Delivered by Whitehouse Communications in partnership with the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance (ESSNA), the ESSNawards gave brands, organisations and ambassadors active in the sports nutrition industry an opportunity to be recognised and celebrated by their peers for their contributions to the sector. It also brought together key stakeholders to network and exchange ideas about anticipated 2024 market trends, sustainability, and the future of sports nutrition.
The event included presentations from industry experts including Chris Whitehouse, Chairman and Managing Director of Whitehouse Communications, Luca Bucchini, Chair of ESSNA, motivational speaker Jonathan Acott, who is the first six-time cancer survivor to run a marathon on every continent, Whitehouse Communications food and nutrition expert Andrea Gutierrez-Solana, and Terence O’Rorke, Business Development Manager at LGC.
20 awards were won last week, listed below. The winners and runners up were identified by an independent panel of expert judges from a range of diverse backgrounds. All of the finalists are responsible, forward-facing sports nutrition brands and producers in Europe who have continued to grow and innovate in an ever-expanding market.
Best Protein Bar
- Winner: MyProtein – Triple Chocolate Fudge Layered Bar
- Runner Up: Healthspan Elite – All Blacks HiLo Vegan Protein Bar
Most Exciting Partnership
- Winner: Gencor Levagen®+ X HydroCurc®
- Runner Up: Myprotein – Myprotein X Jelly Belly
Best Sports Nutrition Ingredient
- Winner: Gencor – Levagen+®
- Runner Up: Kerry Taste & Nutrition – BC30™
Best “Free-From” Product
- Winner: Mellifera – MelliGel Organic Honey Energy Gel
- Runner Up: Kinetica Sports – Chocolate Plant Protein
Sustainability Leader of the Year
- Winner: Weider Nutrition
Best Protein Powder/Shake
- Winner: Optimum Nutrition – Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein
- Runner Up: MyProtein – Clear Whey Isolate
Best Targeted Product
- Winner: Crown Sport Nutrition – Hyper (1:0.8)
- Runner Up: Nutrition X – Repair Collagen Shot
Best Sports Hydration Drink
- Winner: Crown Sport Nutrition – Isodrink & Energy
- Runner Up: Myprotein – The EAA
Best Sports Nutrition Company
- Winner: Nutrition X
- Runner Up: Crown Sport Nutrition
Best Sports Nutrition Product
- Winner: Kinetica Sports – Collagen with Turmeric Shots
- Runner Up: Crown Sport Nutrition – Hyper (1:0.8)
“The sports and active nutrition sector is constantly evolving with businesses achieving remarkable feats of science and innovation across Europe and all around the world. On 7 December, the brightest and best gathered to celebrate the greatest successes in our sector and honour cutting-edge products and brand excellence,” said Luca Bucchini, Chair of ESSNA
“Over the past few years, our industry has witnessed significant growth and has managed to overcome trade and regulatory challenges, such as Brexit, the pandemic and economic downturn and turn them into opportunities. This year’s ESSNawards was a celebration of that,” Bucchini added.
“It is particularly gratifying to mark this occasion in what has also been a landmark year for Whitehouse Communications, our 25th Anniversary. It seems fitting that as we celebrate 25 years of delivering issues led integrated communications, including extensive work in the European nutrition sector, we also celebrate 5 years of excellence in the sports nutrition industry said Chris Whitehouse, Chairman of Whitehouse Communications
“This has undoubtedly been our strongest year yet, and we look forward to another 5 years of recognising innovation and success within the industry,” Whitehouse added.
“Informed Sport has been thrilled to continue our work in supporting and being a part of this year’s ESSNawards,” said Terence O’Rorke, Business Development Manager at Informed Sport.
“With the industry continuing to grow and innovate in spite of various outside challenges in the last few years, the safety and compliance of new products remains key, which is where Informed Sport hopes to continue supporting new brands.”
