Meet the winners of the Food Manufacturing Excellence Awards

Food and drink industry leaders thronged to the London Park Lane Hilton for a stellar awards celebration of all that’s best in British food and drink manufacturing, hosted by TV Countryfile​​ star Julia Bradbury.

The real stars​

But the real stars of the evening were the food and drink manufacturing businesses which triumphed in the awards and the shortlisted candidates. Foremost among the winners was Premier Foods, which won not one but three separate awards, culminating in the ultimate accolade of the evening -  the Food manufacturing company of the year​.

Judging panel chairman Paul Wilkinson​

The award judges – led by judging panel chairman Paul Wilkinson – praised Premier Foods’ Ashford factory’s achievement in reviving a business that was earmarked for closure in 2007 into a successful operation today.

The judges said: “Premier Foods has shown great skill in carrying out a major restructuring of its operation against a difficult backdrop, which has resulted in continuous year-on-year improvement.”​

Earlier in the evening Premier Foods won both the Ambient manufacturing company of the year and the Training programme of the year awards.

Other companies collecting awards were:

• Allied Bakeries, bakery manufacturing company of the year
• Wyke Farms, Dairy manufacturing company of the year
• Pork Farms, Chilled and fresh foods manufacturing company of the year and Best use of food ingredients award.
• Ardo UK, Frozen foods manufacturing company of the year
• The Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group, Meat, poultry and seafood manufacturing company of the year
• United Biscuits, Environmental initiative of the year
• Iglo Foods Group, Supply chain initiative of the year
• British Sugar and Dairy Crest, Judges’ star performer of the year
• Mash Direct, Most innovative small company of the year

Wyke Farms’ md Richard Clothier won the award for Personality of the Year, after polling the highest number of votes from readers of FoodManufacture.co.uk and Food Manufacture​ magazine. The full shortlist appears below.

Watch out for more reports – including profiles of the winners and video interviews – next week.

Meanwhile, could hour food or drink manufacturing business challenge Premier Foods for the crown next year? Register your interest for next year’s FMEAs here.​

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FMEA awards shortlist​

1)           Ambient manufacturing company of the year​

•             American Muffin

•             Premier Foods

2)           Bakery manufacturing company of the year​

•             Allied Bakeries

•             Fletchers Group of Bakeries

•             Rich Products

 •             Tamar Foods

3)           Best new use of food ingredients​

•             David Berryman

•             Pork Farms

4)           Chilled and fresh foods manufacturing company of the year​

•             Avondale Foods

•             Greencore Food to Go

•             Mash Direct

 •             Pork Farms

5)           Dairy manufacturing company of the year​

 •             Dairy Crest

•             Windyridge Cheese Co

•             Wyke Farms

6)           Environmental initiative of the year​

•             Bernard Matthews

•             Coca-Cola Enterprises

•             Iglo Foods Group

 •             United Biscuits

7)           Frozen manufacturing company of the year​

•             Ardo UK

•             Iglo Foods Group

 •             Lewis Pie & Pasty Co

•             Suncream Dairies

8)           Meat, poultry and seafood manufacturing company of the year​

•             Dawn Meats

•             Moy Park

•             Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group

9)           Supply chain initiative of the year​

•             Avondale Foods

•             Iglo Foods Group

 •             Thwaites

10)          Training programme of the year​

•             The Authentic Food Co

•             British Sugar

•             Premier Foods – Ashford

•             Tamar Foods

11)          Most innovative small food or drink manufacturer​

•             David Berryman

•             Mash Direct

•             Windyridge Cheese

The awards for Food Manufacturing Company of the Year and Judges’ star performer award were selected from the above shortlist.

Personality of the year shortlist​

• Mark Allen, chief executive, Dairy Crest
• Simon Baldry, md, Coca-Cola Enterprises
• Richard Clothier md, Wyke Farms
• Fiona Kendrick, chairman and chief executive, Nestlé UK and Ireland
• James Lambert, chairman, R&R Ice Cream
• John Stevenson MP, chairman of the House of Commons All-Party Parliamentary Group for Food Manufacturing