News article
20 September 2019
Food and Drink Federation announces winners of Awards 2019
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Last night over 500 guests gathered to celebrate the food and drink
manufacturing industry's
contribution to the UK at The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Awards 2019 at
the
Royal Lancaster,
London. The event was hosted by celebrity restaurant critic and food journalist
for The Observer, Jay
Rayner. Headline Partner, Santander, sponsored the event.
The evening also recognised the new category of 'Registered
Nutritionist/Dietitian of the Year',
helping celebrate the many talented individuals who support industry in
improving the health of the
nation and who are crucial in the formulation of innovative new product
development. The Awards
also payed special recognition to John Lea, Chairman of Morning Foods and Oakes
Millers, for his
outstanding contribution to the industry.
The FDF Awards 2019 winners are as follows:
Special Recognition - John Lea, Morning Foods and Oakes Millers:
John Lea is the Chairman of Morning Foods and Oakes Millers, companies that
represent the
largest independent milling, food and feed production companies in the UK.
Through technological
advancement, product innovation, and continuous reinvestment, John has evolved
the Group to be at
the forefront of these disciplines.
Apprentice of the Year - Kyle Constable, OAL:
Kyle Constable, apprentice at OAL, plays a key role in helping global food
manufacturers adopt
OAL's patented Steam Infusion technology. His commitment, work ethic, and
commercial awareness
have been instrumental in his success.
Brand Launch of the Year - Britvic Plc (sponsored by Ipsos MORI):
Britvic Plc have worked on relaunching and revitalizing Robinsons Fruit
Creations and Robinsons
Fruit Cordials, restoring the brand and ensuring growth. In just 12 months,
Robinsons was able to
offer a new and interesting proposition and drive incremental growth through
market penetration and
trade up.
Campaign of the Year - Fare Share:
Fare Share's Feed People First campaign called on Government to introduce
financial incentives
to food businesses to make the cost of charitable food retribution equal to
that
of sending food, which
is still good to eat, to waste. This helps ensure that the annual 270,000
tonnes
of surplus food goes to
those in the UK who are struggling to afford to eat.
Community Partner - Bags of Taste (sponsored by University of Lincoln):
Bags of Taste's Bags of Taste, Combatting Food Poverty is a completely new and
innovative way
to help motivate otherwise disinterested participants to change their habits in
favour of regularly
cooking good and tasty food at home. They help people to change their diet and
food preparation
habits long term and for as little as £1 a portion.
Diet & Health (Joint Winners) - Kellogg's:
Kellogg's significantly reduced the amount of sugar found in Kellogg's Coco
Pops. A cross-
functional team achieved this by utilising cocoa and flavour creation
technology
to deliver the desired
flavour, texture, and appearance with a lower sugar level, without using
artificial sweeteners.
Diet & Health (Joint Winners) - Kerry Taste & Nutrition:
Kerry Taste & Nutrition's work in Optimising in Beverage Menus in Foodservice
has helped
address the consumer demand for health and wellness without compromising on
taste. It has also
allowed them to create natural solutions to nutritionally optimise foods.
Education Initiative - PepsiCo International:
PepsiCo International's The PepsiCo Beaumont Park STEM Initiative or 'The
Curiosity Club' was
created to increase STEM engagement in young people. The initiative introduced
six interactive
workshops linking STEM to the food industry, for ambassadors to use and deliver
in local schools.
Environmental Leadership - Raynor Foods Ltd (sponsored by Food Matters Summit):
This year Raynor Foods Ltd commissioned and up-scaled Rosemary Gardens, their
on-site
hydroponic, vertical, self-contained farm that is comprised of multiple growing
units. These units
utilise third generation LED grow-light technology, have in-built UV water
filtration systems and fully
programmable lighting and irrigation systems.
Exporter of the Year - Millennium Group (sponsored by Santander):
Millennium Group, working very closely with the Department of International
Trade (DIT) and
China Britain Business Council, have become the biggest UK supplier by volume
of
FMCG to cross-
border retailers in China, with over 1000 containers shipped in 2018. This has
been achieved through
finding right partners and building strong relationships and respecting the
trading terms and styles of
large Chinese companies.
Food and Drink Engineer of the Year - Alexandra Agg, Mondelez International
(sponsored by Sheffield Hallam University):
Alexandra Agg, Senior Process Engineer at Mondelez International, has
successfully reviewed
and improved process control and training of operators on how to run lines in
the optimum way. Her
study and methodology has become the benchmark for the whole factory, through
her commitment in
engaging and involving every operator and technician on the line and taking on
board their ideas for
improvement.
Food and Drink Scientist of the Year – David Clark, KP Snacks (sponsored by
IFST):
David Clark, Development Manager at KP Snacks, has played a key role in new
product and
process development work. He has become a specialist in a number of key food
science issues that
have become increasingly important to the business and the wider snacks
industry.
HR Initiative – KP Snacks:
KP Snacks have implemented a company-wide mental health strategy in-line with
Making mental
health a priority at KP Snacks. Mental wellbeing is now placed on an equal
footing with physical
wellbeing, health and safety. KP trains colleagues to become 'Mental Health
First Aiders' (MHFA's)
who also help to boost wider awareness to ensure better access to mental health
support throughout
KP Snacks.
Innovation – Company Shop Group (sponsored by Santander):
In the last year, Company Shop Group have made significant strides in helping
the industry
unlock the full potential in surplus – commercially, socially, and
environmentally. In 2018, they
handled around 83,260 different products. With new retailers and brand owners
on
board, they
demonstrate a great level of flexibility and agility getting stock to people
and
ensuring products are
used for their original purpose.
Rising Star – Jessica Kelly, Premier Food (sponsored by PepsiCo UK):
Joining originally on the Premier Food's commercial graduate programme, Jessica
Kelly has
quickly progressed within the company. Her positive drive has seen her deliver
exceptional results,
shown in her initiatives raising over £3000 for our charity partners. Jess
clearly demonstrates the
skills and potential required to excel in the industry.
Emerging Business – The Meatless Farm Co. (sponsored by RSSL):
The Meatless Farm Co. invests heavily in product development of plant-based
products. Their
mission is to make plant-based eating simple, allowing families and individuals
to swap out meat a
couple of days a week.
Registered Nutritionist/Dietitian of the Year - Meg Longworth, Chartwell,
Compass UK&I
(New for 2019):
Meg Longworth, Head of Nutrition and Public Health, Chartwells, Compass UK&I,
has made a
huge contribution to the health of young people. She has driven innovative
programmes such as
Nudge Nudge, sat on All Parliamentary Groups, made keynote speeches as well as
writing a topical
column in Educatering Magazine.
Santander Special Recognition Award – Ramsden International:
Ramsden International is the UK's leading wholesale exporter of British grocery
brands, exporting
favourites such as PG Tips and Cadbury's chocolate to 100+ countries worldwide.
Selling over
23,000 products, their approach of entrepreneurship, innovation and community
has brought global
success, injecting more than £465 million into the British economy since 1995.
A silent auction at the event was held for industry benevolent charity
GroceryAid. Prizes were
generously donated by Redtooth Memorabilia.
Ian Wright CBE, Chief Executive, Food and Drink Federation, said:
“Many congratulations to each of the winners at tonight's FDF Awards. Thanks to
our diverse and
vibrant industry, each of the applicants in every category all had something
distinct to offer. Every
entrant should be proud of their contribution to UK food and drink.
“We are also most grateful to Santander, our headline partner, and to all of
those kind enough to
sponsor our Awards. Lastly, thanks to all those who donated to the silent
auction in support of
GroceryAid. Well done to the bidders who take the prizes home.
“Tonight's FDF Awards prove that despite the uncertainty we have been facing in
these difficult
times, the UK food and drink industry is increasingly versatile and dynamic and
in the best possible
shape to face the challenges to come.”
Andrew Williams, Head of Food & Drink Sector, Santander UK, said:
“At a time when UK food and drink manufacturers have a lot to grapple with,
these awards shine
a light on the incredible talent and innovation we have in the industry. Food
and drink manufacturing
is in Britain's DNA and is why the UK remains a global leader in exporting
these
goods. We're thrilled
to support the awards again and will continue to support this industry, which
is
so integral to our
economy.”
The 2020 FDF Awards will launch in November 2019. Find out
more information on the FDF Awards here.
Event photos will be available on FDF's Flickr
page.
Notes for editors:
- The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is the voice of the food and drink
manufacturing
industry – the UK's largest manufacturing sector. For more information about
FDF
and the industry
we represent visit: www.fdf.org.uk
- Details of all the winning company initiatives are available.
- Santander UK is a financial services provider in the UK that offers a wide range
of personal and
commercial financial products and services. It has brought real competition to
the UK, through its
innovative products for retail customers and relationship banking model for UK
SMEs. At 30 June
2019, the bank has around 24,000 employees. It serves around 15 million active
customers, via a
nationwide branch network, telephone, mobile and online banking; and 62
regional
Corporate
Business Centres. Santander UK is subject to the full supervision of the
Financial Conduct Authority
(FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) in the UK. Santander UK plc
customers' eligible
deposits are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) in
the UK.
- Photos of the event will be available on FDF's
Flickr
page.
More Information
Contact Megan Bevan, Corporate Affairs Division, at: Megan.Bevan@fdf.org.uk, or 07525717882.
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