At the moment, local food retailers across Britain are busy putting the finishing touches to their Farm Shop & Deli Awards entries. Entering the Farm Shop & Deli Awards can truly put your business in the spotlight, whatever stage you get to.
With just a week left to submit your entry we’ve been chatting to judge, Jamie Hall from Neal’s Yard Dairy to see what he will be looking for when he reads those entries.
Tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do?
At Neal’s Yard Dairy, I am in charge of ROW which is the Rest of the World export markets as well as overseeing our domestic shop and food hall customers. This role involves me keeping in touch with the buyers, tasting a lot of cheese and visiting as many shops as possible to provide training and support.
Why do you like to judge the Farm Shop & Deli Awards?
Judging gives me fantastic insight into shops and food halls, some that I might not have already had the pleasure of meeting. It also gives me great insight into some of our current customers and I love reading what retailers have been doing to drive their business.
What will you be looking for when judging these awards?
When judging the Farm Shop & Deli Awards, I always look for a shop with a vision. The winners will be those who really take pride in what they do. They will also be breaking the mould, educating their consumers and encouraging them to buy the latest products.
If someone is considering entering for the first-time what advice can you offer them when writing their entry?
Make sure you include high quality photos and share your information with clarity. As judges, we need to be able to quickly understand what you are doing in your business and how you got there. Have a clear structure to your entry so it’s easy for the judges to follow.
Tell us three words that every winning food retailer will need to have
Vision, clarity and drive
Read more Awards blogs here.
