The winners of the 2026 Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards were revealed on the 13th April, and leading the celebrations was Aubrey Allen of Leamington Spa, proudly named this year’s Retailer of the Year. At a lively ceremony during the Farm Shop & Deli Show at the NEC Birmingham, the acclaimed business also secured Butcher of the Year and Midlands Regional Winner, making it a remarkable trio of achievements.
This year’s event, delivered in partnership with The Grocer and championed by Fieldfare -brought together the finest examples of independent retail across the UK and Northern Ireland. Ten category winners and nine regional champions were honoured, alongside special achievements including Highly Commended distinctions and the sought-after Newcomer of the Year award. Enthusiastic crowds of finalists, exhibitors, and attendees cheered on as Aubrey Allen emerged at the forefront of exceptional competition.
Aubrey Allen captured the judges’ attention throughout the process, earning praise for its exemplary standards and forward-thinking approach. Judges commented:
- "A really top class shop. They demonstrate so much of what a retail food businesses needs to be doing to survive and thrive in today’s challenging retail land scape. The diversity and lengths they go to keep and retain staff is why they are such a great business.”
- "Very impressed with the work in the community and care of employees.”
- “Stunning business, the bike outside, drawing you in. Dry aged beef, amazing dining experiences, and incredibly rang business, professional, good looking business”
In addition to Aubrey Allen’s accolades, we celebrate Dunston Hall from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, as our 2026 Newcomer of the Year. The category saw strong contenders across the country, with Butcher Farrell’s Meat Emporium (Ormskirk, Lancashire), Flourish at Farleigh Road (Avon, Bristol), and Mouse & Grape (Middlesex, London) all receiving Highly Commended recognition.
Congratulations to all our deserving winners! A complete list of winners and Highly Commended recipients is included at the end of this release.
Looking ahead to 2027
Nominations are now open for next year’s Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards. If there’s a specialist retailer you believe is making a real impact, we’d love you to nominate them and help celebrate their achievements. To nominate a specialist retailer, click here.
Nominations will close on 27th July 2026.
About the Judging Process
The awards follow an extensive evaluation process. Entries underwent detailed online assessment by industry experts, followed by a November in-person judging session to determine the shortlist. Secret visits conducted in January and February provided judges with an authentic insight into the business, ultimately shaping the list of this year’s winners.
Celebrating Excellence in Specialist Retail
The coveted accolades celebrate the best specialist independent retailers with judges recognising retailers’ achievements in the independent sector.
Nigel Barden, Chairman of Judges and Food and Drink Journalist and Broadcaster, says:
“Even in a year where many retailers have approached things carefully, the Farm Shop & Deli Awards have continued to thrive. We’ve been hugely encouraged by the exceptional standard of entries, and we truly appreciate every retailer who made space in their busy schedules to get involved. Our outstanding judging panel remains a major strength of the awards, and welcoming new judges added even more expertise to the process. To ensure our results reflected real excellence, we carried out additional visits - including assessments of online retailers - so every winner was chosen with absolute clarity. Alongside our category honours, we were delighted to celebrate regional winners, an impressive newcomer, and several Highly Commended businesses in tightly contested areas.
Our Retailer of the Year, Aubrey Allen in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire showcases what dedication over 46 years can achieve. The diversity of opportunities they offer their team, and the lengths they go to in supporting and retaining their staff play a huge part in what makes them such an outstanding business.
Dunston Hall Estate Food Hall in Chesterfield, Derbyshire earned Best Newcomer, demonstrating exactly what a modern, forward thinking food retailer can be. Their rapid growth, clear vision, commitment to quality and strong customer appeal make it evident why they stand out as an exceptional new addition to the industry.
It has been incredibly uplifting to see the creativity, determination, talent and graft of so many remarkable retailers recognised and celebrated.”
Award sponsors and supporters
The Awards are championed for the second year by Fieldfare, a family-owned business based in Kent that started over 40 years ago. Fieldfare supplies delicious premium loose frozen food to farm shops, garden centres and independent stores across the UK and a perfect partner for the Retailer Awards.
In 2026 the Awards are also proud to work with our sponsors: Fieldfare, Go Jute, Mudwalls Food Group and The EPOS Bureau, along with our supporters including Cotswold Fayre, Cress Co, Diverse Fine Food, Fabulous Farm Shops, Farm Retail Association and The Gorgeous Food Company. We thank Fieldfare and all our supporters for joining with us this year.
A full list of all category and regional winners, plus our Newcomer of the Year and Retailer of the Year can be found on the Retailer Awards website here.
