The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has announced the nominees for this year’s FDF Awards, which celebrate exceptional talent, excellence and innovation in the food and drink industry.

More than 200 nominees have been announced across 19 categories, including one that is new to this year.

This year, the awards ceremony will mark the introduction of a new Manufacturing Initiative award, which credits companies which have implemented new technology or manufacturing processes to improve energy usage, efficiency, cost or quality.

Commenting on the shortlisted companies, chief executive of the FDF, Karen Betts said:

“The judges had an invidious task in choosing winners from an extremely strong field – from companies driving new sustainability initiatives to championing employee wellbeing, as well as embracing new technologies and supporting cutting-edge skills development in their teams. 

“The food and drink sector is based within communities right across the UK’s nations and regions, and these awards really demonstrate how our great companies continue to bring great products to consumers in challenging times.

“Good luck to all the brilliant nominees.”

A sample of the official shortlist

Apprentice of the Year

  • Caitlin Jones – Co-op Food;
  • Daisy Abson – Coca-Cola Europacific Partners;
  • Finley Pryde – Unilever UK and Ireland;
  • Lorena Martin Olivera – apetito;
  • Richard Laursen – Unilever UK and Ireland;
  • Sophie Clifford – Mondelēz International.

Business Resilience

  • 92 Degrees;
  • British Corner Shop;
  • Fresh Pastures and SMUK;
  • Fudge Kitchen;
  • Simply Doughnuts Ltd.;
  • Teesdale Cheesemakers Ltd.

Education Initiative

  • Britvic plc – Britvic’s supported internships;
  • Food Matters Live – The Career Conversations series, part of the Food Matters Live podcast channel;
  • National Skills Academy for Food and Drink – Tasty Careers;
  • Nestlé UK and Ireland – Virtual School Trip;
  • The Nutrition Society – The Nutrition Society Training Academy (NSTA);
  • Wiltshire Farm Foods – Dysphagia Awareness Training with HCPs of the future.

Environmental Leadership 

  • ABP UK – Gamechanger;
  • apetito Ltd. – Leading the Way with Net Zero Carbon Strategy;
  • DELI LITES Ireland Ltd. – To Net Zero and Beyond!;
  • Eurest – Combatting and Leading Change on Food Waste;
  • FareShare – FareShare’s Surplus with Purpose scheme;
  • Molson Coors Beverage Company – Molson Coors’ Carbon Reduction project.

Exporter of the Year

  • Belvoir Farm Drinks Ltd.;
  • British Corner Shop;
  • Nairn’s;
  • Nasco UK Ltd.;
  • Ramsden International;
  • Symington’s Ltd.

HR Initiative 

  • Britvic plc – Working Well: Britvic’s global hybrid working programme;
  • Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) – ‘JustBe’ from Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB;
  • Mars Food – Food Switch off For Dinner;
  • Moy Park Ltd. – Moy Park’s Development Academies;
  • PepsiCo UK – Frontline Home Grown Accelerated Development Programme;
  • Proper Cornish Ltd – Health and Wellbeing Initiative.

Product Innovation

  • apetito and Wiltshire Farm Foods – Finger Foods Bites: the future of Dementia-friendly dining;
  • Meatless Farm – Plant-Based Chicken Breast;
  • Premier Foods – Saxa Salt Sprays: changing the way we use and think about salt;
  • Simply Doughnuts Limited – Development of fresh, long shelf-life doughnuts for retailers and wholesalers;
  • Sutherlands of Portsoy – Coffee Smoked;
  • THIS™ – Fat 2.0.

Registered Dietitian / Nutritionist of the Year

  • Eretia O’Kennedy Coleske – Starbucks Coffee Company (UK);
  • Kelly Fortune – apetito and Wiltshire Farm Foods;
  • Rebecca Deeley -Tillery Valley Foods;
  • Rebecca Williams – Huel;
  • Rees Bramwell – Eurest.

Sustainable Packaging Initiative

  • apetito Ltd. – Boomerang: a first for large-scale closed loop recycling;
  • Ellers Farm Distillery – Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka – Amber Bottle Project;
  • Kingsmill – Bread bags recycled content trial;
  • Laithwaites Wine – Organic w/o Frappato in 100% post-consumer recycled ‘wild’ glass bottle;
  • Nestlé UK and Ireland – SMARTIES transition from plastic to paper packaging;
  • PepsiCo UK and Ireland – Multi-pack Crisps Direct to carton;
  • Sutherlands of Portsoy – QuadFresH.

The full list is on the FDF website.

The awards, to be hosted by celebrity restaurant critic Jay Rayner, will be taking place at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on September 15.

FDF FOOD AND DRINK FEDERATION