Gama, a global provider of business information and services specializing in FMCG product innovation and international trade, has officially opened entries for the ninth edition of the Gama Innovation Conference & Awards (GICA), taking place in the iconic Bridgewater Hall in Manchester on Thursday, 24th October 2024.
As ever, GICA will begin with the Gama Innovation Conference, bringing together the great and the good from the world of consumer goods for a unique and inspiring day of presentations and discussions. The conference will be followed by the Gama Innovation Awards, a celebration of outstanding product innovation from around the world across ten categories: Product, Packaging, Positioning, Branding & Design, Health & Wellness, SME, Best of Britain, Best of Middle East, Hospitality and Travel.
Entry* to the Gama Innovation Awards is free, with nominated finalists having a unique opportunity to showcase in front to a select audience of buyers and experts from the UK, Europe and all around the world.
Judging the 2024 Gama Innovation Awards will be a high-calibre international panel including thought leaders from companies such as Kraft Heinz, Coty, Essity, IFFCO and Bel Group, as well as Shark Tank Brasil’s Cris Arcangeli, underlining the reputation of the Gama Innovation Awards as a major showcase of global innovation.
GICA’s trademark informal setting and invitation-only guest list will once again enable leading executives from small and large companies alike to forge valuable new partnerships with over 100 strategic partners from all around the world, including start-ups, scale-ups, established brands, retailers, hotels, airlines, and investors, making GICA the perfect platform for firms looking to take their business to the next level.
Delegates will also have the opportunity to network and get inspired within the Innovation Zone, where dozens of companies will be showcasing game-changing launches from all over the world.
Returning for 2024, the Meet The Buyer initiative will give innovative suppliers a unique opportunity to connect directly with a diverse range of retailers, distributors, and commercial partners. Also returning this year, Meet The Investor pairs innovative start-up and scale-up FMCG businesses with private and institutional investors keen to expand their consumer goods portfolios.
Commenting on the announcement, Gama Founder & CEO Cesar Pereira said: “We are excited to announce the return of the Gama Innovation Conference & Awards (GICA) in 2024 for the latest celebration of global innovation in the FMCG industry. We are enormously proud of the way GICA is rapidly becoming a valuable meeting point for the industry and an important incubator of new partnerships and collaboration”.
Ian Wright CBE, Co-Chair of the Food & Drink Export Council, said: “[GICA] is a real success for Manchester […] and it has every chance of becoming the premier food and drink industry event in the North of England”.
Entries to the Gama Innovation Awards 2024 are open until Friday 14th June, and manufacturers are invited to submit their own product innovations for consideration to silvia.ruiz@gamaconsumer.com, in accordance with the entry requirements* and qualifying criteria. All submissions will be carefully considered, but please note submitting a product is not a guarantee of nomination as a finalist.
*Entry requirements:
- To be considered for nomination, products must have been launched to the global market no earlier than January 2023. Entries should be branded, packaged products from the food, drinks, personal care, household care, or tobacco / nicotine industries available in a retail setting.
- Submissions should include the brand and product name, a description of the product, one or more images, and an explanation of the nature of the innovation. Please also specify the categories you would like to be considered for.
