Entry Information and Rules

The World’s Largest Beverage Competition:

Beverages from around the world participate annually in The World Beverage Competition for many reasons. Integrity, prestige, honor and success are words best used to describe the effect that Beverage Brands enjoy after receiving an award from this time-honored competition. The World Beverage Competition was founded on the premise that beverage products should be judged not by the strength of their marketing or the budget of their sales force, but rather on the quality and innovation of the product itself. The tradition continues as we have recently expanded the number of beverage categories to cover the full spectrum of products available in the world today. Our competition has given Beverage brand owners spanning the globe the chance to compete on an even playing field.

All products submitted to the World Beverage Competition

are taste tested by a panel of judges who…

…are industry professionals from 6 different continents; not celebrities, beverage retailers or public figures whom may show partiality towards a particular brand.

…are not announced to the public, as this leads to undue influence from brand owners and the media, which results in issues of credibility for the competition.

…do not see the packaging or know the brand name prior to documenting and submitting their tasting scorecards for the competition.

Behind closed doors, in a tasting room closed to brand participants and the public, this “double blind” taste test method is one that is most effective in providing honest opinions from the panel. The products are all brought to their optimum tasting temperature, thus assuring the panel the same sensation of taste that is received by the general populous. The packaging event occurs after the tasting event process has been completed, which gives the highest level of control over the tasting panels’ opinions during the tasting phase. The World Beverage Competition is a member of the World Trade Organization and complies with all World law. With these safeguards in place, it is no wonder why the World Beverage Competition is accredited as the premier tasting event in the world of beverages, and why it is known as: “The Largest Beverage Competition in the World!”TM

The World Beverage Competition offers:

The World Beverage Competition invites your brand to participate in “The Largest Beverage Competition in the World!”TM

Accolades from this competition present an incomparable marketing opportunity for beverage brands, as the reputation and prestige of the competition precedes itself the world over. Award winners are not only garnished with medals, they are also praised in consumer and industry publications throughout the world with our media partners and press contacts. Additionally, winning brands are given a license to utilize the World Beverage Competition Annual Award Seal as a part of their marketing for up to three years after being selected to receive an award.

Thank you for your interest in participating in the competition recognized by astute beverage brand owners the world over; the one and only World Beverage Competition! The most comprehensive, World Beverage judging ever held in the world. The competition is branded as “The World’s Largest Beverage Competition”TM

An unparalleled marketing and promotion opportunity for the top medal winning beverages and manufacturers. A website where consumers from around the globe can find information about the judging and final results. www.BeverageCompetition.com You also have the convenience of charging your entry fees to your credit card on this website, rather than paying your fees by check or money order.

Enclosed are the entry rules, entry forms, classification codes, and additional information regarding the World Beverage Competition. For producers entering from outside of the United States, we have included a Customs Broker Form to speed your Beverage through customs. Please review this material carefully.

On behalf of the World Beverage Competition, and all of our judges, we welcome you and look forward to tasting all of your beverage products.  


 

World Beverage Competition

This year, the World Beverage Competition is expected to attract more than 10,000 beverage brands from around the world. Judges of the World Beverage Competition represent noted industry members from five continents. Judging is based on a double blind scorecard system, insuring total anonymity of the brand and complete honesty and integrity from the panel.

Awards and Categories

Announcement of awards will be made to Major Media and World Press by telephone or fax. Results can also be found on our website at www.BeverageCompetition.com

Awards per category are::

The Platinum AwardBest of Show – The Platinum Award

The “Best of Show” award is granted to only one winner per category, which is chosen unanimously by the tasting panel as the finest offering of the competition. These Platinum Award Winning products should be regarded for the extra effort, creativity and care taken in bringing them to the market.


The Platinum AwardGold

The second highest honor in the World Beverage Competition, the Gold Award is bestowed upon the finest products in their class. Products that achieve the Gold honors are those with the highest standards of taste, quality, packaging and trade dress.


The Platinum AwardSilver

The Silver Award is given to products whom show promise and potential for mass appeal, while retaining the taste and quality recognized by the tasting panel as superior in its’ class.

The Platinum AwardBronze

Bronze Award winners are celebrated for their overall value and potential for appeal. These products are the emerging brands in their segments, who may not be as polished as the others, yet retain an edge in the market.

Best of Show – Series

The “Best of Show – Series” award is granted to a series of products per category that share similar packaging and quality in which at least one product of the series has won a Platinum Award. The series must all meet this high quality standard to achieve this honor.


Producer of the Year

This award is presented to the beverage producer in each category whose products have garnished the most accolades during the competition. A cumulative total per category is calculated to achieve the winner of this top honor.


Best Packaging

The packaging award is granted to only one product from each category that stands out amongst it’s peers. This product is readily recognized as a distinguished brand, either through its quality, creativity, innovation or characteristics, this is one of the most difficult awards to achieve in the beverage industry.


Best Overall Value

This award is given to only one product per category that achieves not only high quality, but also reasonable shelf pricing, thus becoming the best overall value in it’s class.


 

Press Contacts & Public Relations

Being the worlds largest beverage competition means that our award winners are not only garnished with medals, they are also praised in consumer and industry publications throughout the world with our media partners and press contacts. Additionally, winning brands are given a license to utilize the World Beverage Competition Annual Award Seal as a part of their marketing for up to three years after being selected to receive an award. We are always interested in participating with media and the press in promotion of our competition and our award winners.

Public relations will include press releases announcing the winning Beverage to all major beverage and food publications and major media Worldly. Media partners will also provide winners with the opportunity to advertise their brand in magazines or other publications in the publication run featuring article written about the competition results.

 

Paperwork

Application process - Stay tuned for information regarding next year's competition.

The World Beverage Competition Application is included with this brochure. If additional copies are required, please print or copy the application(s), as necessary, and please retain a copy of each completed application(s) for your records.

The original form and payment must be received by our administrative office address no later than the announced deadlines. Entry forms may be downloaded from our website at www.BeverageCompetition.com

Producers entering from outside the United States should complete a Customs Broker Form to include with entry paperwork, if the product is not delivered US stateside through an importer.

Please ship:

  1. Minimum of three (3) units of your beverage product for the tasting competition. Send an additional two (2) if entering the tasting and packaging competitions.
  2. Include a check for entry fee or if paid via credit card on our website, provide transaction number or printed confirmation page.
  3. Include a customs broker form (for beverage shipped in from outside the U.S.)

World Beverage Competition Rules

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY. VIOLATION OF THE RULES MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION AND THE FORFEITURE OF FEES AND BEVERAGE SAMPLES.

The World Beverage Competition reserves the right to photograph and reproduce any package accepted in the competition for catalogues, posters, publications or for use on our website, and may use such photographs to be publicity printed by the competition. Each submitting producer assents to this condition.

1. Eligibility Requirements:

  • Any commercial Beverage produced by a professional producer that complies with the beverage classification codes provided.
  • The completed entry form with the fees must be received at the World Beverage Competition.
    • (NOTE: Keep a copy of the completed entry form for your records.)
  • All beverages must be received at the receiving warehouse between the dates specified.
  • All entries from out of the United States must fill out the US Customs broker form. This will speed delivery to our warehouse and enable our customs broker to pass the beverage samples through customs.
  • The World Beverage Competition is not responsible for customs duty charges incurred.

2. To enter your Beverage:

a. FORMS AND FEES: The entry fee(s) is specified in the entry form(s) and varies per competition. By November 15th send a completed copy of the entry form (make a copy for your records) along with your online payment receipt or check/money order payable to:

COMPETITION SAMPLES

b. Send a minimum of three (3) units per entry (additional two (2) units if entering packaging competition) and a copy of the completed entry form.

3. Entry Qualifications:

a. There is no limit to the number of entries per producer.

b. No beverage may be entered more than once in the same year by an entrant, even if it is marketed or private labeled under different labels.

c. Beverage entered in previous competitions are welcome.

4. Shipping:

a. Samples received prior to or after entry times will not be entered into the competition and shall forfeit all entry fees and costs.

b. BEVERAGE ENTRIES MAY BE LEGALLY SHIPPED ANYWHERE WITHIN THE UNITED STATES. FEDEX PREFERS TO HAVE WRITTEN ON THE BOXES: "SAMPLE MATERIALS. NOT FOR RESALE."

c. Alcohol products should have a "Sample: Not For Resale" sticker placed on bottom of the exterior box of the product or on the bottom of the bottle/can/decanter.

d. For shipments of more than one box, indicate that the box is

"Box 1 of 4", "Box 2 of 4", etc.

5. Basis of Judging:

a. The judging will be conducted by panels of qualified professional tasters.

b. Each beverage entry will, within reason and at the discretion of the Judging Director and Managing Director, be evaluated within a peer group of similar beverages. The Events Directors reserve the right, however, to arrange categories as they see fit in light of the number of entries.

c. The World Beverage Competition awards will be made on a merit basis. The judges will not grant awards when, in their opinion, no beverage is worthy of an award.

6. Other rules:

Each producer winning a Platinum Award agrees to provide the World Beverage Competition one (1) additional sealed unit for historical display purposes.

PACKAGING COMPETITION

This is an entirely separate competition and requires two (2) separate units (total of five units) to be and additional funds in the amount specified in the entry form per brand to be submitted. If you are entering both tasting and packaging competitions one check or payment may be issued for both.

1. Packaging judging:

a. The packages will be judged by industry design experts.
b. The judges have determined the following criteria for judging the packages:

I. overall originality and creativity

II. uniqueness in the market
III. use of lettering, wording and text
IV. use of graphics and colors to convey the product message

2. Awards

Awards for the Packaging Competition will be announced after the judging and will consist of awards in both the individual and series packaging competitions.

3. Participation

To participate in the Packaging Competition only, the competition must receive two (2) complete unit packages clearly marked "Packaging Competition" to the World Beverage Competition.

4. Payment

Please send the paperwork and online payment receipt or check/money order payable to the World Beverage Competition.