Winners of the fourth annual Farm Shop & Deli Awards have been announced, with North Yorkshire-based Keelham Farm Shop taking the top prize of retailer of the year for 2017.
More than 3,000 consumers voted for the finalists across 13 categories and nine regions, with results announced yesterday [24 April] in Birmingham.
The awards, held in association with Lakeland Computers and organised by The Grocer’s publisher, William Reed, celebrate the specialist independent retail market, judging the best standards, level of service, product innovation and community involvement in the sector.
Keelham Farm Shop was the big winner, picking up three awards: retailer of the year, farm shop large retailer of the year and the North East regional award. Glasgow-based delicatessen Billington’s of Lenzie took home the Scottish regional award for the second year running.
New to 2017 was the newcomer of the year award, which was added after judging in November revealed a number of entries opened after April 2014. Those entrants were judged against fellow newcomers as well as retailers within their specialist category. The award was given to Brace of Butchers from Dorchester, Dorset, who also reached the finals in the butcher of the year category.
Nigel Barden, chairman of judges and food & drink journalist, said the award would be “a life-changing moment” for Keelham Farm Shop.
“We are delighted to be finalists at the Farm Shop & Deli Awards as we know that there are so many great food businesses out there,” said Victoria Robertshaw, co-owner at Keelham Farm Shop. “It’s the relationships we’ve built up with over 400 local farmers and producers over three generations of Robertshaws that enables us to deliver great-tasting, affordable, fresh food to around 19,000 customers a week.”
Entries for the 2018 awards will open in June 2017.
See below for the full list of winners:
Baker of the Year
Winner: Hobbs House Bakery, Tetbury, (also South West regional winner)
Butcher of the Year
Winner: Cunningham Butchery and Food Hall, Kilkeel (also Northern Ireland regional winner)
Cheesemonger of the Year
Winner: Paxton & Whitfield, London (also South East regional winner)
Delicatessen of the Year
Winner: Delilah Fine Foods, Leicester
Farm Shop Large Retailer of the Year
Winner: Keelham Farm Shop Ltd, Skipton (also North East regional winner and Retailer of the Year)
Farm Shop Small Retailer of the Year
Winner: The Gog Farm Shop, Cambridge (also East Anglia regional winner)
Fishmonger of the Year
Winner: Ramus Seafood Emporium, Harrogate
Food Hall of the Year
Winner: Delifonseca Dockside, Liverpool (also North West regional winner)
Greengrocer of the Year
Winner: Rafters of Driffield, Driffield
Local Shop of the Year
Winner: Siop Pwllglas, Ruthin (also Wales regional winner)
Market of the Year
Winner: Horsforth Farmers’ Market, West Yorkshire
Newcomer of the Year
Winner: Brace of Butchers, Dorchester
Online Business of the Year
Winner: Farmison & Co, Ripon
Start-up wins ‘great new idea’ award
Meanwhile, West Country-based start-up snack brand Innate Food has been honoured with the Farm Shop & Deli Awards great new idea award for 2017. The brand was praised for its air dried Snack Squares, which aim to “put health back into snack foods” and are available in three flavours: butternut, beetroot and spinach & coconut.
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