The THAIFEX – HOREC Asia 2025, which commenced with the THAIFEX – HOREC Innovation Awards, highlighted the future of hospitality and food service. These awards honored ten innovative solutions that are poised to revolutionize the hotels, restaurants, and catering (HoReCa) industry.
In its second year, the awards became a benchmark for innovation in Southeast Asia’s hospitality industry, evaluating efficiency, usability, sustainability, and technological advancements. This year, 125 entries were submitted, with 36 finalists chosen—resulting in 10 winners in five main categories.
“Winning this award feels like a powerful affirmation of our team’s relentless hard work, resilience, and curiosity,” said Jake Berber, co-founder of Prefer, whose company’s bean-free coffee was among this year’s winners.
“This award opens doors to connect Prefer with new partners, customers, and markets across Asia and beyond,” he added.
Among the standout innovations are AI-powered kitchen technologies, sustainable dining solutions, and next-generation beverage systems.
Bakery & Ice Cream: Principessa Gelato Making Machine (Lucamari) offers a multi-functional approach to gelato and cocktails with low energy use and zero water waste. Meanwhile, Paper Cutlery (Thai Paper) has introduced fully recyclable, PEFC-certified utensils made from compressed paper.
Cafe & Bar: A800 by FRANKE introduces a revolutionary approach to premium coffee making by enabling automated customization of natural flavors. Rynn by Nanova revolutionizes water filtration through NanoTechnology-driven purification. Prefer’s Bean-Free Coffee gains attention as Southeast Asia’s initial sustainable option to conventional coffee beans.
Dining: Cocoon by Stölzle Lausitz reimagines wine glass design for optimal aeration and aroma enhancement.
Kitchen & Technology: CHEFTOP-X by UNOX uses an integrated camera to recognize food and automatically adjust cooking programs, while POP01 by Giorik speeds up high-heat cooking without microwaves. The Noodle and Beverage Bot by Codemax transforms dining by incorporating robotics for self-ordering and real-time analytics.
The Hybrid Bedsheet & Towel by Hitrade greatly improves the durability of hotel linens, allowing them to endure tough industrial washing and bleaching processes.
The successful solutions are showcased at the THAIFEX – HOREC Xperiential Zone, allowing visitors to directly interact with these advancements. The interactive display links the concept with practical application, providing hospitality experts the chance to assess and integrate new solutions into their operations.
“At UNOX, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of culinary innovation. This recognition reinforces our dedication to developing reliable, cutting-edge solutions for chefs and businesses worldwide,” said Taychin Liengpanich, Market Development Manager (Thailand) of UNOX, whose AI-driven CHEFTOP-X secured an award for the second year in a row.
With sustainability, efficiency, and technology at the forefront, the THAIFEX – HOREC Innovation Awards highlighted the future of the HoReCa oindustry. The event ran from March 5-7, 2025, at IMPACT, Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok, Thailand.