Dirk Jacobs
Director General FoodDrinkEurope
Kristin Schreiber
Director for Chemicals, Health, Retail and Agrifood, DG GROW,
European Commission
“
When it comes to eating and drinking, European citizens want sustainable, high-quality produce for a good price. 99% of operators in this ecosystem are SME’s which are therefore the backbone of this ecosystem and hold the key to ensure the competitiveness of the industry. New and innovative solutions by European entrepreneurs are critical for the transition to more sustainability.
Ivan Štefanec
MEP, Slovakia (EPP)
“
Reflecting current economic and environmental challenges, European food and drink SMEs are transforming to a resilient industry delivering more sustainable products to customers, while maintaining the taste and tradition that we all enjoy. We want to celebrate the innovative SMEs and start-ups working to make our food more sustainable and fit for healthier lifestyles.
Irène Tolleret
MEP
Christine Schneider
MEP
Christine Gould
CEO, Thought for Food
“
The role of start-ups and next-generation innovators in food systems transformation is essential. Why? Because today's purpose-driven and impact-focused entrepreneurs apply attitudes like openness and collaboration to create innovations underpinned by open & circular business models that enable true sustainability. They are the green shoots that push things forward.
In the hat to win are all small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) that are part of the agri-food ecosystem in Europe.
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. Making it as a finalist puts you centre‑stage at the world’s largest food and drink exhibition, giving you unparalleled visibility with global buyers and industry leaders. You’ll gain exclusive behind‑the‑scenes access with a trip to Paris and a complimentary ticket to SIAL Paris. Finalists also receive an official Foodies badge that boosts brand recognition and showcases your sustainability achievements. Plus, your work will be featured on the European Commission’s agri‑food platform, amplifying your story to a wide and influential audience.
All submissions will be assessed once the application deadline has passed. The independent jury will meet to select the 12 finalists (three finalists for each award category of The Foodies). Once announced, you will be able to find more information about the jury on the SIAL for Change jury page.
The judging panel will select finalists from each category based on the following criteria: originality, impact, scalability, sustainability, economics, contribution around the seven objectives outlined in the EU Agri-Food Code:
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 on 24 March 2026, will remain open until 1 July 2026 . The finalists will be decided by September 2026 and the final Awards Ceremony will take place in Paris at SIAL Paris on 18 October 2026.
Access the following application form, 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 contact.sialforchange@comexposium.com
Looking for a bit more info? No problem. E-mail us at awards@fooddrinkeurope.eu
