The winner will be revealed as part of the wider Food Manufacture Excellence Awards, taking place at the London Hilton Bankside on 5 February 2026.
Be at the LIVE FINAL - tickets to the 2026 awards available to purchase here!
This year’s awards are supported by headline sponsor, Menzies, and event sponsors: Domino Printing, Sciences, Reed, Langdon, and Multivac.
Matt Scholes - Hovis
An engineering apprentice at Hovis’s Bradford facility for over three and a half years, Scholes is skilled across a wide range of engineering disciplines with a strong foundation in problem-solving, reliability, and teamwork.
The 23-year-old has been nominated due to his natural drive for improvement that has led him to consistently identify projects that deliver energy, time, and effort savings.
A significant achievement is the redesign of the dough delivery system, requiring him to analyse throughput and waste, then redesign, build and install a new hopper. He conducted post installation tests, resulting in a saving of £30k in waste product.
Scholes was also able to design and build a single-phase test board for the apprentice training room; a teaching tool for up to 20 other apprentices and engineers.
He has also proven to be a strong asset to his teammates and fellow apprentices; he buddies and coaches eight apprentices, helping them hone report writing skills, running practical workshop training, and being shadowed on plant.
His engineering manager said: “Matt is an outstanding apprentice whose passion for engineering is evident in everything he does.
“He consistently goes above and beyond to improve his skills and takes his work to the next level. A natural leader, Matt sets a great example for others - always willing to offer support, share knowledge, and lend a helping hand.”
Simeon Clark - The Compleat Food Group
An alumnus of The Compleat Food Group’s graduate programme, 24-year-old Simeon Clark has shaped a brand-new position in the data and category team, transitioning directly into permanent employment from the programme in July 2025.
Clark’s impact on the business has been tangible, he was able to spot some discrepancies in brand reporting, proactively making changes. One example is the tweaks he made in bar code tracking which ensured consistencies in data and a less manual workflow.
He has also volunteered to act as a ‘buddy’ for new graduates at The Compleat Food Group. This involves day-to-day mentoring and attending initial assessment centre days, inspiring new recruits into the food industry.
Clark’s line manager, Kelly Bagworth commented: “I’ve been Simeon’s line manager for a year, as his role evolved within the category team, and it’s been a pleasure to see him flourish. Simeon has played an instrumental role in the data transformation project.
“His enthusiasm, willingness to problem solve and think differently is having a major impact on future ways of working that drive efficiencies and accuracy of how Compleat utilises consumer insight data.”
Adam Atcha - Coca-Cola Europacific partners
GB supply chain graduate with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), Adam Atcha has spent time across Coca-Cola’s British and German operations over the last three-and-a-half years.
At 28, he is one of the firm’s rising stars and has already led a team of 13 operators and engineers.
Among other notable achievements, Atcha delivered a yield improvement project that resulted in an annual six-figure saving. He was also the first graduate to complete an international rotation, shaping the company now sends talent abroad.
He has additionally been recognised with CCEP’s Icon Award for both the quarterly and overall GB Customer Service & Supply Chain Speed & Agility Icon Award in 2023.
Moreover, Atcha has helped roll out new digital operational tools at the Wakefield site, which has improved line performance, and is now influencing its wider deployment.
“Adam’s first rotation following his induction into CCEP was at our Edmonton factory where one of his primary focuses was yield losses,” Atcha’s manager said.
“His focus area was the Oasis line where the site was recording an average loss of £2,000 per production run. Adam took the initiative to follow the process step by step from syrup make-up, through bottling and on to palletisation. From both a theoretical and practical basis Adam identified our yield losses end to end using excellent data analysis and a mass balance approach. He also spotted clear opportunities to improve the filling process.”
Heather Grealy - Pilgrim’s Europe
A senior brand manager for Richmond Sausages at Pilgrim’s Europe at just 26 years, Heather Grealy has shown remarkable initiative.
During her four years at the manufacturer, Grealy has risen from commercial graduate to senior brand manager, leading Richmond through a period of “outstanding growth”.
Under her leadership, the brand has grown 12% in RSV, reached record brand equity, and achieved an eight-point lift in brand consideration, outperforming its category.
Respected by senior leaders and agency partners alike, Grealy stands out for her sharp commercial instincts, creative bravery, passion and ability to bring people together around a shared vision - qualities that mark her as ‘the one to watch’ among the next generation of FMCG leaders according to Pilgrim’s Europe.
Chris Doe, marketing & innovation director said: “Heather has quickly established herself as one of the most dynamic marketers in our business. She combines strategic rigour with creative flair, leading with confidence, empathy and a deep understanding of consumers.
“Her work on Richmond has not only delivered record growth but also redefined how the brand shows up – brand equity is at an all-time high. She’s raised the bar for what great marketing looks like at Pilgrim’s, from the transformative ‘Good Times’ campaign to the clarity of the Richmond 2026 plan.”
Daniel Elford - Daily Dose Limited
Engineer Daniel Elford joined Daily Dose in 2021 as an apprentice engineer and has progressed rapidly.
He completed his Level 3 and Level 4 qualifications before officially qualifying as an engineer in 2025. According to Daily Dose, he immediately took responsibility for some of the most complex machinery in the firm’s food manufacturing.
Elford has since become Daily Dose’s in-house expert on high pressure processing (HPP), overseeing two of only seven UK machines, including the world’s first JBT electric intensifier.
He also maintains and improves all of the company’s filling lines, introducing efficiency and safety enhancements. His colleagues are keen to point out that his technical ability and achievements reflect the skills of someone far beyond his years.
Elford also actively mentors junior apprentices, offers guidance, encouragement and practical support, helping them navigate their training.
“Danny represents everything we look for in future talent. From apprentice to fully fledged engineer, his growth has been remarkable,” business development manager, Emma Bennett said.
“He’s proactive, incredibly knowledgeable, and always the first to offer support. His work ethic and impact on both HPP and wider production have been outstanding. Danny doesn’t just do his job—he elevates the entire team.”
Amirah Patel – Simply Doughnuts
Production and quality co-ordinator Amirah Patel, 23, has already assumed a leadership role, and has proven to be extremely quick to grasp the key concepts of the production operation.
In the factory, she oversees a 37-strong workforce and gives instructions and support to maintain strict quality control. She monitors vital operations such as mixing, proving, sheeting, etc. Under her supervision, Simply Doughnuts was able to reduce waste scores by between 12% and 15% last year.
Patel has become the MD’s eyes and ears on the factory floor, monitoring all of the firm’s operations, and quickly highlights anything that might need adjusting in order to maximise quality, improve energy-efficiency, and minimise waste.
She has also played a key role in export-readiness, preparing packaging, labelling and compliance for overseas markets.
“Amirah has quickly become an extremely valuable team member, showing a degree of responsibility and initiative that is rare, especially in younger employees,” said MD Shiraz Master MBE.
“She has demonstrated outstanding leadership and professional capability in a high-pressure manufacturing environment. Her work has directly lowered costs, increased efficiency, and enabled the launch of innovative new products that appeal to both UK and international markets.
He continued: “By combining technical quality control expertise with hands-on production management, she has positioned Simply Doughnuts for continued growth, at home and abroad.”
