Innovation awards

Epernay Agglo Champagne, with the support of its partners, is organising the Prix à l'Innovation competition as part of VITeff, which will take place from 14 to 16 October 2025.

Epernay Agglo Champagne is keen to bring quality initiatives to VITeff, the sparkling wine technology exhibition, and has decided to organise the 18th edition of this prize. The prize is designed to highlight the most innovative (technological, services, marketing) and environmentally-friendly projects in the wine and oenology sectors.

5 categories :

  • The "Viticulture" innovation prize will be awarded to the innovative company in the wine-growing sector that contributes to sustainable development: prize of €2,000. This innovation must contribute to the sustainable development of vine-growing and wine-producing activities
  • The "Oenology" Innovation Prize will be awarded to the company that innovates in the sparkling wine production process: prize of 2,000 euros
  • The "Marketing/Service Innovation" Innovation Prize will be awarded to the company proposing a marketing or service innovation applicable to sparkling wines: prize of 2,000 euros
  • The prize for innovation in the "Technological innovation - process, products and consumables" category will be awarded to the company presenting innovative concepts, production processes or products applicable to sparkling wines: prize of 2,000 euros
  • The prize for innovation in the "Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)" category will be awarded to the exemplary actions taken by a company in the sparkling wine sector to limit the negative impact of its activity and improve its environment, whether human, social or natural: prize of 2,000 euros.

Event Agenda

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October 14, 2025
10:45
10:45 - 11:45
Innovations in Champagne from planting to bottling ?
Innovations in Champagne from planting to bottling, conferences organised by IOC - Organic matter and soil biology, levers for the quality of terroirs, by Matthieu Dubernet, Chairman of the Dubernet Group - Terra Mea. - Drip irrigation of planters: a cost-effective solution for sustainable vineyards, by Olivier Zebic, Consultant, agricultural engineer and oenologist at Z&C. - Tartaric stabilisation of wines: how to meet the challenges of calcium tartrate stability by Yannick Le Gratiet, Director of Oenodia by IOC".
YannickLEGRATIET (IOC)
11:00
11:00 - 12:00
How to keep champagne's leadership in 2040?
"What are the trends for the champagne sector to maintain its leadership in a context of changing consumer's behaviours and external stakes such as climate change? What strategies should we adopt to challenge ourselves? What makes champagne unique today? How can the identity of champagne and the Champagne region be asserted in an increasingly competitive environment with other sparkling wines?
AlainSACY (EFFEVENT)OlivierGERGAUD (New-York University)DamienCHAMPY (Syndicat Général des Vignerons de Champagne)DavidCHATILLON (Union des Maisons de Champagne)FranckLEROY (Région Grand Est )
12:00
12:00 - 12:45
VITeff 2025 innovation awards ceremony
14:30
14:30 - 15:15
Technical innovations to make vineyard work safer and more efficient
ZheweiYU (Yunitech)ChristopheAdam (INFACO)Sébastien LE GOLVET (Champagne HENRI GIRAUD)JulienBACROT (Martell Mumm Perrier Jouët)RémiLEGRAS (Champagne Legras & Haas)
15:30
15:30 - 16:15
The future of sparkling wine and champagne sales in France
DavidMENIVAL (Crédit Agricole Nord Est)NicolasPAPAVERO (Caviste et Gérant)SamuelBRENNETOT (Crédit Agricole SA )ChloéQUEFFEULOU (Rayon Boisson)
16:30
16:30 - 17:15
Innovation in sparkling wine bottling: cork, caps and traceability
IsabelleGRUARD (Directrice Marketing Groupe)PaulineSAUBUSSE (Responsable Commerciale)NolwennDESMARET QUISNEL (COMMUNAUTÉ D'AGGLOMÉRATION EPERNAY, COTEAUX ET PLA)AlainSCHMITT (Œnologue & Directeur commercil Grand Est)
17:30
17:30 - 18:30
How can we innovate to decarbonise the champagne sector? Packaging and collective self-consumption of electricity
François BERTHOUMIEUX (Responsable de projets ingénierie vinicole)ElodieHIGONET CHAPUY (Président Directeur Général)BaptistePRIVE (Responsable de projet )Marie-NoëlleVIAUD (Comité Champagne)ChristineDUMONT-LEFEBVRE (SARL fl@.cd)

Researchers X Exhibitors dating

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A "dating" event is organised between exhibiting companies and researchers, grouped by areas of expertise (such as agri-food, health, digital, etc.), to encourage targeted and constructive meetings around common issues. In partnership with the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, this initiative aims to create synergies between the innovation needs of companies and the scientific skills of laboratories, with a view to developing joint research and development projects. This short, structured format helps to lay the foundations for future collaborations, be they technological partnerships, funded collaborative projects or skills transfers to the socio-economic world.
https://les-rdv-innorem.com/laboratoires/
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