This is open to UK (or UK operating) Food/Drink Manufacturing CEOs/Founders/MD only. The Business Leader of the Year prize honours an exceptional leader who has demonstrated visionary leadership, strategic acumen, and a profound impact on their organisation and industry. Entrants must present how their business has grown and developed under their leadership, their current business plans, where they have successfully invested and expanded, as well as their strategic vision for the future. You may nominate yourself or be nominated by your company – entrants who are successful in the first stage will need to attend an online interview (this must be the leader). The finalists and winner is decided by our judging panel.

This award celebrates outstanding achievements in collaboration and partnership within the food and drink industry. It recognises companies that have successfully formed strategic alliances and joint ventures that have led to significant benefits for the parties involved, including innovation, market expansion, improved sustainability, and enhanced operational efficiency. Partnerships can be between two manufacturers or include collaborations between processors and customers or service providers. However, the collaboration must go above and beyond and demonstrate a real difference to the wider industry, employees and/or UK economy. One business of the two must be UK-based. Food and drink manufacturers can enter or their partners can enter on their behalf. In each case, both partners should be named. Entries citing only one half of the partnership will not be valid.

The Emerging Business Award celebrates the achievements and potential of a promising new entrant in the food and drink industry. This award recognises a startup or recently established business that has demonstrated innovation, growth and resilience in its early stages of development. Companies must be UK-based and operating for no more than three years.

The Employer of the Year award honours a UK (or UK operating) company that has demonstrated exceptional commitment to creating a supportive, inclusive and motivating workplace environment. This award recognises food and drink businesses that prioritise employee well-being, foster professional development and implement innovative HR practices that contribute to a thriving workforce. You will need to provide evidence of your efforts. Entrants who are successful in the first stage will need to attend an online interview (this must be a member of the C-suite team, e.g. founder). The finalists and winner is decided by our judging panel.

The ESG Award recognises UK or UK operating companies that excel in their commitment to environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and strong governance practices. This award honours organisations that integrate ESG principles into their business strategy, demonstrating leadership in creating positive impacts for the environment, society, and their stakeholders. Entrants should be able to provide concrete examples of ways in which they have embedded environmental social and corporate governance into their organisation’s framework.

This award recognises an outstanding food/drink factory manager of a UK site who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation and operational excellence. It celebrates managers who have significantly contributed to the success of their food manufacturing facility, ensuring high standards of productivity, quality, safety and employee satisfaction. We’re looking for a factory manager who is passionate about their work, cares about their team’s well-being and has a proven track record of success. Entrants who are successful in the first stage will need to attend an online interview (this must be the factory manager). The finalists and winner is decided by our judging panel.

The Food Integrity Award recognises a UK-based or UK operating food and/or drink company that has embraced integrity throughout its entire supply chain. We are looking for a business that truly champion transparency, ethical sourcing and consumer trust, alongside fostering a food safety culture among all employees. The winner of this accolade will be setting a benchmark for fellow industry players and have evidence to prove it.

This award celebrates the exceptional achievements and potential of young professionals and emerging leaders in the food and drink processing industry. To be eligible, you must be under 30 years old in a non-administrative role within a UK-based food or drink manufacturer or undertaking an apprenticeship at the company.

Entrants should be nominated by a colleague, ideally their line manager, who should show the positive contribution they have made to their employer, together with any admirable personal characteristics they may possess. Entrants who are successful in the first stage will need to attend an online interview (this must be the named individual). The finalists and winner is decided by our judging panel.

With the UK in the grip of an obesity crisis and health at the forefront of everyone’s minds, we’re looking for businesses which have made significant strides in promoting consumer health and well-being.

This could be through an innovative product launch or even a campaign. Entrants must be able to back up their claims, showing a measurable impact they have made towards the UK’s health.

The International Trade Award celebrates outstanding achievements by UK-based food and drink processers in the global marketplace. This prestigious prize recognises a company's exceptional performance in exporting products, expanding and diversifying into international markets, and contributing to the UK's reputation for high-quality food and drink.

Entrants must demonstrate significant growth and development and market penetration in overseas markets, particularly focusing on how they overcame key obstacles.

The nominee must be a UK-based food and drink company and able to demonstrate proven success in international markets.

This award is open to any food or beverage manufacturing company, including pet food - they must be UK based or operate within this market. The winner of this title must show they have gone above and beyond as a producer whatever their category is. The winner will be able to demonstrate strong growth, true innovation and integrity, as well as supporting important values such as sustainability and wellbeing within their workplace. This is the F&B champion of champions prize. Entrants who are successful in the first stage will need to attend an online interview (this must be a member of the C-suite team e.g. founder). The finalists and winner is decided by our judging panel.

This prize celebrates exceptional efforts by organisations in the food sector for engaging with and supporting their local communities. It recognises initiatives that have made a significant positive impact on community well-being, including activities that promote nutrition, education, sustainability and/or social responsibility. The company must be UK-based or UK operating. Entrants must be able to show clear examples of how they have collaborated with a charity or initiative, demonstrated success in leading their own programme/project to make a difference, or encouraged involvement of their employees to get involved in a project.

The Site Team of the Year Award recognises an outstanding team at a UK-based food and beverage manufacturing site that has demonstrated exceptional teamwork, innovation and operational excellence. Entrants must show the team’s key achievements and how these benefited the overall business in terms of growth in sales, profit margin or production. They should show how well they worked together to overcome challenges and meet team targets/objectives. Please provide examples of what individuals have contributed to make the team successful.

This award celebrates UK-based companies that have demonstrated outstanding efficiency, reliability, sustainability, and innovation in sourcing, production, distribution, and delivery of food and drink products. Entries for the supply chain excellence award will need to show they have considered and built in resilience, agility, flexibility and transparency throughout their entire chain. Entrants will also be able to show how they are managing, measuring and improving their supply chain to further push for excellence.

This award is all about new and exciting ideas coming to fruition which have the potential to revolutionise the food and drink industry and its customers. We’re looking for pioneering research or developed innovative products, processes, or successful technology transformations that are making a big impact. You must be a UK food/drink manufacturer to enter this award, but we welcome you entering in partnership with a research institute or technology provider, or other partner should this be more appropriate. The award will be given to (and ideally collected by) the manufacturer.