2026 Awards categories
Topics
The FDF Awards are the annual celebration of talent, innovation and excellence in the food and drink industry. The prestigious event shines a spotlight on the amazing achievements of both companies and individuals across our sector.
This is your chance to celebrate excellence in your organisation. Recognise your teams for outstanding work across innovative and cutting-edge projects that are shaping the future of food and drink.
FDF Award Categories
Excellence across the supply chain
Net Zero Initiative of the Year
This award is open to any business that is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and will award organisations pushing the boundaries to reduce and/or eliminate emissions to the greatest extent possible.
Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative
This award is open to companies who are looking to the future and implementing creative and resourceful sustainability strategies focused on reducing the impact of your supply chains
Food Waste Initiative of the Year
This category looks at companies’ initiatives in food waste reduction supporting the transition to a circular economy and the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goal, of a 50% reduction in food waste per capita.
Packaging Excellence Award
This award is open to food and drink producers that have moved towards more sustainable packaging solutions.
Innovation & Growth
Manufacturing & Technological Innovation
This award is open to companies who have developed a new manufacturing process or adopted innovative technology that has led to significant business improvements to maximise efficiency, reduce waste and minimise operational costs
Product Innovation
This award is open to companies how have achieved significant development in product research, development or engineering over the past three years.
Excellence in supporting Healthy Diets
This award is open to companies who have achieved significant export success for its products and services including the creation of relationships with an international business partner that sustains growth.
Export Success
This award is open to companies who have achieved significant export success for its products and services including the creation of relationships with an international business partner that sustains growth.
SME of the Year
This award is open to SME’s who have maintained consistent growth over the past 18 months. Growth can be through strong financial performance, capacity and resource expansion, engagement with stakeholders and innovation to support future growth. Open to organisations with no more than £50 million turnover in their last financial year.
People & Teams
Apprentice of the Year
Apprentices are the industry leaders of the future. This award celebrates a promising individual who has shown exceptional progress in both their skills development and studies or have made an exceptional contribution to the business through a one-off project .
Food & Drink Technologist/Scientist of the Year
This award is open to exceptional individuals are working across technical and scientific developments in the food and drink industry.
Entrants do not require a specific qualification level but must be currently employed and have been working within the UK food and drink manufacturing sector for the past two years.
Outstanding Community Partner of the Year
This award is open to any organisation with a community partnership initiative that is making a positive difference, with a scheme that creates lasting social, environmental or economic benefits for the local community.
Initiatives can be run independently or in partnership with one or more collaborators. Projects can either be a physical or an online community.
People and Culture Initiative
This award is open to organisations where workplace wellbeing, inclusion and employee recognition is encouraged.
Rising Star Award
Have you got an exceptional colleague or member of your team who has recently started their role in the food and drink sector? We're looking for the bright sparks of the future. Open to entrants within their first five years in the industry at any academic and training level, the Rising Star category is for the people with the potential to go far.
Nominations can be made by line managers or HR managers and should be nominated based on their achievements during 2025.
Brand of the Year
Brand of the Year
This award celebrates the most creative and effective work, be it to drive sales or behaviour change, launches, research or increasing awareness. We’re looking for inspiring ideas, and real, measurable results that prove your impact.
Campaign of the Year
Does your company carry out exceptional work, creating innovative new products?