer.
Your efforts would directly contribute toward the following objectives:
For an SME that creates long‑term value for people, planet and business by supporting decent work, resilient growth and fair partnerships. This can mean providing quality jobs and skills, building collaborative supply‑chain relationships, and sourcing ingredients through responsible, deforestation‑free and socially sustainable practices.
Your efforts would directly contribute toward the following objectives:
*The Agri-Food Code is an EU farm-to-fork, industry-led initiative that aims to accelerate the shift towards sustainable food systems. Its full name is ‘the EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices’. Any organisation can commit to the Code by submitting a pledge on the platform.
Aligned with the Agri-Food Code, the Foodies awards spotlight game-changing efforts across four categories: Nutrition Action, Circular Chain, Greener Planet, and Shared Value.
In the hat to win are the all small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups that are part of the agri-food ecosystem based in a member state of the European Union.
An SME is defined as follows:
Think of The Foodies as your platform to celebrate the game-changing sustainability steps you and your team are taking toward a better food system. Make it as a finalist, and your journey gets amplified to industry leaders, policymakers, and global networks through exposure on the European Commission’s online platform. Moreover, you’ll score a distinctive badge as a finalist AND will have a speaking opportunity on the SIAL For Change stage as well as be mentioned in all communications about the competition. the world’s top food and drink exhibition, to spark partnerships and accelerate your mission.
All submissions will be assessed by SIAL For Change. The jury is independent and composed of agri-food professionals and CSR experts (CSR journalists, Hyssop consultants, competition partners, and specialists). The jury will meet in September 2026 to select the finalists to be recognised for this edition.
The evaluation is based on the following criteria: Originality, Impact, Scalability, Sustainability, Economics, EU contribution around seven European sustainability objectives:
An SME is a micro, small, or medium-sized enterprise (SME) which employs no more than 250 people and which has an annual turnover not exceeding €50m or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding €43m.
The competition, launched in March 2026, will remain open until July 2026 . The finalists will be decided in September 2026 and the final Awards Ceremony will take place in Paris on the 18th of October 2026.
Access the competition platform through SIAL For Change, create your login and password, and complete the questionnaire.
Please download the slide deck on this site for more details. If you still don’t find what you’re looking for reach out to ….
Looking for a bit more info? No problem. E-mail us at awards@fooddrinkeurope.eu
