Australian Vintage, LION, Good Drinks and Diageo have each been recognised at the 2026 Australian Drinks Awards, taking out Best New Product Innovation across the Wine, Beer, RTD/Cider and Spirits categories respectively.
The Best New Product Innovation Award recognises products that grow their category, demonstrate genuine innovation and create long-term value. Judges weighed each submission on its originality and differentiation, the market impact it set out to achieve and the commercial success behind it.
Sophie Went, General Manager Commercial and Marketing at Coles Liquor, was on the judging panel for the Best New Product Innovation Award. Of the submissions and winners, she said:
“Many of the submissions were drawn from customer insights that were brought to life in the product. The winners delivered innovation but also really thought about how to engage a customer out of store, how to recruit them into store, convert them into a sale and hopefully bring new customers into the category.”
Wine: Australian Vintage – Poco Vino
Poco Vino reimagines wine as a portable, single-serve format, opening up new ways for consumers to enjoy the category. The product drew praise from the judges for innovation in format, packaging and positioning with commercial strength. The judges were impressed with a well-executed disruption to an existing format that gives consumers an elevated consumption occasion for wine.
Beer: LION – Stone & Wood Radler
Stone & Wood's Citrus and Peach Radler cuts the brand's approachable ale base with subtle fruit, offering a lighter, more sessionable style within the category. The judges were impressed by how the product had managed to invigorate a category that had been sitting latent for some time, with the pairing of the Radler concept and the Stone & Wood brand proving a winning combination. Judges noted its success in giving existing shoppers a new alternative while also opening the door to recruiting customers new to the brand.
RTD/Cider: Good Drinks – Matso's Pash Pine Crush
Matso's Pash Pine Crush brings a tropical, real-fruit flavour to the Light RTD category. The judges commented on how the product had done a strong job of creating genuine customer demand since launch. In the judges' view, its success lies in tapping into consumers' appetite for nostalgia, delivering a flavour and format that resonates on an emotional level.
Spirits: Diageo – Baileys Minis Indulgence Collection
The Baileys Minis Indulgence Collection packages three 100ml bottles together, giving consumers a lower-commitment way to explore the brand's range for gifting and treating occasions. The mini collection caught judges' attention for tapping into the growing trend for smaller, more snackable formats that meet consumers' evolving consumption preferences. Judges also pointed to its alignment with an emerging global shift towards mini sizes, opening the door for new customers to discover the brand.
Celebrating the night's winners
GS1 Australia’s Chief Executive Officer, Maria Palazzolo, presented the four awards on the night.
“The drinks industry is never short of new ideas,” she said. “The award for Best New Product Innovation recognises companies that bring a fresh approach, with strong consumer appeal and operational foundations to succeed. GS1 Australia is proud to support the recognition of the exciting work taking place across the liquor industry and congratulates all nominees for this award.”
There was a total of 16 awards handed out at the 14th Annual Australian Drinks Awards, hosted by Edwina Bartholomew. The awards recognise achievement and excellence in the drinks industry, including four Best New Product Innovation Awards and five Best Campaign Awards.
The Drinks Association congratulates its Category One Members, Australian Vintage, LION, Good Drinks Australia and Diageo, on winning the 2026 Best New Product Innovation Awards.
GS1 Australia is a Platinum Partner of the Drinks Association.
The Drinks Association would like to thank its generous sponsors for this year's event.
