The TASTY Awards

A NEW annual awards program that elevates & celebrates the best-tasting alternative protein products using data from blind sensory panels. ​​ Winners are decided by thousands, devoured by all. 

powered by NECTAR

The premier celebration of alternative protein taste-makers!

NECTAR conducts an annual Taste of the Industry sensory panel with thousands of omnivore consumers on hundreds of alternative protein products. The results of this blind taste test determine the winners of The TASTY Awards, with recognition in each category awarded to the product(s) that have either met or exceeded taste parity with their animal-based counterparts. Unlike traditional awards programs, winners of The TASTY Awards are determined by data, not judges.

On March 18, 2026, NECTAR will host its second annual in-person award ceremony, bringing together over 300 attendees to celebrate and showcase the culinary credibility of today’s leading alternative products. 

Award Criteria & FAQs

MorningStar Farms

Winning Product: Chick’n Nuggets
Award Year: 2025 Winner

MorningStar Farms has been a leader in vegetarian foods for more than 30 years, known for their products like burgers and nuggets.

After winning a 2025 TASTY Award for their Chick’n Nuggets, the brand integrated the TASTY Award badge into retail listings and digital advertising campaigns.

The Result?

25% lift

compared to previous summer ad campaign

Award Ceremony Sponsors

In-Kind Partners

Media Partners

To discuss sponsorship opportunities for the 2026 TASTY Awards, please contact NECTAR’s Director, Caroline Cotto at: caroline.cotto@nectar.org.

Explore Sponsorship Packages

Follow along on Instagram

@theTASTYawards

🎟️ TICKETS ARE LIVE 🎟️ The 2nd Annual TASTY Awards is back! 🏆 This year’s theme: DAIRY 🥛 We blind taste-tested 100+ dairy alternative products across 10 categories with thousands of consumers. Now we’re celebrating the winners&mdas
European and U.S. plant-based products are equivalent in overall liking to American consumers - a sign that global taste preferences are converging 🌱 This means that European brands (think The Vegetarian Butcher and SWAP) have what it takes to succ
🏆 TASTY AWARD WINNER SPOTLIGHT: Impossible Meatballs 🏆 Beefy, savory, and ready in minutes - @impossible_foods Meatballs deliver all the nostalgia of your grandmother’s meatballs with 12g of protein per serving, 0mg cholesterol, and about 25
Some plant-based meat categories are still in need of innovation, especially when it comes to texture! The categories most in need? 🥓 Bacon 🥩 Steak 🍗 Unbreaded Chicken Strips/Chunks 🌭 Bratwurst Which brands do you think are nailing it in th
🏆 TASTY AWARD WINNER SPOTLIGHT: Prime Roots Cracked Pepper Turkey 🏆 Crafted with koji - the same ancient fermentation culture behind miso and sake - @primeroots has reinvented deli turkey with a cracked pepper kick that’s all plant-based. O
🌍 Exciting news! NECTAR’s very own Caroline Cotto has been named to the 2025 #Grist50 - a list celebrating 50 climate leaders driving change in their communities and shaping a more sustainable future. We’re so proud to see Caroline reco