The winners of the 2020 FMT Industry Awards were presented with their trophies by celebrity chef, Michel Roux Jr. at a glittering celebratory lunch held at The Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington.

The awards are an annual celebration of the creativity, innovation and excellence of food manufacturers, supermarkets, suppliers, trade organisations and others.

The awards comprise product evaluations and reader votes in various categories to determine the best, where a select judging panel assesses all products entered at the test kitchens in the Regional Food Academy at Harper Adams University in Shropshire.

Full results, as shown below, include the prestigious Food Industry Champion title, which this year went to Andrew Kuyk CBE, director general of the Provision Trade Federation.

Andrew told Food Management Today: “I am as surprised as I am delighted by this award. Like so much else in life, it is a question of being in the right place at the right time. Brexit (and climate change) have brought together so many different strands of my career, enabling me to give back some of what I have learned in order to help our great industry face the undoubted challenges ahead.”

Cranswick PLC was voted Food Manufacturer of the Year and Marks and Spencer was named Retailer of the Year.

Adam Couch, Cranswick CEO, said: “To be recognised as Food Manufacturer of the Year is a real privilege and we are very proud to win this accolade. I am incredibly proud of all of the hard work and dedication from our colleagues across the business and this gives them the recognition they deserve for all of their efforts in making Cranswick such a great company to be involved in.”

“The award from Food Management Today really acknowledges the hard work our support centre and store teams have put in over the last twelve months…”

James Newton-Brown, head of product development of Marks and Spencer, said: “The team at M&S are absolutely delighted to have been given the award for Food Retailer of the Year it is an honour for our business to have been recognised across the industry. The award from Food Management Today really acknowledges the hard work our support centre and store teams have put in over the last twelve months as we continue to transform our business whilst protecting the magic of M&S.”

Publisher of Food Management Today magazine Graham Yandell commented: “At a time of challenge for the health of the nation it has been a delight to come together and celebrate excellence. Overall numbers attending the event were down on original expectations compared to booked tickets, as some participants decided not to travel due to the Covid-19 problem, but nevertheless for everyone else it was business as usual to ensure this very special day in the annual industry calendar was a success.

“It was a joy to have my food hero Michel Roux Jr. hosting the presentations with me and my thanks go to him and everyone who, despite the difficulties, made it an occasion to remember. We also enjoyed a brilliant lunch and a superb main course with pork supplied by our sponsor Tulip.”

The FMT Industry Awards 2020 Roll of Honour:

Best Trade Organisation – Food and Drink Federation

Best Ingredients Supplier – Kalsec Europe

Best Machinery/Equipment Supplier – Marel

Best Training Initiative – Bakkavor Group – Graduate Programme

Most Innovative Packaging Development – Aldi – The Tasty Catch Co. Black Garlic & Lemon Butter Raw Seafood Selection – JEM Packaging

Best New Product Development – Peter’s Food Service – Nurish Chicken Tikka Filled Bakes

Best Bakery Product – Billington Foodservice – Caramel Apple Betty

Best Frozen Product – Lidl Deluxe French Trimmed Lamb Rack with a Redcurrant & Ruby Port Sauce – Dunbia

Best Seafood Product – Aldi – Specially Selected Lightly Smoked Scottish Salmon Side with Prosecco, Cranberry & Orange Marinade – Copernus

Best Red Meat Product – Linden Foods / Marks & Spencer – Marks & Spencer The Daddy of All Steaks

Best Poultry Product – Soanes Poultry – Yorkshire Grain Fed Chicken

Best Dairy Product – Marks & Spencer – Marks & Spencer Pink Gin Cream – Müller Milk & Ingredients

Food Retailer of The Year – Marks and Spencer

Food Manufacturer of The Year – Cranswick PLC

Food Industry Champion – Andrew Kuyk CBE

Keep an eye out for our photo gallery and video of the event which will be available on the Food Management Today website soon.

Thanks to the FMT Industry Awards partners: