The Farm Shop & Deli Product Awards return in 2023 – Enter now!

With quality and excellence at its heart, Farm Shop & Deli Show launches its Product Awards scheme for the second year, with winners set to be announced in the lead up to and at the show when it returns to the NEC, Birmingham next April (24–26). 

Supported and judged by leading farm shop & deli retailers, top wholesaler buyers and owners and industry experts, the Farm Shop & Deli Product Awards is an initiative that recognises and rewards the best in specialist food and drink products. The awards are open only to products that are sold in farm shops, delis and other specialist food retailers. 

These awards are unique, as they assess the overall business model of products and not just taste. The judging process will review everything about the product including the full value chain, branding along with taste ensuring products are not just great tasting but are well set to sell in the independent sector.

This enhanced criterion enables William Reed to provide important feedback to entrants, as to how their business models compare to the rest of the market, which will be received by way of a report. It also gives credible exposure to buyers across the industry, with leading retailers and wholesalers such as Booths, Cotswold Fayre, Diverse Fine Foods, Kitchen Food Co and Thyme and Tides giving support to the event.

John Gill, Head of Marketing & Trading at Booths said, “We are delighted to support the Farm Shop & Deli Product Awards. This is a great initiative, focussing on great food and drink products which are ready for retailing. At Booths, we are constantly on the lookout for great tasting, emerging products and we actively review the winners of these awards with a view to potentially stocking them within our stores.”

Nicki Stewart, Director at Diverse Fine Food said, “As long-time supporters of the Farm Shop & Deli Show, we are delighted to be involved in the Product Awards.  The awards are highly valued in the industry.  As distributors we are always sourcing, and this is the perfect platform to view and taste new, innovative artisan products.”

Steve Quinn, Owner at Kitchen Food Co said, “The Farm Shop and Deli Awards are the cream of the crop when it comes to their expertise in highlighting and selecting the very best products in the independent sector. The knowledge and skillset of the team is outstanding, and really helps find and help new products and suppliers in creating a foothold and generating sales for Great British products. I am delighted to have been asked to be a judge and am looking forward to supporting this great industry and awards panel in any way I can.”

Iain Hemming, Owner at Thyme & Tides said, “The Farm Shop and Deli Product Awards are manor from heaven for an independent retailer like us. To have a ready group of products that have already been checked for margin, branding and taste is amazing. We look forward to stocking many of the winners.”

This year, the awards will be judged across eleven categories (Beverages, Chilled & Frozen Desserts, Chilled Deli, Condiments & Sauces, Fermented & Smoked Foods, Meat, Non-Food, Plant-Based, Preserves, Savoury Biscuits & Snacks and Sweet Bakery & Confectionery) by panels of expert judges.

Judging will be split. Ambient products will be judged across various locations in March, with winners announced throughout April in the build up to the Farm Shop & Deli Show.

Chilled or frozen products will be judged live at the Farm Shop & Deli Show on Monday 24 April 2023, with winners announced live on-stage during the afternoon.

The deadline for entries into the awards is Friday 17 February 2023.

Commenting on the awards, Giorgio Rigali, Head of Communications, Exhibitions at William Reed says, “We are delighted to announce the return of the Farm Shop & Deli Product Awards for a second year. Farm shops are the heartbeat of local communities, and these awards celebrate the incredible range of local, high-quality products they have to offer.”

“With supporters including leading UK farm shops and Deli’s such as Thyme and Tides, The Kitchen Food Company, retailers such as Booths and wholesalers such as Cotswold Fayre and Diverse Foods, these awards give suppliers a real boost in the process of getting their products in front of the right people. Not only that, each entrant will receive feedback from the judging process, benchmarking them against the average scores from the competition.”

“Winners of these awards are not only great tasting, they also look great on shelf and are competitively priced making them desirable for wholesalers, retailers and consumers alike.”

To enter the awards visit: https://product.farmshopanddelishow.co.uk

To register to visit Farm Shop & Deli Show:  https://farmshopanddelishow-2022-visitor.reg.buzz/

Farm Shop & Deli Show is part of the UK Food & Drink Shows, run by William Reed.