Winterbotham Darby on the Food Manufacture Excellence Awards

In this video, Faulkner also discusses what he regards as Winterbotham Darby’s biggest achievements in the plant-based market, as well as the company’s future plans.

Anticipation builds​

Winterbotham Darby is a finalist for the Site Team of the Year Award and one of three companies shortlisted in the Plant-based Manufacturing Company of the Year category of the Food Manufacture Excellence Awards​, ​sponsored by Dawn Foods​​ and Fowler Welch​​. As anticipation builds, Faulkner admitted he would be ‘delighted’ to take the prize.

“It would be a real recognition of everything we’ve done at Winterbotham Darby,”​ he said. “Obviously, we can’t take anything for granted at this stage, but we would be really surprised, but pleased, at being recognised.​

“I think if you can win an award, it’s an opportunity to reflect on what we’ve done, because we don’t have those opportunities as much as we’d normally like,” ​Faulkner added.

“We’re under COVID conditions and that means we aren’t able to celebrate our successes as easily. So, it gives us an opportunity to really recognise in the business what we’ve achieved, and also say to everyone in the team, ‘You’ve done an amazing job.’”​

Achievements​

Faulkner described Winterbotham Darby gaining a foothold in the plant-based market over the past two years as ‘an amazing achievement’.

“There was a learning journey that we were on in terms of equipment, process, materials, sourcing, the know-how in terms of producing something people would hopefully find an amazing product, something they could substitute real chicken for, really easily, and that would offer a great alternative to meet the growing demand for plant-based food,”​ he said.

“I think to do that in a very short space of time has been truly amazing and has been down to the teamwork within Winterbotham Darby,” ​he added. “It’s the team, and the dedication and support that everybody puts together, that I’m most proud of, in terms of how we’ve delivered the project from something that was an idea, to now having a fully working factory.”​

• Visit the Food Manufacture ​Excellence Awards website to nominate who you think should win our Business Leader of The Year 2021 award from the shortlisted candidates​​. The winner is chosen by reader vote and will be announced alongside other winners at the virtual ceremony at 5pm to 6pm on 11 February​​