Deadline: 21-Apr-23
Entries are now open for the 2023 Food & Drink Heroes Awards to support, celebrate and recognise the inspiring stories of Food & Drink entrepreneurs across the UK!
Food & drink contributes £31.1bn to the economy and research shows that Britain’s food and drink sector continues to forge ahead at home and abroad despite current economic and political uncertainty.
Having launched the Great British Entrepreneur Awards in 2012, which now receives over 5,500 applications annually and a community of circa 20,000 entrepreneurs, they’ve been overwhelmed with outstanding food & drink entrepreneurs entering and engaging with the programme. So much so, that they decided they needed their own platform.
Food & Drink Heroes champions the pioneers of change behind some of Great Britain’s most exciting emerging and established food and drink brands and ventures.
Categories
- Alcoholic Drink Entrepreneur of the Year
- The alcohol industry is a major part of the UK’s economy, worth an estimated £47 billion a year.
- Recent years have seen a new wave of alcoholic drinks companies come to the market.
- With consumers gravitating towards new and independent brands, the winner will have introduced a drink that has brought something new to the market and captured the taste buds and imagination of its customers.
- Animal Food Entrepreneur of the Year
- More and more brands are championing the case for fresh and natural alternatives, free from artificial preservatives, fillers and colourings.
- The winner will have brought to market an innovative brand that puts quality at the top of the agenda for their pets.
- Baked Goods Entrepreneur of the Year
- The bakery industry is one of the largest in the UK’s food market, worth an estimated £3.5 billion.
- According to the Federation of Bakers, the UK sells the equivalent to 11 million loaves of bread every single day.
- Whether it’s breathtaking biscuits, killer cakes or puffy pastries, the winner will have brought new, innovative and creative flavours to market using the best ingredients.
- Confectionery Entrepreneur of the Year
- From chocolate and ice creams to snazzy sweets, the UK’s confectionery industry is worth a HUGE £11.5 billion.
- The winner will show unrivalled creativity in innovating existing products or creating entirely new ones that display a perfect balance of taste, appearance and quality of ingredients.
- Export Entrepreneur of the Year
- The UK’s food and drink businesses now sell products to more than 200 countries around the world and play a vital role in the country’s wider export income.
- Food Service Entrepreneur of the Year
- The winner will demonstrate commitment and flair for the food and drink sector by providing a service to the customer, and exhibit industry-honed skills to innovate and offer something unique in their field.
- Central to their success will be a sustained customer experience and satisfaction that makes them stand out from the competition.
- Health Entrepreneur of the Year
- With greater focus on living a healthy lifestyle, the winner will have brought to market a product that doesn’t compromise on health benefits or taste.
- Hospitality Entrepreneur of the Year
- A great hospitality setting isn’t just determined by the quality of its product, it’s determined by what sets it aside from every other location.
- Innovation Entrepreneur of the Year
- The winner will have pushed the boundaries of what they thought possible and redefining their respective product category to help their brand stand out from the crowd.
- Non-alcoholic Drink Entrepreneur of the Year
- With more and more people choosing alcohol-free, the winner will have created an enticing alternative to alcohol whether it’s an innovative new soft drink or a non-alcoholic version of the ‘real thing’.
- Producer of the Year
- Whether growing crops, rearing livestock, or bringing everything together to manufacture an amazing final product, the winner of the inaugural Producer of the Year award will show a dedication to bringing real quality to the sector through innovative and creative methods.
- Small Business Supporter of the Year
- From investment and mentoring to systems and processes, larger brands are offering more support than ever before.
- The winner will go to a large brand that provides industry-leading support to the up-and-coming brands in the food and drink industry, putting innovation and creativity above competition.
- Start-up Entrepreneur of the Year
- The Start-up Entrepreneur of the Year Award reaches out to those who have given everything to guiding their business through those all-important nascent stages.
- The winner will have responded to the many inevitable drawbacks with an attitude that feels for the best in every situation with a heart that will not give up.
- Street Food Entrepreneur of the Year
- Street food has taken on a modern, gourmet taste in recent years and it’s a market that is flourishing.
- The inaugural Street Food Entrepreneur of the Year will go to an independent vendor producing tantalising tastes, whether taking an innovative twist on a classic or bringing something entirely new to market.
- Sustainability Entrepreneur of the Year
- From palm oil to plastic packaging, people are steering clear of brands that don’t fit with their commitment to tackling the climate crisis.
- The winner will place sustainability at the very core of its mission, refusing to compromise on taste or its lack of impact on the planet.
Eligibility Criteria
- You must be within the food and drink industry.
- Your company must be registered and trading in the UK.
- You can enter more than one category.
- The supporting documents are not a compulsory part of the application. It won’t count against you if you do not include any, but they can help to illuminate your entry. Supporting documents could be testimonials, examples of press coverage, explainer videos, or impact reports, for example.
- Entries will be judged based on the answers provided within the application form, The judges will mark each question and give a rating out of 10, along with comments to justify their scoring.
For more information, visit Fresh Business Thinking.