The winners of the AQUA 2019 New Product Awards received their awards at a special dinner attended by more than 500 guests on the first night of the AQUA 2019 trade show at the Telford International Centre.
In total, 110 products were entered into the New Product Showcase, sponsored by pbwnews, making it the highest number of products ever entered.
A panel of aquatic retailer judges chose the winners of seven categories. Their decisions took into account a number of guideline criteria such as product innovation, design, quality, packaging and value for money.
They said that the New Product Showcase had produced a high calibre of entries with a tremendous variety of innovation.
The awards were presented by show organiser Gordon Thomas and OATA Impact chairman Dr David Pool.
The winners are:
> Marine Food, Care, Accessories & Decor
Winner: Marine Lab Multi-Test Kit
Entered by: NT Labs
Judges said: “The customer-friendly winning product had eye-catching packaging, which provided the consumer with some very important information about water testing. Any product that encourages fishkeepers to test the water in their own tanks more often is a welcome addition to the market.”
> Marine Equipment & Aquaria
Winner: Dosetronic
Entered by: Aquarium Connections
Judges said: “A lot of thought and time has gone into this product to suit people with busy lifestyles. It is a professional piece of equipment that is very user-friendly.”
> Freshwater Equipment & Aquaria
Winner: OakStyle 230 Urban Grey
Entered by: Aqua One
Judges said: “This product offers great value for money and will attract new customers into the market. It also looks good and will fit neatly into the home. It’s keeping up with lifestyle trends.”
> Aquarium Food, Care, Accessories & Decor
Winner: Waste-Away Gel Freshwater
Entered by: Aquarium Systems UK
Judges said: “This product is very user-friendly and will encourage repeat sales.”
> Pond Equipment & Construction
Winner: Smart Lights
Entered by: Certikin
Judges said: “This LED lighting system has some nice and attractive features, and will appeal in two sectors of the markets – ponds and gardens.”
> Pond Food, Care, Accessories & Decor
Winner: Deep Water Oxygenators
Entered by: Anglo Aquatic Plant
Judges said: “Pre-packed in an aquatic basket, the winning product not only looks good, it is also easy to handle.”
> Reptile
Winner: Herptile Premium Reptile Food
Entered by: Hikari
Judges said: “Attractive packaging made this product stand out.”