The Plant-Based Excellence Awards, taking place during Plant Based World Expo Europe 2025 at ExCeL London on 26th November, are designed to spotlight the best of what the industry has to offer. With a sharpened focus on products that not only taste great but also perform for business, these awards have become a premier benchmark of quality and innovation across the plant-based food sector.

This year’s awards, sponsored by Diverse Fine Food, have expanded in scope and clarity with updated categories, refined judging criteria, and multiple recognition tiers—ensuring every entry has the chance to shine.

What’s New for 2025

Updated Categories

The 2025 awards now span 15 dynamic categories, covering everything from meat alternatives and ready meals to bakery, condiments, snacks, and more. This comprehensive approach allows for a wide range of plant-based innovation to be recognised—from everyday staples to trend-setting newcomers. Last years winners include Let it V Foods: Veikon Bacon, Jay and Joy: Jeanne Alternative to Blue Cheese and MYOM: Original Oat, demonstrating that even the most challenging to replicate animal products are being met with high quality plant-based innovations.

Judging Criteria

Entries will be evaluated by panels of expert buyers and industry professionals across five critical areas:

• Taste & Texture

• Appearance & Branding

• Sustainability

• Business Value & Supply Chain Viability

• Commercial Potential (including margins)

This approach ensures that award-winning products don’t just impress on the plate—but perform on the shelf and on the balance sheet.

Multiple Ways to Win

Each product entered will have three chances for recognition:

• Gold, Silver or Bronze Rating – Based on total score across judging criteria.

• Category Winner – Awarded to the top-scoring product in each of the 15 categories.

• Best of 2025 – The single highest-scoring product across all entries will be crowned the best overall and awarded the prestigious Best of 2025 trophy.

Winners of each category will be honored live at the Plant-Based Excellence Awards Ceremony on 26th November 2025—a moment that brings together leading brands, emerging innovators, and the entire plant-based ecosystem to celebrate the future of food.

Entry Details & Key Dates

Whether you’re a legacy brand or a rising startup, submitting your product puts it in front of the most influential buyers in the industry. Here’s how to get involved:

Entry Rates:

• Exhibitors: 1 free entry + £100+VAT per additional product per category

• Non-Exhibitors: £150 per product per category

Deadlines:

• 15 May – Entries Open Apply Now

• 1 August – Entry Deadline

• 15 August – Final Day for Sample Shipping

• Early October – Bronze, Silver, and Gold awardees announced

• 26 November – Trophy Ceremony at Plant Based World Expo Europe

Why These Awards Matter

As plant-based products become increasingly integrated into mainstream retail and foodservice offerings, decision makers are hungry for cues on which innovations to trust. These awards serve not only to celebrate excellence—but to guide buyers toward the next best-sellers that meet their needs in taste, performance, and values.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of this year’s celebration of the best of plant-based. Submit your entries and let your innovation speak for itself.

➡️ Enter the 2025 Plant-Based Excellence Awards