Now in their 16th year, the awards which are free to enter celebrate world-class performance in food and drink manufacture. They cover all the main industry sectors: from ambient, bakery and beverages to chilled foods, dairy and fresh produce; and from frozen foods, meat and poultry to seafood.
From the winners of the individual category awards, one company will be selected by our panel of expert judges to be crowned Food Manufacture Company of the Year.
Other individual awards will also be made, but these are only open to companies that have entered the main category awards.
They include: Best new use of food ingredients; Environmental initiative of the year; Supply chain initiative of the year; and Training programme of the year.
Editor’s choice award
Manufacturing Oscars
Now in their 16th year, the awards which are free to enter celebrate world-class performance in food and drink manufacture.
In addition to the above awards, this year we are launching ‘The Me and My Factory editor’s choice award’, which will be selected from companies featured within the pages of Food Manufacture over the past year.
The award will be made to the company that, in the opinion of our editorial team, has made the most progress over the past one to two years.
In its third year, a Young talent of the year award will be made to the individual aged 25 years or under who the judges assess to be the most promising new apprentice or graduate in food and drink manufacture. Last year, this award went to Amber Wild, from Worldwide Fruit.
An award will also be made for the Judges’ star performer, presented to a company selected from all entries, which the judges believe deserves recognition for one particular area of its activities.
An SME innovation of the year award will also be made to the best small company that has a turnover less than £10M and employs fewer than 100 staff.
Personality of the year
Completing the tally of awards, will be Food Manufacture Personality of the year. Now in its 10th year, this award will be presented to the individual who has done most over the past year to raise the profile of the food manufacturing industry.
The winner will be selected by an online poll of our readership from a shortlist of candidates compiled by the Food Manufacture Group editorial team.
On the shortlist are: Tom Carroll, supply chain director Graze, Colin Dennis, president of the Institute of Food Technologists, Janette Graham, group learning and development manager, 2 Sisters Food Group, Andy Morling, head of food crime at the Food Standards Agency’s National Food Crime Unit, David Potts, chief executive Morrisons and Ian Wright, director general of the Food and Drink Federation.
Please view our photogallery of contenders before voting here.
The closing date for receipt of FMEA entries is Friday July 29. The winners will be revealed at a Venice-themed awards evening at the Hilton Park Lane in London on November 2.
To find out more about entering the awards, visit our awards website. Alternatively, call Jane Rollinson on 01293 610439 or email: Jane.Rollinson@wrbm.com.
For sponsorship opportunities, call Katie Tyler on 01293 610493 or email: Katie.tyler@wrbm.com.
Meanwhile, for inspiration, here is a list of manufacturers that triumphed in last year’s awards.