Judging Process
The judges, made up of a panel of industry experts, are looking for consistent all round excellence in food manufacturing over the previous year.
Entries must show excellence in the following categories. You do not necessarily have to complete every section if it is not applicable to your entry. This will be taken into account by the judges in assessing your entry.
Category Management
Provide examples of how you have worked with your customers in building a strategy for the category/ies in which you are a supplier. If possible give data showing how this has increased category sales, e.g.
- Market growth year-on-year (£s and/or %)
- Category growth year-on-year
- Sales turnover year-on-year (Volume and value)
- Profit improvement by category year-on-year
- Category movement - show how you have influenced your categories
Marketing and New Product Development
Describe any successful marketing initiative including new products, advertising and packaging innovation. Give examples of how these have met emerging consumer trends such as health.
- Successful new product launches and marketing campaigns (e.g. profitable products per year, time to market, time to break even, staff time per new product, product introduction costs, etc)
- Reformulation of products to improve nutritional profile (e.g. reductions in salt, fat and sugar)
- Reduce speed of successful innovation
- Redesign and repackaging of products (reduced weight/volume of packaging) to improve consumer appeal and reduce environmental impact
- Carbon foot printing
Supply Chain Improvement
Describe how you have improved the efficiency of the supply chain, including manufacturing, operations, logistics and service levels. Provide quantifiable data to cover e.g.
- Productivity (= no. of units made/ no. of direct operator hours)
- Delivery schedule attainment (on-time in-full)
- Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) or similar measure
- Stock turns (= sales turnover per product/ value of raw materials, work in progress and finished goods)
- Not right first time (=defective units/total in millions)
Quality Assurance
Give examples of any initiatives in quality assurance, which have been specific to your company and resulted in improved customer satisfaction levels.
- Lower complaints received
- Quality audit
- Risk reduction through better process control
- Statistical process capability improvements (improving product/process predictability)
Health, Safety and Environmental Management
Outline initiatives to improve the working and wider environment:
- Reduced number of lost time accidents
- Number of near misses
- Initiatives to reduce utility (electricity, gas, water) costs and waste reduction
- Workplace organisation (e.g. 5S audit)
- ISO 14001 audit
Process Innovation
Examples of capital expenditure, which have benefited your output in terms of yield improvements, waste reduction, process control improvements, energy costs per unit produced and unit conversion costs.
- Novel process introduction (e.g. to improve machine and labour efficiency)
- Introduction of techniques such as lean manufacturing or six sigma
- Increased automation
- Return on capital investment (ROI)
Human Resource Development
What are you doing to improve the skills base of your staff, attract the best people and make sure you don't lose them?
- Improved training (e.g. days/ year) or projects to raise employee skills levels
- Staff recruitment and retention initiatives (staff morale)
- Absenteeism
- Overtime hours
- Agency bill
Please note that only 100 per words per criteria is necessary. Additional copy may be included in the appendices only, which should only include relevant supporting documents. These appendices will only be considered in the judging process if there is a tie.
(Please do not send copies of certificates, photos or newspaper cuttings)
The Judges
Food Manufacture Excellence Awards Judges:
- Steve Adams, General Manager, North London Operations, Coca-Cola Enterprises
- Jonathon Bayne, Techincal Development Controller, Musgrave Retail Partners GB
- Mark Colvin, Lean Manufacturing Consultant, Leanpal
- Steve Drury, Business Development Specialist, Food & Cryogenic Applications, Air Products
- Alan Speight, Food Consultant, Food Solutions Associates Ltd
- Andy Spooner, Director, Suiko WCS
- Kevin Swoffer, KPS Resources
- Andy Underwood, Commercial Director, The Authentic Food Company
- Jean Feord, Consultant
- Andrew Gale, Technical Manager, Tesco
- Paul Wilkinson, Chairman Big Bear Ltd/Chairman Produce World, Improve
- Rick Pendrous, Editor, Food Manufacture
Food Manufacture Excellence Skills Awards Judges:
- Derek Williams, Improve
- Paul Chapman, Improve
- Rick Pendrous, Food Manufacture
