The annual Food Management Today Food Industry Awards took place online as a virtual event earlier today [1st July] to great acclaim.
Normally staged as a physical awards ceremony combined with a lunch or dinner, the 2021 food industry awards went online this year due to the impact of Covid restrictions. As usual the event rewarded top people and companies across 15 categories, including this year’s Food Industry Champion Adam Couch, the CEO of Cranswick PLC.
In addition, both the Food Manufacturer of the Year and Food Retailer of the Year categories were recognised amongst various others, with the presentations hosted by broadcaster, actor and writer Alexis Conran, himself the winner of Celebrity MasterChef in 2016.
The 2021 winners reflect a mix of reader voting and product entries, which are extensively judged by a full team of home economists and industry experts.
Publisher of Food Management Today, Graham Yandell commented: “It’s fair to say that Covid played havoc with our planning this year, with our judging dates postponed twice and the ceremony going virtual for the first time in the awards’ history. Results are also later than usual. Nevertheless, the ceremony hit the spot and appears to have been a fantastic success. In fact, I gather that already there has been a strong uptake from our partners to confirm their participation and support once again for the next Awards programme.
“We still live in challenging times, but with light now very bright at the end of a dark tunnel, taking time out to reflect on what we achieve as an industry is, in my view, very important. More so than ever this year. Predictably the industry has done a brilliant job in feeding the nation during the pandemic and despite everything, still produced great products and some fantastic innovations.
“Of course, this year the whole ceremony can be streamed online for those who missed it – another first for these unique awards.”
The 2021 winners are:
- Food Industry Champion: Adam Couch, CEO Cranswick PLC
- Best Trade Organisation: Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC / MPW)
- Best Ingredients Supplier: Bosse Interspice
- Best Equipment / Machinery Supplier: Reiser UK
- Best Training Initiative: Princes Limited – Commercial Graduate Programme
- Best New Product Development: Suncream Ice Cream – Gelato Lusso Amarena Cherry Ripple Fat Free Frozen Yoghurt
- Best Free From Product: Marks & Spencer Plant Kitchen Sticky Toffee Pudding
- Best Dairy Product: Lidl Deluxe West Country Butter with Sea Salt Crystals
- Best Frozen Product: Aldi Specially Selected Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
- Best Seafood Product: JCS Fish Ltd – BigFish Hot Smoked Salmon Fillets
- Best Bakery Product: SPAR UK Zesty Granola Bar
- Best Red Meat Product: Marks & Spencer Mayfair of Beef
- Best Poultry Product: Morrisons BBQ Chicken Drumsticks & Thighs
- Food Retailer of the Year: Marks & Spencer
- Food Manufacturer of the Year: ABP
The Awards attracted a record entry this year with involvement for the initiative coming from right across the industry in all sectors.
Bob Carnell, the chief executive officer at ABP UK, commented: “We are absolutely thrilled to be named Food Manufacturer of the Year. I am proud to be part of a business that has such passion for excellence for its people, its products and its industry. This recognition is testament to the hard work and dedication from our colleagues across the business for their continued efforts in helping ABP be the best it can be.”
Adam Georgiou, brand manager at SPAR UK, was equally enthusiastic: “On behalf of all the team at SPAR UK and Sussex Bakes we are delighted to have won the Best Bakery Product category. Our team work hard to ensure our customers get the best in convenience and this Granola Bar is one such example.”
Morrisons was also a winner in the Best Poultry Product category, with Campbell Breakwell, who is responsible for buying poultry at Morrisons, commenting: “Morrisons and its supplier Cranswick Country Foods Poultry are delighted to have been judged Best Poultry Product of 2021 in the Food Management Today awards. Morrison’s Global Grill BBQ British Chicken Drumsticks & Thighs are a staple part of the Summer Eating range.”
2021 Food Industry Champion Adam Couch of Cranswick PLC, in thanking everyone for the award, added: “The business we have built up here at Cranswick is a team effort and this award is a reflection on the entire Cranswick team. At Cranswick we consider ourselves almost as a family business, as opposed to a PLC. With this type of business it’s not always easy when you have best part of 13,000 colleagues around you, but it is the people working around us that make the difference. We have built an enviable record of employing really talented individuals and they are very much the heart and soul of the business.”
Look out for the special Awards Brochure giving much more information, which will be published within the forthcoming edition of Food Management Today magazine – available in print and as an online e-magazine.
To view the 2021 ceremony click here.
Thank you to our Award partners:
