FOODNW AWARDS 2009!

1st July 2009

The annual Food NW awards are now in their fourth year and the theme for 2009 was Innovation and Inspiration.

The awards recognise the innovation and achievements of businesses across Cheshire, Cumbria, Lancashire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester. They acknowledge companies from all areas of the industry, including food retail and service, wholesale, catering, distribution, food processing and agriculture, with winners in eleven categories.
Click here for full version of FoodNW Awards press release  

The Food Northwest Award for Innovation

Vimto Soft Drinks

Sponsored by Reaseheath Enterprise Delivery Hub

Vimto Soft Drinks (VSD) operates in the soft drinks market.  VSD has three main brands; Vimto is the largest brand and operates in three sectors of the soft drinks market carbonates, dilutes and ready to drink (RTD.)  There are then two smaller brands of Sunkist operating in the carbonates sector and panda operating in the carbonates, water and RTD sectors.

The Food Northwest Award for Supply Chain Solutions

The Moody Baker

Sponsored by Food NW

The Moody Baker have won some prestigious food industry award in the last few years including Countryside Alliance Best Rural Retailer (2006 and also finalists in 2007 and 2008) Cumbria Social Enterprise Award, and North West Fine Food award for their Nut Roast

They have played a key role in helping Hexham Farmers Market win Northern Farmers Market of the Year and Barnard Castle Farmers Market win Vegetarian Farmers Market of the Year.

They have also created synergies between many local businesses, reflected in the products.  An example of this is Wolf Pie (made using local steak and locally brewed ‘Wolf’ beer from Allendale Breweries.)

Highly Commended

Transfresh

Transfresh are based in the East Midlands and North West of England. Established in February 2006 – with the objective of providing a route to market for locally/regionally sourced food and beverages to the retail, leisure and public sectors.

Transfresh has a reputation for providing great locally produced goods, at a competitive price, and works extremely hard to ensure the supplier is reliable and delivers consistent quality at a non premium price.

The Food Northwest Award for Skills

Dunbia

Sponsored by The Manufacturing Institute

Dunbia Sawley is widely recognised in the red meat industry as being a company that has continually re invested its profits in systems that provide us with a vast array of information that helps us to manage our business with micro effect.  The livestock procurement department is held in extremely high regard within the farming community and we believe that this respect is one of the reasons why over 2000 farmers marketed their livestock through Dunbia Sawley in 2008.

The Food Northwest Award for Environmental Sustainability

Dewlay

Sponsored by Barclays Commercial

Makers of traditional cheeses, with a focus on Lancashire.  Dewlay source their milk from family farms around the dairy.  They supply Lancashire cheese to a wide range of outlets including Booths Waitrose and Sainsbury’s and the ever popular market stalls of Lancashire such as Bolton, Bury, Chorley and many more.  Dewlay are the largest producer of Kosher cheese in the UK and export to Europe and the USA.

The Food Northwest award for Corporate Social Responsibility

Authentic Food Company

Sponsored by DWF

Established in 1985, the Authentic Food Company has created an enviable reputation in the food service industry as a quality supplier of frozen ready meals and snacks.  Their product range covers a number of cuisines including Indian, European, British, Oriental and Tex-Mex.  Their team of executive chefs ensures that every product meets their stringent requirements for quality and taste.  All their chefs are experienced professionals with a passion for createing only the finest products.

The UKTI Award for International Trade

Thwaites Brewery

Sponsored by UKTI

In 2007, they celebrated their Bi-centenary anniversary and over 200 years they have won numerous awards and accolades for their beer, pubs and people.  To highlight a few, Thwaites are only one of 5 brewers to have won Champion Beer of Britain twice, they were awarded Product Partner of the Year by the Royal British Legion in 2007, they won Pub Retailer of the Year in 2006 and their training manager, Mike Connell has just won BII Award for services to the drinks Leisure Industry.

With regards to export, in the last 12 months Thwaites substantially increased their export focus by targeting key markets and entering into long-term strategic partnerships.

The IGD Award for the Northwest Food Industry Rising Star

Katie Coleman, Victoria Foods

Sponsored by IGD

Manufacturing a wide range of home baking products in desserts, baking mixes and beverage mixes Victoria Foods have an extensive portfolio of supermarket own label products and a strong branded range.  They continue to improve and develop these products.  By working closely with their retail customers, in order to supply the highest quality products that consistently deliver great value and meet changing customer needs.

The Fine Food Producer of the Year Award

Friendly Food & Drink 

The Best New Northwest Speciality Product

Friendly Food & Drink – Chocolate & Orange Curd

Sponsored by Northcote

Cumbria-based Friendly Food and Drink was established in 2006, and makes a range of hand-made, award-winning preserves, chutneys, curds and sauces. All of its products are made with fruit sugar rather than cane sugar, making them a healthier option and more suitable for diabetics. None of the Friendly products contain gluten/wheat or nuts/seeds and its kitchen is completely allergen free to ensure there are no traces. The use of dairy and egg is also limited, making its products not only delicious, but open to people with limited diets.

The Food Northwest Award for Small and Medium Size Enterprises

Delifonseca

Sponsored by Business Link

Only 3 years old, Delifonseca is an award-winning authentic retail delicatessen and restaurant in Liverpool city centre. A purveyor and creator of great tasting quality food with known provenance, the business and its staff are united in their love of good ingredients and delicious food. Showcasing the best local, regional and international produce alongside in-house specialities Delifonseca provides the consumer with choice unavailable elsewhere. It operates modern late-night opening hours to suit busy modern city centre living. By popular demand Delifonseca has also successfully expanded into corporate outside catering and bespoke food and drink gifts.

Highly Commended

Clippy’s Apples

Clippy’s Apples is the home of British-apple based jams, jellies & chutneys.  Their branding is fresh and funky and they supply innovative products to fine-food retailers U.K-wide.  Products are hand-made using traditional methods.

Clippy’s Apples are the organisers of ‘National Jam Week’ (21-28 June), an annual event celebrating the rich history of 'jam', encouraging consumers to demand higher quality jams and demonstrating the diverse applications of jam.

Highly Commended

Moorhouses Brewery

Moorhouses Brewery own six pubs of their own in Burnley, Bury and Rawenstall, and supply to around 300 free trade pubs within a 50 mile radius of the brewery site.

Brewer of English Bitter Beers since 1978.  Their products have won recognition at the Brewing Industry International Awards and The Champion Beer of Britain.  Their premier Bitter Black Cat and Pendle Witches Brew have won numerous awards.  Available in casks and bottles and distributed to pubs, clubs, restaurants and hotels throughout the country

The Food Northwest Excellence Award

Cheshire Farm Ice Cream

Sponsored by Nyman Whitfield

Cheshire Farm Ice Cream is a family run business that has been producing award winning “Real Dairy Ice Cream” and sorbets at Drumlan Hall Farm, Tattenhall, Chester, since 1986.  Made using fresh whole milk and cream, the finest ingredients are carefully selected to ensure that they are free from artificial colours and flavours. 

Cheshire Farm Ice Cream is available in over 30 refreshingly different flavours of luxury real dairy ice cream and real fruit sorbets to suit all tastes.  These include traditional creamy Vanilla with Pod, Cointreau & Orange, Rhubarb & Custard, Honeycomb, Malt Tease, Raspberry Pavlova and White Choc Chunk.  They also pride themselves on their selection of real fruit sorbets, such as Pink Grapefruit, Mango & Ginger, Kiwi and Mandarin to name but a few.  Flavours are reviewed regularly in accordance with customer demands and seasonal specials are often added to the product range, i.e. Christmas Pudding.

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