Excitement mounts as the shortlist for the Food Manufacture Excellence Awards (FMEA) is announced, with the winners ceremony now less than two months away.
The awards recognise exceptional achievements in manufacturing, covering everything from highly innovative new product development to quality assurance and category management.
Greencore Grocery, HJ Heinz and Veetee Foods have been shortlisted in the Ambient & General Groceries category, sponsored by www.foodmanjobs.co.uk.
Contenders for the Bakery & Confectionery Award, sponsored by DKSH, have been whittled down to Greencore Cakes, Peters Food Service, Premier Foods and Rich Products.
For the Beverages Award, sponsored by the British Soft Drinks Association, Aimia Foods and Framptons are going head to head.
In the Chilled Ready Meals & Prepared Foods category, sponsored by Jarvis Johnson, the competition is between Greencore Chilled Soups and Sauces, Greencore Sandwiches, Mash Direct and TSC Foods.
The shortlist of firms competing for the Dairy Award, sponsored by Maxsys, has been reduced to Kerrygold, the First Milk Cheese Company and Yeo Valley Organic. For the Fresh Produce Award, sponsored by Solarsoft, the battle comes down to Stubbins Marketing and Southern Salads.
Next up, in the Frozen Foods category, sponsored by Lockton Companies International, are Greencore Frozen Foods and HJ Heinz. Meanwhile, the contenders in the Meat, Poultry and Seafood category, sponsored by Air Products, are the Big Prawn Company, Green Gourmet and Lossie Seafoods.
Winners of the Judges Special Award, sponsored by Pursuit Dynamics, and Small Company Award, sponsored by Invest in Bradford, will be selected from the categories above. And one of the category winners will also be given the accolade of the overall Company of the Year Award, sponsored by Food Manufacture.
In the Skills Excellence Awards, KK Fine Foods/Reaseheath College and Premier Foods/Poultec Training are the contenders for the Apprenticeships award. Fosters Bakery (Staincross) and Greencore Group are going up against each other for the Productivity Through Skills Award. The contest for the Diversity category has come down to Gibsons Foods and Greencore Prepared Meals.
Separately, contenders for the Personality of the Year Award, sponsored by Barclays Commercial Bank, include Jonathan Adnams, chairman of Adnams, and Stefan Barden, chief executive of Northern Foods. Dave Brooks, former chief executive of Finsbury Food Group, John Gatenby, director, Vale of Mowbray, Fiona Dawson, md of Mars Snackfoods, Philip McIvor, chairman, Farmhouse Biscuits, and Greg Peterson, UK md, Kellogg are the other candidates.
Final winners will be announced at a glittering ceremony on November 13 at The Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, London. To book a table, contact Helen Law on 01293 846587 or email