Maïzly Corn Milk claims global SME Innovation Prize at GAMA Awards

Maïzly has been named the winner of the 2025 GAMA Innovation Award for SMEs, securing international recognition for its corn-based plant milk in a global competition spanning more than 50 countries. The award singled out the North Carolina-based company for what judges described as a fresh approach to the crowded plant-based milk category.

The GAMA Innovation Awards recognized new products across food, drink, and personal care, with the SME category focused on small and medium-sized companies bringing novel ideas to market. Maïzly was selected as the top SME winner for its corn milk, which the company described as creamy, gut-friendly, and designed to address common allergens found in many dairy alternatives.

Founded in 2019 by Marcel van der Merwe and Tim Leclercq, Maïzly was created in response to what its founders saw as a lack of diversity in plant-based milk options. While oat, almond, and soy continued to dominate shelves, the company developed a milk alternative based on corn, positioning it as both functional and accessible.

Maïzly described itself as the world’s first corn milk brand. The product was dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, seed-oil-free, and allergen-friendly, aiming to appeal to consumers with dietary restrictions as well as those seeking alternatives to conventional plant-based milks. Its primary ingredient, soluble non-GMO corn fiber, was selected for its role in supporting digestion and promoting beneficial gut bacteria.

According to the company, the nutritional profile was central to its development strategy, with functionality given equal weight to taste and texture. Maïzly emphasized that its corn milk was designed to deliver creaminess comparable to established dairy alternatives while offering added digestive benefits.

Since its US debut earlier in 2025, Maïzly expanded distribution rapidly. The brand reported that its products were available on more than 1,000 grocery store shelves across the USA, including retailers such as ShopRite, Hannaford, Redner’s, Albertsons, United Supermarkets, and Market Street. The company also confirmed growing placement in coffee shops, both in the USA and the UK, as baristas tested the milk’s performance in hot beverages.

Tim Leclercq, co-founder of Maïzly, said the award carried particular significance given the company’s size and resources. “This one means a lot,” he said. “We’ve poured everything into Maïzly. It’s a 24/7 push, competing with brands backed by hundreds of millions in marketing while we run on a shoestring.”

Leclercq said the recognition validated the team’s approach and persistence. “This award is proof that creativity, passion, and determination can truly change the game,” he said.

The SME Innovation Award formed part of GAMA’s wider effort to spotlight emerging brands that were challenging established norms within their categories. Organizers described the SME prize as recognition for companies that were not only introducing new products, but reshaping consumer expectations through formulation, functionality, or positioning.

Maïzly’s win reflected broader trends shaping the plant-based sector, where interest increasingly extended beyond simple dairy replacement toward products offering added health benefits. Functional ingredients, digestive health claims, and allergen-friendly formulations continued to gain traction with consumers who were no longer satisfied with one-dimensional alternatives.

The company’s use of corn fiber also set it apart from competitors relying on nuts, grains, or legumes, ingredients that some consumers avoided due to allergies or environmental concerns. By centering corn as its base ingredient, Maïzly aimed to differentiate itself while tapping into a widely available crop.

While the plant-based milk category remained highly competitive, Maïzly framed the award as evidence that smaller brands could still stand out through ingredient innovation rather than scale alone. The company did not disclose sales figures, but pointed to its expanding retail and foodservice footprint as an indicator of momentum.

The recognition arrived at a time when plant-based dairy alternatives faced increased scrutiny over nutritional quality, processing, and ingredient transparency. Maïzly positioned its corn milk as a response to those concerns, emphasizing simplicity of formulation alongside functional benefits.

For Maïzly, the GAMA award represented both external validation and a platform to raise awareness beyond its existing customer base. The company said the recognition reinforced its original ambition to bring something materially different to a category often criticized for incremental innovation.

As the brand continued to build distribution across North America and the UK, the SME Innovation Award placed Maïzly among a growing group of smaller food companies gaining international attention for category-level disruption rather than niche appeal.