Family first at award-winning Bumble Hole Foods

25-Feb-2020 - Last updated on 28-Sep-2021 at 14:05 GMT

Strong family ties and a commitment to ethical production are key drivers for Bumble Hole Foods, winner of the Ingredients Manufacturing Company of the Year at this year’s Food Manufacture Excellence Awards.

In a touching tribute to his late father, managing director Andrew Hewston said the win was recognition for the company that his dad had built.

“It has been really quite sad for us – he founded the company and grew it and made it [what it is],” he added.

Closer relationships with customers

The company has made great strides in its work supplying to food manufacturers across the country, but the next step for Bumble Hole is to work closer with its customers to understand their needs, said Hewston.

“We try to get close to them and do more ingredients for them – mix all their salt, sugar and flour. We’re trying to get close to customers to work out what they want, produce it for them and be ethical and do the right thing.”

This focus on ethical production transferred into its work with the local community – with some its profits flowing into schools and charities – and the way it paid its suppliers.

Excellence Awards

The Food Manufacture Excellence Awards celebrated and honoured dedicated businesses and individuals for their achievement, innovation and success across 22 categories.

The rock-themed ceremony was hosted by former Scissor Sisters singer Ana Matronic at the London Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square. The night was sponsored by Dawn Foods, Fowler Welch, Menzies, Michael Page, LI Europe and Systems Integration. Associate sponsors were Markel, Circle Select and KDH.

Meanwhile, Raynor Foods could be a model for other food firms with its on-site hydroponic vertical farm supplying its factory, claimed executive chairman Matt Raynor after winning Food Manufacture’s top award.