Judging is now underway for the 2026 Australian Drinks Awards, with the full program going to panel assessment ahead of the winners' announcement on Thursday, 23 July at Sofitel Sydney Wentworth.
A program built around industry investment
This year's awards reflect a deliberate effort to ensure the program keeps pace with industry investment. The Brand Awards have been redesigned around two categories – Best New Product Innovation and Best Campaign – and for the first time, both will be judged by a panel of industry peers. The Brand Awards were previously determined by consumer research.
Judged by people who know the work
By having industry peers assess Brand Awards, entrants are evaluated by people with direct experience operating in this market—from the realities of ranging and distribution to the constraints and opportunities that shape how campaigns come to life. It's a more grounded measure of what genuine excellence looks like.
The Contribution to Industry Awards — Best Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative, Best Wellbeing Initiative and Best Environmental Sustainability Initiative — continue to be assessed by a panel of industry leaders, including representatives from the Drinks Association Board, member companies and subject matter experts in each field.
"What stands out about this year's program is that every award is being assessed by people with genuine skin in the game," says Georgia Lennon, CEO of the Drinks Association. "Whether it's a product launch, a campaign or an inclusion initiative, the people evaluating that work understand what it takes to deliver it. That makes these awards meaningful in a way that goes beyond recognition."
The bar is high
Last year's Contribution to Industry winners set a strong benchmark for what the panel will be looking for. Asahi Beverages took home both the Best Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative for HerWorkplace — a co-designed program developed with more than 70 women across frontline supply chain sites — and Best Wellbeing Initiative for a safety and wellbeing culture program that achieved a 35% reduction in Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate. Australian Vintage won Best Environmental Sustainability Initiative for the Nepenthe Elevation Vine to Glass initiative, which reached more than 11 million Australians with its end-to-end sustainability story.
Mark your calendar
Winners will be announced at the 2026 Australian Drinks Awards on Thursday, 23 July at Sofitel Sydney Wentworth.
