And the winner is… Food Manufacturing Excellence Awards: The results

The newly refurbished Savoy hotel in London was the place to be on Tuesday night as the great and good of the food industry gathered to celebrate excellence in food production.

And there was also something for the ladies as Strictly Come Dancing champion and BBC TV presenter Chris Hollins ably steered proceedings from the podium.

The top prize went to apetito​, which scooped the Company of the Year​ and frozen foods category awards, while TV presenter Jimmy Doherty​ walked away with the Personality of the Year​ award for his sterling work in lifting the lid on how the food industry works, without wielding a hatchet.

The Small Company of the Year award​ was snapped up by Mash Direct,​ while the Judges' Special Award​ went to Askeys​.

CATEGORY WINNERS ​

Ambient and general groceries​

Winner:​ ​Sleaford Quality Foods

Runners up:​ Askeys, Billington's, Cambridge Manufacturing Company

Bakery and Confectionery​

Winner:​ Park Cakes

Runners up:​ Honeybuns Bakery, Honeytop Speciality Foods, Morrisons, Park Cakes

Beverages​

Winner:​ Kraft Foods

Runners up:​ ​Alpro UK, Framptons, Gerber Juice Company

Chilled ready meals​

Winner:​ Tamar Foods

Runners up:​ Mash Direct, Hitchen Foods

Dairy​

Winner:​ Dairy Crest

Runners up:​ A E Rodda & Son, Yorvale

Fresh Produce​

Winner:​ Natures Way Foods

Runners up:​ Hazeldene, Willowbrook Foods

Frozen​

Winner:​ apetito

Runners up:​ The Authentic Food Company, Aunt Bessie’s, R&R Ice Cream

Meat & poultry​

Winner:​ Parkam Food Group

Runners up:​ Morrisons, Farmers Boy

Seafood​

Winner:​ Young's Seafood

Runners up:​ Lyons Seafoods, The Big Prawn Company

THE FOOD MANUFACTURING SKILLS EXCELLENCE AWARDS​

Productivity Through Skills​

Winner:​ Aunt Bessie's

Runners up:​ Classic Cuisine, Hazeldene, R&R Ice Cream

Diversity in Recruitment​

Winner:​ Hitchen Foods

Runners up:​ Hazeldene, R&R Ice Cream

*A full write up of the awards outlining the winners' achievements will feature in the December issue of Food Manufacture​ magazine.​

 Click here​ to watch Rod's interview with Jimmy Doherty, presenter of TV show Jimmy's Food Factory and winner of this year's Food Manufacturing Personality of the Year award.

 Click here​ to watch Rod's interview with Graham Forrester, director of manufacturing at apetito, winner of the frozen food category award and the Company of the Year award.

Click here​ to watch Rod's interview with Abdullah Khan, site manager at Askey's, which won this year's Judges' Special Award.

 Click here​ to watch Rod's interview with Tracy Hamilton, co-founder of Mash Direct, winner of the Small Company of the Year award.

Click here​ to visit the dedicated awards website.