Helen Colley 2007
Helen Colley, md and founder of pudding manufacturer Farmhouse Fayre, was the first ever winner of the Personality of the Year award.
She was honoured for her upfront attitude and for being living proof that women can make a name for themselves in the male-dominated food manufacturing industry.
Colley hit the headlines in 2007 when she secured a listing at Tesco after she stood up at a conference and asked Sir Terry Leahy, then Tesco’s ceo, why he didn’t stock her puddings.
Her puddings are also now stocked in Sainsbury, Spar, Booths, Nisa, Costco and Spar.
She was voted Personality of the Year by the readers of Food Manufacture magazine and FoodManufacture.co.uk ahead of other nominees including the chairman of Warburtons Jonathan Warburton; former Premier Foods chief executive Robert Schofield; former Heinz UK & Ireland president Dave Woodward; Eat Natural founders Preet Grewal and Praveen Vijh and chief executive of Zetar Ian Blackburn.