Trade Associations, Shows & Conferences

BFFF Announces Shortlist for Inaugural People Awards

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The British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) has shortlisted nominees for its upcoming People Awards, which will honor top talent in the United Kingdom’s £8.3 billion frozen food industry. Over 40 contenders are competing for 10 awards in as many categories, ranging from as Technical Champion and Marketer of the Year to Factory Manager of the Year and Rising Star.

This first-of-its-kind awards competition has been launched by the BFFF to raise the profile of unsung heroes within its ranks. Nominations were submitted by the finalists’ manager or team leader and covered a wide range of job roles and experience.

The finalists were chosen during an in-depth evaluation and review process by a six-person panel of judges that included: Lynda Hulme, HR director at Fowler Welch; Vince Craig, BFFF board member; Alison Cannon, founding partner at Resonate Search & Selection; Noli Dinkovski, associate editor of Food Manufacture; Nick Downing, IGD commercial director; and Cheryl Bennett, director of Pelican Communications.

Below is the full shortlist of nominees:

Technical Champion

  • Emma Meredith – Iceland Foods
  • Marie-Isabelle Clastres – CP Foods
  • Sharni Rigby – The Authentic Food Company Ltd.
  • Gillian Wallace King – Brakes
  • Louise Elsmore – Cargill Meats Europe

Health and Safety Champion

  • Clare MacMahon – The Authentic Food Company Ltd.
  • Todd Hallam – Chalcroft Construction
  • Bryan Atkinson – Cargill Meats Europe
  • John Edwards – Brakes
  • Claire Guy – McCain Foods (GB) Ltd

Sustainability Leader

  • Andrew Crawford – Brakes
  • Ann Rogers – JCS Fish Ltd
  • Brennan Green – Paramount 21 Ltd.
  • Shirley Duncalf – Bidfood

Product Developer

  • Karolina Fitzpatrick – Albert Bartlett
  • Gemma Young – Bidfood
  • Rachel Cook – Bidfood
  • Tim Matthews – Birds Eye
  • Marcel Obry – Brakes

Factory Manager

  • Jason Ash – Greenyard Frozen UK Ltd
  • John Mellor – The Authentic Food Company Ltd
  • Mark Ditch – Iceland Foods Ltd
  • Adam March – Rick Bestwick Ltd
  • Michael Murphy – Whitby Seafoods Ltd

Commercial Champion

  • Ben Robinson – Aunt Bessie’s Ltd
  • Calum Kirk – Froneri UK Ltd
  • Andy Breffit – Hopwells Ltd
  • Laura Marshall – Meal Creations (Kerry Foods)
  • Jane Marren – Company Shop Ltd

Supply Chain/Logistics Champion

  • Michael Round – Rick Bestwick Ltd
  • Kate Mackie – Iceland Foods Ltd
  • Dale Hickman – GMS Group Ltd
  • Derrick Curtis – Crantock Foods

Marketer of the Year

  • Ginny Durdy – The Ice Co. Ltd
  • Gail Bridgeman – Bidfood
  • Pete Johnson – Birds Eye Ltd
  • Greg Foster – McCain Foods (GB) Ltd
  • Mehdi Barani – The Authentic Food Company Ltd

Purchaser/Buyer of the Year

  • Michelle Galvin – The Authentic Food Company Ltd
  • Laura Manning – Bidfood
  • Lauren Metcalfe – Iceland Foods Ltd
  • Natasha Beaver – Laila’s Fine Foods Ltd
  • Katie Marsden – Aunt Bessie’s Ltd

Rising Star

  • Chris Healey – XPO Supply Chain UK
  • Adele Robinson – Aunt Bessie’s Ltd
  • Bradley Rodd – Bidfood
  • Ben Parsons – Greenyard Frozen UK Ltd
  • Colin Buckingham – Birds Eye Ltd
  • David Roberts – UK Foodhall Ltd
  • Adam Byrne – Rick Bestwick
  • Aaron Cooper – Iceland
  • David Wilkinson – The Authentic Food Company
  • Andy Small – Bidfood
  • Shahid Mohammed – Bidfood

Presentation at BFFF Conference

People Awards BFFF logoThe awards will be presented during a special event on the evening of February 22, 2018, at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole, following the BFFF’s Annual Business Conference. Finalists will be invited to an exclusive Presidents’ Reception before the awards dinner, where they will be able to celebrate their achievements among industry peers.

John Hyman, chief executive of the BFFF, commented: “These awards were launched to celebrate the unsung heroes that continuously drive the frozen food industry to be the dynamic and developing sector that it is. We know the level of talent that is out there, but the standard of entries we received was exceptional and it was really encouraging to see how many industry leaders put forward members of their teams that they believe are deserving of recognition.”