2008 Winners - Stars of the Show
The Food Manufacture Excellence Awards winners were unveiled at a lavish dinner at the Marriott, Grosvenor Square, London, on November 13th 2008.The awards honour the very best food and drink manufacturing companies, assessing their progress across criteria ranging from category and supply chain management to health, safety and environmental management. Host for the evening was TV sports presenter Steve Rider.
The overall champion - crowned Company of the Year - was Greencore Chilled Soups and Sauces, which wowed the judges with its variety of achievements.
From 2005-2008, the firm almost doubled production, staff numbers and product lines at its Bristol headquarters. Determined to turn the factory into a centre of excellence, the company has invested £2M in new production equipment and £1M in a new coldstore. New communications initiatives such as 'Greencore Solutions', a new colleague forum and newsletter energised and inspired staff. Meanwhile, the processor has undertaken in-depth customer research for Asda and Sainsbury to boost sales. The business also trumped rivals to come top in the Chilled Ready Meals & Prepared Foods category.
"Greencore Chilled Soups & Sauces experienced a major refrigeration breakdown [in 2007] - they were out for eight days," added one judge. "How it handled that speaks volumes." Another praised its health and safety improvements and added: "You got the feeling it was empowering staff."
Premier Foods won the Judges Special Award for its environmental initiatives, under the umbrella of its Energy Champions programme. Among the project's achievements were a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 17% and plans for its Carlton factory to recycle 100% of its waste by 2010. Energy costs at its Carlton bakery alone were slashed by £276,000 last year.
Mash Direct nailed the Small Company of the Year Award as an admirable example of a farm business that had successfully diversified into making all-natural mashed vegetable products for the microwave and oven.
Of the category winners, Greencore Grocery won the day in Ambient & General Groceries, having launched a major new product development initiative in the form of its Weightwatchers Cooking Sauces. In addition, its category management drive for Asda boosted sales of its own-label table sauces by 21%. "They have actually got the endorsement from customers, providing evidence that they have done the business," said one judge.
Peters Food Service swung the judges vote in its favour in the bakery & confectionery category, forging impressive cross-category alliances to take new product development into fresh areas. The firm emerged from a £20M management buyout in October 2007 to nail enviable accounts, including a multi-million pound contract with Asda, delivering 30 new jobs and £650,000 worth of investment. One judge said: "I personally think it has done an amazing job. It's a great turnaround success story."
In Dairy, it was Kerrygold that made the best impression on the judges for its health and safety initiatives, strong category management programme and business improvements. "This was a strong submission on quality assurance - a 47% reduction of issues over 18 months and a 15% reduction in accidents," said one judge. Stubbins Marketing claimed the field in the Fresh Produce category. "I definitely saw leading edge work in terms of process development," was how one judge put it. The company was praised for its eco-friendly work installing a combined heat and power system and maximising vehicle loading.
The Frozen Foods award went to Greencore Frozen Foods, which showcased significant progress in lean manufacturing through online monitoring and was congratulated for its moves to cut packaging weight by investing in new kit. Aimia Foods was described as "a worthy winner" in Hot & Cold Beverages, with its HR work, especially to improve retention and dramatically reduce absenteeism drawing special congratulations.
In Meat, Poultry & Seafood, Lossie Seafoods, a company that acts as a real ambassador for Scotland, with a strong export market in artisan, sustainable smoked Scottish salmon products, scooped the award. The firm had achieved an impressive array of savings and had tripled net profit in 2007-2008.
In the Skills Excellence Awards, Premier Foods' Natalie Scott, a senior operative at Premier Foods, Methwold, was the winner in the Apprenticeships category. She showed considerable growth in confidence during her training, greater willingness to take on responsibility and increasing knowledge of her area of expertise.
Greencore Group won the Productivity Through Skills trophy, having made a very strong impression on the judges with its 'Lean Greencore' programme and leadership academy, which has seen more than 1,000 leaders and potential leaders pass through it.
For Diversity in Recruitment, Gibsons Foods pipped the opposition for its exemplary work in the deprived area of Ellesmere Port. Its various initiatives with the unemployed and disabled and its employment of a wide range of ethnic groups and age-ranges were just some of the things that clinched its position.
The Personality of The Year award, as voted for by industry peers via an online poll, was Philip McIvor, chairman of Farmhouse Biscuits. The title goes to someone who has significantly contributed to the sector in the past year, possibly by transforming their own business or even by furthering the interests of the wider industry. Now more than 70 years old, McIvor recovered from a serious illness two years ago to lead significant growth in sales and profit and build on past expansion, with the business making substantial inroads into the European market.
