Food and drink companies from across the Northwest are being invited to enter the fifth annual Food Northwest Awards and the Fine Food Northwest Awards 2010.
Organised by Food Northwest, the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) cluster organisation set up to lead the food and drink industry, and to help to grow the Northwest regional economy, the Food Northwest Awards celebrate the successes of businesses across Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside.
They acknowledge companies from all areas of the industry, from farm to fork, including food retail and service, wholesale, distribution, food processing and agriculture. This year’s awards will focus on the theme ‘Fabulous Food’ and will highlight the diversity, energy, enthusiasm and sheer hard work of companies excelling in their sector, across the Northwest. The winners will be announced at a Gala Awards dinner, hosted by Lucy Meacock of ITN and Granada TV, on Thursday June 24, 2010, at Manchester’s Midland Hotel.
This year’s Fine Food Northwest Awards*, which recognise the best fine foods in the region, will be judged by the region’s top chefs and food experts in early June, with the ten winners battling it out in two fine food categories in the overall Food Northwest Awards.
Last year there were over 400 fine food entries with Cheshire-based winners including Tarvin restaurant bar and delicatessen, The Gunnery, which was named winner of the ‘prepared meals’ category for its game pie. Eddisbury Fruit Farm in Kelsall won the fine foods ‘beverages’ category with its Cheshire Cider.
Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese was named winner of the ‘’dairy’ category in the Fine Food Northwest Awards 2009, for its Mrs Kirkham’s Tasty Lancashire. Master butcher, Kevin Berkins, who runs The Eagle at Barrow in Clitheroe and The Fence Gate Inn near Burnley, won the ‘sausages’ category for his leek and black pudding sausages.
Church Farm Organics in Thurstaston, Wirral, won the ‘fruit and vegetables’ category for its organic asparagus, while Southport Seafoods based in Shellfield Road, Southport, won the ‘fish and seafood’ category for its Genuine Southport Potted Shrimps in Butter.
Family-run butchers, Broughs of Birkdale won the ‘cured and cooked meat’ category for its dry/sweet cure smoked bacon.
Kendal’s Ginger Bakers won the cakes, puddings and sweet pastries, biscuits and confectionery category in the Fine Food Northwest Awards, with its new Chocolate Damson Brownie.
JW Mettrick & Son Ltd, based in Glossop, won the ‘fresh meat’ category of the Fine Food Northwest Awards with its mutton cutlets. Its free-range pork loins also won the ‘pork’ sub-category. The business is run by the fifth generation of the family, led by John Mettrick and his brother Steven and since its win at the awards has seen a 17-18 per cent rise in its annual sales turnover.
The Food Northwest Awards 2009 saw Lancashire cheese specialist Dewlay scoop the Food Northwest Award for Environmental Sustainability, while red meat processor Dunbia, which is based in Sawley, took home the Food Northwest Award for Skills.
Daniel Thwaites Brewery in Blackburn, which secured a contract to supply its beers to British Embassies across the globe, won the UKTI Award for International Trade. Moorhouses Brewery in Burnley was Highly Commended in the Food Northwest Award for Small and Medium Enterprises.
Cheshire Ice Cream Farm in Tattenhall scooped the Food Northwest Excellence Award. The company has been producing award winning “real dairy ice cream” and sorbets at its Drumlan Hall Farm since 1986. Free from artificial colours and flavours, the produce is now found in over 950 pubs, hotels, restaurants and retail outlets all over the Northwest and since its win at the awards last year, the business has seen a rise in visitor figures, has introduced six new products, and has won more than 30 new wholesale customers.
Sale-based preserve maker, Clippy’s Apples, was Highly Commended in the Food Northwest Award for Small and Medium Size Enterprises, alongside Warrington’s Transfresh, which helps small food and drink growers and producers to sell their products to some of the largest retailers in the region.
Delifonseca in Liverpool’s Stanley Street win the Food Northwest Award for Small and Medium Sized Businesses. The company is now set to expand and is planning a spring opening for its new site in Liverpool’s Brunswick Quay, creating 25 new jobs.
Vimto Soft Drinks in Newton-le-Willows won the Food Northwest Award for Innovation for its new pouch drink aimed at the UK’s teen market.
Katie Coleman, who was formerly marketing manager at Victoria Foods in Leigh. won the IGD Prize for the Northwest Food Industry Star. Katie, from Horwich has now moved to a new role at J& K Confectionery in Wigan.
The Moody Baker in Alston won the Food Northwest Award for Supply Chain Solutions, for its work to create a central hub to help local businesses source raw materials and deliver products cheaper, more efficiently, and with less impact on the environment. Following its win, the business is set to expand by opening a new bakery in Barnard Castle, County Durham. It will be based on the same ethos as the Alston store and is set to open in late spring.
Sharston-based Authentic Food Company won the Food Northwest Award for Corporate Social Responsibility for its contribution to the local community and its efforts to reduce its impact on the environment.
Pat Foreman, chief executive of Food Northwest, said: “We were delighted with the response to last year’s awards and once again, we are looking forward to receiving a high calibre of entries from across the Northwest in both our business and fine food awards. This year we are celebrating all of the ‘fabulous food’ that this region is home to – from big, well-known brands through to small, local and speciality producers.”
The Northwest has one of the largest food and drink sectors in the UK, contributing £9.5 billion to the local economy, employing over 450,000 people and providing almost 12 per cent of the region’s income. The sector has been identified by the Northwest Regional Development Agency, (NWDA) as a priority growth sector within the Regional Economic Strategy.
Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive of the NWDA, said: “In the challenging economic climate, it is more important than ever to recognise the achievements and successes of our regional businesses. These awards are a valuable opportunity to showcase the innovative work that is being carried out by food and drink companies in the Northwest, which continue to make a vital contribution to the ongoing growth of this key sector.”
Sponsorship opportunities are available for a number of awards. Last year’s awards were sponsored by; Barclays Commercial; DWF solicitors; Business Link, Northwest; Food Northwest; IGD; The Manufacturing Institute; Northcote Manor; Nyman Whitfield; Reaseheath College; UK Trade & Investment and Alma de Cuba restaurant and bar.
Entry to the Food Northwest Awards 2010 is free and businesses have the chance to submit online applications in eleven categories** at www.foodnw.co.uk Organisations can nominate themselves, or be nominated by another party. Entries to the Fine Food Northwest Awards 2010 can be submitted at the same address.
The closing date for all award entries is April 30, 2010. Further details of the award categories can also be found at the above address, along with information on how to obtain tickets for the Gala Awards Dinner. Those interested in sponsoring an award should contact Darren Hill at Food Northwest on 01928 511011.
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