Double Recognition: Sweet Honey Wins 2025 WorldStar Award in Two Categories

Fürth/Germany, July 03, 2025: The joint project Sweet Honey by LEONHARD KURZ and its subsidiary SCRIBOS has once again received international acclaim: At the prestigious 2025 WorldStar Awards presented by the World Packaging Organisation (WPO), the innovative packaging solution won in two categories: Digital Packaging and Special Award – Marketing (Bronze).

The jury particularly praised the intelligent combination of sustainable and creative design, the smart integration of security features, and the interactive user experience. Following its win at the 2024 German Packaging Award, the WorldStar now further underscores the visionary approach taken by KURZ and SCRIBOS: redefining packaging as a multisensory experience, a platform for communication, and a tool for product authentication.

Where Innovation Meets Storytelling

The Sweet Honey packaging concept impresses with unique optical and tactile effects while also delivering real added value. With ValiGate^®, a technology developed by SCRIBOS, product authenticity can be verified via smartphone – no app required. At the core of the system is a novel two-factor authentication process that compares the design of the physical packaging with the version shown on the user’s device. Each package is individually designed – not just in print but also in digital embellishment. Every box features a unique three-digit metallic code and refined golden pollen on the bees’ legs, which move differently on every unit.

Designed by Julia König, member of the KURZ Design Management Team, the packaging immerses consumers in a world inspired by bees. It blends print embellishment with digital storytelling. “Sweet Honey is an homage to the fascinating world of bees, packaged as a multisensory design journey that begins the moment you open the box and join the bees on their way to the hive and toward the honey,” says Julia König. “It is a great confirmation of our holistic design approach that the concept has received such recognition at the WorldStar Awards.”

Dr. Steffen Scheibenstock, Head of Digital Business Development at SCRIBOS, adds: “The fact that Sweet Honey stood out in an international competition sends a strong message about the value of smart packaging. With ValiGate^®, we integrate protection, design, and brand communication into a single intelligent solution.”

With the dual win at the 2025 WorldStar Awards, KURZ and SCRIBOS further strengthen their position as innovation drivers in digital-era brand protection, premium packaging, and sustainability.

About the WorldStar Awards

The WorldStar Awards are presented annually by the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) and are among the most prestigious honors in the global packaging industry. The competition recognizes packaging solutions that are particularly innovative, forward-thinking, and commercially relevant – and that have already won national awards. With entries from around 40 countries, the WorldStar Awards provide a global stage for the best packaging concepts worldwide.