Food Manufacture Excellence Awards
Premier Foods's edible poster scoops bakery Oscar
The firm’s achievements were recognised in front of hundreds of industry guests, as Premier Foods’s Richard Martin and Phil Ellis collected the award from category sponsor Alcontrol Laboratories’ md Mike McCorkell. They were joined on stage by the awards host and star TV presenter Mark Durden-Smith.
The FMEA awards’ independent judging panel – led by Paul Wilkinson, chair of National Skills Academy – were wowed by what one described as its “truly incredible marketing campaign – an edible poster”, as part of its ‘Life is better with cake campaign’.
‘Quite exceptional’
In addition to inspired marketing – showing true category captaincy – this award was distinguished by a £20M investment last year in a new Mr Kipling snack pack cake slice production line at its Carlton site. One judge concluded: “One of the strongest entries I’ve seen in years of judging – quite exceptional.”
In addition to Mr Kipling, Premier Foods is responsible for iconic brands such as Bisto, Bachelors, Oxo and Ambrosia. The firm operates at 13 locations across the UK and employs about 4,000 people.
The business fought off stiff competition from fellow short-listed firms: Butt Foods, Deli Santé, Ginsters, The Village Bakery and last year’s winner Finsbury Food Group.
Full list of Oscar winners
Read the full list of food and drink manufacturing Oscar winners here.
Bakery finalists
- Butt Foods
- Deli Santé
- Ginsters
- The Village Bakery
- Finsbury Food Group.
The overall Food Manufacture Company of the year was awarded to Northern Ireland head quartered meat and poultry firm Moy Park, which also won the Meat and poultry manufacturing company of the year earlier in the evening. Moy Park was the judges’ unanimous choice, based on its strong meat category leadership, financial performance, training and environmental credentials.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Hall, group technical director of Bernard Matthews, won the coveted Food Manufacture Personality of the year title for his campaigning work to curb the spread of Britain’s number one cause of food poisoning – campylobacter.
The annual FMEAs, organised by the Food Manufacture Group, now in their 15th year, have become the premier event in the food and drink manufacturing calendar.
Food and drink manufacturing Oscars were also awarded in the following categories:
- Ambient manufacturing company of the year
- Beverage manufacturing company of the year
- Chilled, fresh and dairy manufacturing company of the year
- Meat and poultry manufacturing company of the year
- Best new use of food ingredients
- Environmental initiative of the year
- Supply chain initiative of the year
- Training programme of the year
- Judges' star performer
- Small and medium-sized enterprise innovation of the year
- Young Talent of the Year
Could you be one of next year’s winners? Why not register your interest in the 2016 Food Manufacture Excellence Awards here.
