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Sponsored by Thomas Ridley Foodservice

This non-entry category recognises and individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the county’s food and drink sector. The winner could come from any part of the industry – a grower, producer, cook, restauranteur, retailer, educator or local food and drink champion. The judges will select someone who is an expert in their field, has a proven track record, inspires colleagues, educates and sets standards at which others aim to attain. This award winner is selected by a panel of judges using their industry knowledge.   

1. Contribution and engagement with the industry  

2. Knowledge of the industry  

3. Contribution to society  

4. Industry resilience through the pandemic  

5. Commitment to people (Training, attraction, development)  

The judges will look for the coffee shop/café in Suffolk which is able to create an outstanding customer experience – a warm welcome, high quality tea and/or coffee plus a range of other drinks, tasty food made from fresh, local produce, all served with an excellent level of customer service. Judges will be impressed by a relaxed, comfortable ambience, originality, an imaginative menu and aspects which make the café or tea shop special.   

Business entry evidence required – each point worth 20%.

1. Food & Drink Offering – Provide your full menu offering including specials and dietary extras.  

2. Locality of Produce – Give details of local products and services, other local sources and additional support to local businesses/suppliers.   

3. Premises - describe the premises looking at internal, external, ambience and accessibility.  

4. Customer Reviews – What do your customers say about you – provide reviews and feedback.  

5. Community Engagement & Marketing – Give details of your engagement, marketing, promotions, social platforms and outreach.  

The award is open to any business or individual who has started a food and/or drink venture in the last three years (Having opened after 29 April 2021) . The judges will be looking for an outstanding early stage business which has already become a success story or shows promise to become one. The winner will be a company which is able to demonstrate a pioneering approach, strong performance over the past year, as well as the potential to flourish and be sustainable. Among the qualities the judges will be looking for are a dedicated effort to drive the business forward, potential and vision. 

Business entry evidence required – each point worth 20%.

1. Product Range/Experience offering – Dependent on business, detail your product range, pricing and sellers/ detail the food/ drink experience offering, pricing, history.  

2. Approach – Describe the reasons for the launch of your business and what inspired you to do so. 

3. Ambition & Growth – Tell us about your ambition for the company and any growth plans.  

4. Customer Reviews – What do your customers say about you – provide reviews and feedback.  

5. Business Performance – Detail your business performance to date – including current figures and projected figures. 

Sponsored by The Hotel Folk

This award recognises the fantastic food and drink products being created within the county. Judges will be looking for a first-class product that demonstrates the manufacturer’s flair for creating, developing, and delivering a distinctive, successful and respected item, either as a stand-alone or as part of its brand. Manufacture of this will have been in Suffolk, although it is not essential that every ingredient is sourced from within the county’s borders.  

Business entry evidence required – each point worth 20%.

1. Product Range – Detail your product range, pricing and sellers, detail on branding and marketing of product.   

2. Product Innovation – Provide details on product launch, development and future expansion/growth plans.   

3. Locality of Ingredients – Give details of local ingredients and sources. 

4. Customer Reviews – What do your customers say about you – provide reviews and feedback.  

5. Community Engagement & Marketing – Give details of your engagement, marketing, promotions, social platforms and outreach.  

This prestigious award is open to chefs of any level who are currently working within the Suffolk food and drink industry. Competitors may come from all areas of the hospitality business, including hotels, restaurants, pubs, contract catering, fine dining, private and public sectors. This will recognise the close link of fine food with using the best of local produce.  

Readers, businesses and chefs are able to nominate in this category. Chefs will be contacted to to submit a formal entry.  

Business entry evidence required – each point worth 20%.

1. Personal Experience – Provide details on training, employment and background.  

2. Food Style and provenance –Provide a three course tasting menu you would cook for the judges to showcase your food and style.   

3. Personal Style – Provide detail of your individuality, style, skills, techniques etc. What makes your food stand out? 

4. Locality of Produce – Give details of local products and services, other local sources and additional support to local businesses/suppliers.  

5. Customer Reviews – What do your customers say about you – provide reviews and feedback.  

Sponsored by Suffolk New College

Judges are looking for individuals or businesses with the ability and vision to grow food or drink produce in this region. These are growers and producers who are passionate about what they do and who have the talent and skill to grow, develop and market outstanding and commercially scalable food or drink produce. They also need to show environmental credentials and demonstrate contribution to the local community. 

1. Produce offering – Detail on your produce range, pricing and sellers.   

2. Current collaborations – Provide detail on the businesses you are working with and the reach of your produce 

3. Future growth – Give detail on your plans for the future of your business 

4. Provenance – Detail the process from field to fork  

5. Quality of product – Show evidence of customer reviews, testimonials etc 

Judges are looking for the very best food/ drink experience in Suffolk, for example this could include farmers markets, themed food events, themed menu experiences. The judges will be impressed with experiences that have successfully been running for years, or brand new food/ drink experiences which have seen to be a great success to date. Judges would also like to hear of plans for the future offering.   

Business entry evidence required – each point worth 20%.

1. Experience offering – Detail the food/ drink experience offering, pricing, history.   

2. Promotion/ Marketing – Detail on the promotion/ marketing of the event to ensure successful attendance 

3. Future growth – Give detail on your plans for the future of the food/drink experience 

4. Current collaborations – Provide detail on any local businesses you are working with for this food and drink experience  

5. Customer Reviews – What do your customers say about you – provide reviews and feedback.  

This award recognises retailers who combine vision, a passion for high quality products and freshness of local produce. Marks will be awarded for clear, well laid-out shops which offer a wide variety of great products, and for staff who demonstrate memorable standards of customer care, product knowledge and service. Judges will be looking for innovation in products and presentation, as well as any added facilities the retailer has to offer. This category is open to farmshops, markets and retailers.   

Business entry evidence required – each point worth 20%.

1. Product Range – Detail your product range, pricing and sellers. 

2. Value – Detail pricing for the items you retail (wholesale and direct?) 

3. Shop Premises - describe the premises looking at internal, external, layout and accessibility. 

4. Product Knowledge & Customer Care – Detail your staff training on product knowledge and how your team care for the customer. 

5. Customer Reviews – What do your customers say about you – provide reviews and feedback.  

Judges in this category will be looking for the level of front of house provision that makes a truly enjoyable visit to the restaurant, café or pub. A warm welcome, understanding and anticipating customers’ needs, good knowledge of menus, dishes and provenance of ingredients will be expected as well as a personable approach that complements the establishment and really enhances the visit. This category seeks to recognise an often overlooked yet extremely important sector of the hospitality industry.  

Business entry evidence required – each point worth 20%.

1. Premises - describe the premises looking at internal, external, ambience and accessibility.  

2. Service & Details – Describe your service, detail special extras, care given, attentiveness, staff training, dietary obligations. 

3. Customer Experience – Detail the experience of a typical customer from booking, visit and post-visit. 

4. Food Offering – Provide your full menu offering including specials and dietary extras.  

5. Customer Reviews – What do your customers say about you – provide reviews and feedback.  

Nominations will be accepted for pubs and bars across Suffolk which have created a high-quality offering for their customers – bars, traditional drinking pubs and those that have built a reputation for their restaurant and/or bar menu will be considered for this award. Common to all finalists will be great standards of customer service and understanding of their market, technical expertise in sourcing and providing a good range and standard of drinks – both alcoholic and non-alcoholic – plus a sense of character that makes a visit to these pubs or bars an enjoyable well rounded experience.  

Business entry evidence required – each point worth 20%.

1. Premises - Describe the remises looking at internal, external, ambience and accessibility.   

2. Drink Offering – Provide your full offering of drinks (including non-alcoholic)     

3. Food Offering – Provide your full offering including specials and dietary extras.   

4. Customer Reviews – What do your customers say about you – provide reviews and feedback.  

5. Community Engagement & Marketing – Give details of your engagement, marketing, promotions, social platforms and outreach.   

Sponsored by The Visitor Economy Network Initiative (VENI)

Nominees will be accepted for restaurants across Suffolk which have the ability to create an incomparable dining experience from ambience to the service, and most importantly the menu will be varied, using local fresh produce and be served with an excellent level of customer service.  

Business entry evidence required – each point worth 20%.

1. Premises - describe the premises looking at internal, external, ambience and accessibility.  

2. Food & Drink Offering – Provide your full food and drink menus offering including specials and dietary extras.  

3. Customer Reviews – What do your customers say about you – provide reviews and feedback. 

4. Locality of Produce – Give details of local products and services, other local sources and additional support to local businesses/suppliers.  

5. Community Engagement & Marketing – Give details of your engagement, marketing, promotions, social platforms and outreach.