As the 2019 Farm Shop & Deli Awards entries closed for another year on 21st September, with over 85 entries received from all over the UK and Northern Ireland, the online consumer voting stage of the Awards has now commenced and will finish on 31st October.
Retailers who have entered will receive a voting pack with all the tools they need to raise awareness of their entries and drive their consumer votes before the October deadline.
The Awards, which has already received over 750 votes for submitted entries across the 11 award categories, invites consumers to visit their website and vote to support their local retailer(s): https://www.farmshopanddelishow.co.uk/awards-directory-2019.
Why consumer votes count
Customer comments are important to the judging process and a chance to show support for local retailers. The consumer votes help decide the category, regional and overall Farm Shop & Deli Retailer of the Year Award winners.
During the judging day in mid November, the Award’s judges will come together to review all category entries as well as the online consumer votes they have received. Based on quality of comments, rather than the quantity of votes, these consumer votes really do contribute towards deciding the shortlist for the Awards finalists.
What’s more, as part of the judging process, comments from the judges and consumer voting are collated, evaluated and supplied to all entrants once the Award’s finals have taken place in April, providing invaluable and constructive feedback.
Getting involved
Voting is a quick and easy process. Consumers can visit the ‘2019 Entrants’ web page at farmshopanddelishow.co.uk/awards, select the retailer(s) you wish to vote for and submit your entry online. Online voting closes on 31 October 2018 and all voters will be entered into a prize draw to win a delicious food hamper from the Farm Shop & Deli Awards team.
About the Awards
Free to enter, the Farm Shop & Deli Awards, in partnership with The Grocer, are highly respected in the industry for playing an important role in supporting, and celebrating, the UK’s independent, specialist retail market.
Category awards are up for grabs across 11 different specialisms with nine regional awards also available - plus the coveted ‘Farm Shop & Deli Retailer of the Year’. There is also a chance for young companies, who opened since April 2016, to also compete for the ‘Newcomer of the Year’ Award won by The Goring Grocer in 2018.
“It feels amazing to win. We’ve worked really hard over the last 2 ½ years since opening so this is great. My advice is to work hard, don’t cut corners just to the best you can and have amazing people working or you – that’s the key.”
Caroline Pierrepont, The Goring Grocer, 2018 Delicatessen of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and regional winner South East.
The judging process
The Awards celebrate the highest levels of service, product knowledge, initiative, innovation and community involvement, offered by our heroes of the high-street and are judged by a panel that includes experts from the world of speciality retail, fine food and food media.
The online entries and consumer votes will be evaluated by the judging panel before being whittled down to a shortlist of finalists, some of whom may receive a ‘secret’ visit later this year to see the retailers in action. The successful finalists will be announced in March 2019, with the winners revealed live at Farm Shop & Deli Show on Monday 8th April 2019 at the NEC Birmingham.
Nigel Barden, Chair of judges and Food and Drink journalist, says: “I am delighted to continue to be involved with the Farm Shop & Deli Awards. It’s a fabulous initiative for the sector and offers the best way to recognise and reward excellence for the UK’s local, artisan and high street speciality retailers.”
Find out more, or vote online, at farmshopanddelishow.co.uk/awards
- ends -
For more information, contact:
Antonia Green
William Reed Business Media
01293 610235
Notes to editors:
The twelve categories include:
• Baker
• Butcher
• Cheesemonger
• Delicatessen
• Farm Shop – Large Retailer
• Farm Shop – Small Retailer
• Fishmonger
• Food Hall
• Greengrocer
• Newcomer
• Online Business
• Village store/ Local Shop
With nine regional awards across:
• East Anglia
• Midlands
• North East
• North West
• Northern Ireland
• Scotland
• South East
• South West
• Wales
The Farm Shop & Deli Awards are brought to you by William Reed Business Media, leading publishers and event organiser for over 150 years, with an extensive grocery and retail portfolio including over 10 award schemes and campaigns, three major conferences, three trade exhibitions including Farm Shop & Deli Show and numerous seminars and networking lunches.
Additional photographs and high res versions of those included in this press release are available. Please contact Antonia Green, Marketing Manager Farm Shop & Deli Awards, 01293 610235 or
