FutureLab ANIMA is innovation centre of the year

Every year since 2017, the "Innovator of the Year" has honoured companies and individuals from the entire DACH region who set new impulses with courage, vision and exceptional innovative strength. The award recognises companies and people who see the challenges of tomorrow as inspiration - and actively help shape the future. These players were once again honoured this year at a festive gala in Berlin. And this time, for the first time, they included a concept from the world of top gastronomy: the Future Lab ANIMA - the production site and creative origin of the restaurant†AURA by Alexander Herrmann & Tobias Bätz, which has been awarded two Michelin stars and a Green Star.

"Places where the future happens" - this is the description of the award winners in the "Innovation location of the year 2025" category. A description that could hardly apply better to the Future Lab ANIMA. The production site created especially for the AURA restaurant rethinks sustainability and regionality and shows that these values open up opportunities instead of setting limits. Food scout Joshi Osswald and fermentation expert Chris Vejdovsky work together with their team to develop ingredients and products from scratch and process and refine them using techniques that are sometimes centuries old. Around 90 regional producers form their network, which is characterised by close cooperation and mutual trust. At ANIMA, regionality doesn't just mean potatoes, asparagus and game, but also saffron, kimchi, caviar and artichokes. The unique ANIMA Lab currently houses around 345,000 euros worth of food. The AURA by Alexander Herrmann and Tobias Bätz restaurant therefore has an unrivalled variety of products at its disposal, which forms the basis of the Franconian chefs' self-chosen leitmotif, "#borderlessHEIMAT".

With its uncompromising attitude towards seasonality, sustainability and regionality, as well as its experimental approach to food processing, the Future Lab ANIMA is an undisputed pioneer. The award as "Innovation Place of the Year 2025" recognises this uniqueness and honours Joshi Osswald and Chris Vejdovsky as the visionary minds that they are. Both travelled from Wirsberg to Berlin last week for the award ceremony - and accepted the award with pride.

Entrepreneur Alexander Herrmann is also delighted with this special honour: "What a great moment! The award is not only a confirmation of the outstanding achievements of our two ANIMA specialists Joshi Osswald and Chris Vejdovsky, but above all a strong signal for the Wirsberg location and the Kulmbach district. Because I would like to emphasise one thing: It is our region of Upper Franconia that supports us at all levels and thus contributes significantly to such successes. In addition to this fantastic award, this is also demonstrated by events such as the "ZU TISCH!" food festival organised by our "freakstotable" association, where the entire region of Upper Franconia pulls together and more than 18,000 people from all over Germany come to Wirsberg every year to experience Franconian food and the producers behind it."

The restaurant AURA by Alexander Herrmann & Tobias Bätz and the Future Lab ANIMA are located at Marktplatz 11 in 95339 Wirsberg. Further information can be found at https://www.herrmanns-posthotel.de/de/gourmetwelten.html The team accepts bookings via the website.