TV star sets food and drink industry a mission

Durden-Smith, whose TV credits include I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! Now, This Morning Summer, Lorraine and the Aviva Premiership rugby highlights, extended the industry a “licence to thrill”​ in an exclusive video.

Celebrate the finest ​

In the video, Durden-Smith said: “Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join me for an evening of five-star entertainment and perhaps the odd vodka martini – shaken, naturally, not stirred as we celebrate the UK’s finest food and drink manufacturers.”​

Watch the video to get more of a flavour for what to expect during the James Bond-themed awards ceremony on November 20 at the Park Lane Hilton Hotel.

The FMEAs – now in their 14th year – recognise the stars of food and drink.

The Awards include five individual categories, together with awards for ‘Best new use of food ingredients’, ‘Environmental Initiative of the Year’, ‘Supply Chain Initiative of the Year’, ‘Training programme of the Year’, and Young Talent of the Year, a new award for 2014.

Awards will also be made for ‘SME Innovation of the Year’ (typically a company that employs fewer than 100 people and has a turnover of less that £10M a year) and ‘Judges’ star performer’. This award is made to the firm that, in the judges’ opinion, has been outstanding in one particular area of activity.

Premier Foods ​

From the nine category winners, the judges will select the ‘Food Manufacturing Company of the Year’. Last year Premier Foods’s Ashford factory took the prize for turning around a business earmarked for closure in 2007.

Once again, Food Manufacture readers will also vote for their Personality of the Year from our shortlist of six candidates via an online poll at www.foodmanawards.co.uk.

To accept the mission, email Rebecca George at: rebecca.george@wrbm.com or call her on: 01293 610422 to book you place.

Awards categories​

 Ambient Manufacturing Company of the Year: sponsored by Nigel Wright Recruitment

 Bakery Manufacturing Company of the Year: sponsored by Intertek Testing Services

 Beverages Manufacturing Company of the Year

 Chilled and Dairy Food Manufacturing Company of the Year: sponsored by Sheffield Hallam University

 Meat and Poultry Manufacturing Company of the Year: sponsored by Dasic International

 Special awards​

 Food manufacturing company of the year: sponsored by Oghma Partners

 Best new use of food ingredients: sponsored by Univar

 Supply chain initiative of the year: sponsored by NSF International

 Training programme of the year: sponsored by National Skills Academy

 Environmental initiative of the year: sponsored by Chalcroft Construction

 SME innovation of the year: sponsored by Columbus

 Judges’ star performer: sponsored by Lauras International

Personality of the year:sponsored by Tata Consultancy Services

Young talent of the year: sponsored by b3 jobs

The Judging Panel​

Chairman of the judges:

Paul Wilkinson, chairman, Improve/National Skills Academy

Jonathon Bayne, food technologist ambient grocery,Waitrose

Simon Chattock, head of vendor assurance, Compass Group UK & Ireland

Mark Colvin, lean manufacturing consultant, LeanPal

Jean Feord, food industry consultant

Justine Fosh, chief executive, National Skills Academy

Jeremy Richardson, director, Suiko

Wayne Morley, group head of technical innovation, 2 Sisters Food Group

Rick Pendrous, editor, Food Manufacture

Alan Speight, consultant, Food Solutions Associates

Mike Stones, group editor, Food Manufacture