Lena and Elisabeth Took Third Place with Our Pumpkin Seed Purée
Six months of development work, one great result: at the Food Masterclass 2026 finale on 10 September in Graz, Lena Pfeiffer and Elisabeth Mittelbach-Krenn from Estyria Naturprodukte GmbH took third place with our pumpkin seed purée.
What Is the Food Masterclass?
As part of the Styrian Food Hub’s Food Masterclass – powered by SFG – 14 Styrian companies spent six months working intensively on new products and processes. Across six modules between March and September 2026, the focus was on product development, sensory analysis, food law, market readiness, and sales, supported by experts from science and industry.
At the grand finale in the Audimax at FH JOANNEUM, participants presented their developments to the public and a high-calibre expert jury. Judging criteria included product idea and taste, as well as, in particular, degree of innovation, market potential, and economic viability.
Our Drive for Innovation
At Steirerkraft, we’re constantly rethinking our raw ingredients – uncovering new facets in them time and again. From the pumpkin, we don’t just make oil or the classic seed, but also creamy purée or popped pumpkin seeds. From the apple, we don’t just make chips, but also compote or a popped variation. We experiment, refine, and keep developing until an idea becomes a product that truly convinces.
What Makes Us Especially Proud
Our range keeps growing, and pumpkin seed purée is one of its newest additions. The fact that the expert jury honoured this very product with third place confirms something we believe in: good ingredients, carefully crafted, win over people beyond our own kitchen too. It’s a wonderful motivation to keep pursuing this path.
A heartfelt thank you to Lena and Elisabeth for their dedicated work over the past six months – and to the Styrian Food Hub for organising this special format.
