Winners report business boost from Food Manufacturing Excellence Awards

Christine Bense, plant director of Kraft Foods’ largest instant coffee factory at Banbury, Oxfordshire, explained how winning the award for Beverages Manufacturing Company of the Year had benefited the firm.

Local pride​

Bense told FoodManufacture.co.uk: “Winning the award has enabled us to showcase our success at Banbury within the broader global organisation, bringing recognition to our factory for its achievements and an elevated sense of local pride.”​

Within the company, the award awakened a new sense of competitive spirit, she added. “The award serves as an example to our employees that we can win and I believe it has awakened a new element of our competitive spirit that is serving us well in our ongoing improvement efforts. Within the UK, news of this award can only have had a positive impact on Kraft’s reputation.”​

Winner of the Meat and Poultry Manufacturing Company of the Year award, Parkam Food Group, reported that winning raised the company’s profile and team morale.

Raised our profile​

Kate Rigby, Parkam Chilled Foods category manager, told FoodManufacture.co.uk: “We think it may have raised our profile with some retailers, customers and competitors and it has probably given our reputation a boost.​

“Team morale was lifted by the award by illustrating that the hard work from all parts of the business and subsequent success with retailers had been recognised​.”

Could your company join Kraft Foods and Parkam Food Group in winning a Food Manufacturing Excellence Award? To give your company a chance to join this year’s award winners, for an online entry form, click here​.

This year’s categories (with last year’s winner in brackets):

• Ambient​ Manufacturing Company of the Year (Sleaford Quality Foods)
• Bakery​ Manufacturing Company of the Year (Park Cakes)
• Beverages​ Manufacturing Company of the Year (Kraft Foods)
• Chilled Food​ Manufacturing Company of the Year (Tamar Foods)
• Dairy​ Manufacturing Company of the Year (Dairy Crest)
• Fresh Produce​ Manufacturing Company of the Year (Natures Way Foods)
• Frozen Foods​ Manufacturing Company of the Year (Apetito)
• Meat and Poultry​ Manufacturing Company of the Year (Parkam Food Group)
• Seafood​ Manufacturing Company of the Year (Young’s Seafood)

There are also two Skills Awards:​

• Diversity in Recruitment: Recognising excellence in recruiting from diverse groups (Hitchen Foods)
• Training Programme of the Year

From entries for the category awards, the following will also be presented​: ​

Judges’ Special Award​: Presented to the entrant that demonstrates outstanding achievement in one particular area of activity.

Small Company of the Year​: Awarded to the best small UK food or drink manufacturer (employing fewer than 100 people and with a turnover of less than £10m/year. Last year’s winner was Mash Direct).

Food Manufacture Personality of the Year​: Presented to the individual who has done most over the past year to raise the profile of the industry. (Jimmy Doherty).

Food Manufacturing Company of the Year 2011​: This coveted title goes to the overall winner, selected from the individual category winners. (Apetito).

For more information about this year’s awards or for help with downloading your entry form please contact Rebecca George on 01293 610422 or email erorppn.trbetr@jeoz.pbz​.

This year’s award ceremony takes place at the Park Plaza, Riverbank, London on the evening of Tuesday, November 8.

Good luck!