Food and drink manufacturers from across the UK threw their hat into the ring for 2025’s Food Manufacture Excellence Awards.
Now, following a vigorous judging process which began back in October 2024, the finalists have been decided.
Judging the awards
Introduced last year, the FMEAs have seen the return of the stage 2 interview process for five awards:
- Factory Manager of the Year
- Business Leader of the Year
- Employer of the Year
- Future Talent Award
- Manufacturer of the Year
Applicants for these accolades who managed to impress the judges in their written entries, were invited to take part in a Dragon’s Den style interview last week (13-14 November). All other awards were based on written entries.
Among the latter was the all-new award for health, which celebrates businesses making significant strides in promoting consumer health and well-being. The Health Hero Award featured a specialist panel of health and nutrition specialists among other industry representatives.
Overall, the Food Manufacture Excellence Awards’ judging panel comprised more than 30 experts, separated into panels and headed up by a resident judge. The panels were assigned three categories to review each.
The Food Manufacture Excellence Awards 2025 are kindly supported by headliner Menzies and event sponsors Niras, Quor, and Watermill Press.
2025 Food Manufacture finalists
Business Leader of the Year
- George Hughes-Davies, Daily Dose
- Ivan Siqueira, Pilgrim’s Europe
- James Arnold, Sleaford Quality Foods
- Laura Bounds, Kent Crisps
Collaboration and Partnership Award
- Raynor Foods
- Arla Foods
- Ride Tandem
- Promtek
Emerging Business Award
- Daily Dose
- The Mac Factory
Employer of the Year
- Charlie Bigham’s
- Finnebrogue
- Fresh Olive Company
- Noble Foods
- Sleaford Quality Foods
- The Compleat Food Group
ESG Excellence Award
- Marshfield Farm Ice Cream
- Dunbia UK
- Stateside Foods
- Raynor Foods
- Pilgrim’s Europe
- Britvic
Factory Manager of the Year
- Arianne Langham, Fudge Kitchen
- Matt Hill, Charlie Bigham’s
- Zaggy Zachariou, Pilgrim’s Europe
Food Integrity Champion
- Kirsty’s
- Nestlé
- Ross Priory
Future Talent Award
- Eleanor Langford, Nestlé
- Freya Leigh Shields, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
- George Lilley, Pilgrim’s Europe
- Sarah Gant, Arla foods
- Tom Coates, Pilgrim’s Europe
- Youssef Hachem, Hovis
Site Team of the Year
- Pilgrim’s Europe, Westerleigh
- Fresh Olive Company
- Charlie Bigham’s, Quarry Kitchen
- Proper Cornish, Bodmin
- Daily Dose, Corby
Health Hero Award
- Zebedees
- Well-Fed
- Myco
- Eatlean Ingredients
- Soul Fruit
- Heck Food
- Brusco Food Group
International Trade Award
- Vibrant Brands
- Kent Crisps
- The Anglesey Sea Salt Co
Supply Chain Excellence Award
- Cranswick
- Califia Farms
- Fresh Direct
Outstanding Community Engagement
- Yeo Valley
- The Felix Project
- Nestlé
- Dunbia UK
The Innovation Award
- Cranswick – Sustainable food manufacturing supply chain
- Raynor Foods – S3 project
- Apetito – Project Boomerang
- Myco – Hooba
- Cornish Sea Salt – TekSalt
Manufacturer of the Year
- Charlie Bigham’s Quarry Kitchen
- Daily Dose
- Raynor Foods
- Simply Doughnuts
- The Tracklement Co
The winners for next year’s awards will be announced at a gala dinner held at the London Hilton Bankside. Tickets are available to purchase here.
The Food Manufacture Excellence Awards are a great chance to keep up to date with trends, connect with influencers, reward and motivate your teams, raise your company’s profile and celebrate partnership success. All tickets include:
- Three-course dinner and drinks reception on arrival
- Awards ceremony hosted by celebrity talent
- After party, featuring music, dancing and entertainment
