Team morale takes centre stage after Excellence Awards win

Young’s Seafood and Hitchen Foods both highlighted the benefits to team morale that followed their award-winning performance.

Young’s Seafood landed the award for Seafood Manufacturing Company of the Year. Its operations director, Steve Lidgett told FoodManufacture.co.uk: “Winning the award last year really helped to bring attention to our manufacturing excellence programme, both internally and externally.Boosting team morale, it helped us celebrate the success of this programme, which we have since rolled out across our manufacturing base.​”

Operational efficiencies also followed the award win, he added.“Our application last year covered initiatives in Grimsby and, following their award-winning success, we’ve also implemented the strategy at our other sites including Annan in Dumfries and Galloway... Inspired by the positive impact of the programme and the Grimsby win, the team in Annan has achieved significant workplace efficiencies, increased throughput and reduced water usage​.”

Quality operations​

Customers were impressed too. “The award has helped us showcase to customers how we drive best practice through our operations and the seafood expertise we have within our business​,” said Lidgett. “Our team has really gone the extra mile to implement the manufacturing excellence programme, and we’re proud of the hard work everyone is continuing to put in. Importantly, the award gave us an opportunity to highlight the passion our team has for seafood manufacturing, quality operations, reducing waste and doing our bit for the environment​.”

Hitchen Foods, part of the Bakkavor Group, won the Diversity in Recruitment award. Nikki Ward, HR manager at Hitchen Foods, said: “The positive recognition from a reputable food industry publication was well received by employees. The initiative itself has been a success as we have run the recruitment campaign again this year and secured more employees as a result.”​

Winning an award also offered the team an opportunity to take stock. “The Awards encourage you to reflect on what has been achieved and how it has benefited the company (gaining good employees) and the community (helping the unemployed back in to work (in a positive and structured way),” ​said Ward.

“It was great to be selected and even better to win! It reinforces the message of what we are trying to achieve; that is being a good employer in the local area​.”

Could your company be one of this year’s Food Manufacturing Excellence 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 the most over the past year to raise the profile of the industry. (Last year's winner was 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!