Entries are now open for the 2024 Speciality & Fine Food Fair Awards, which celebrate excellence in fine food & drink and independent retail.  

Each year the awards recognise inspirational retail businesses and new products that tick all the boxes in terms of taste, quality, value and innovation. 

New for this year’s awards is the ‘Best DEI Initiative’ category, launched to celebrate producers, retailers or wholesaler leading the way when it comes to inclusive practices and initiatives.  

Nicola Woods, Event Manager for Speciality & Fine Food Fair, comments: “We’re so excited to be launching the Best DEI Initiative category to recognise forward-thinking companies that are putting steps in place to be inclusive and value-led, both in terms of their company culture and in the way they do business.  

“The world of speciality food & drink is incredibly diverse, and it is packed with businesses and individuals leading the way in terms of DEI. We can’t wait to read the entries for this new award.”  

Mecca Ibrahim, Co-Founder of Women in Food and judge for the Best DEI Initiative category, adds: "It is wonderful to see this new award Best DEI Initiative at Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2024 has been launched and I am thrilled to be part of the judging panel.  

“This award celebrates businesses that have launched diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and are bringing about positive change in the food and drink industry. I'm looking forward to seeing how DEI has transformed the businesses entering and how the entrants' procedures, practices and policies will act as inspiration to the food businesses of the future. Let’s celebrate the power of DEI to shape a more inclusive and vibrant culinary landscape!" 

Returning for this year is the Not Yet on the Shelf award, which was launched last year to recognise products in the early stages of their journey that had not yet been listed by major retailers.  

The categories are:  

• Not Yet on the Shelf 
• New Product of the Year – UK 
• New Product of the Year – International 
• Best DEI Initiative  
• Small Independent Retailer of the Year, in partnership with BIRA
• Large Independent Retailer of the Year, in partnership with BIRA  

Samantha Morgan, Co-Owner of Drapers Lane Delicatessen, 2023 winner of Small Independent Retailer of the Year and judge for the 2024 competition, comments: “I’m thrilled and delighted to become a member of the judging panel this year.  

“Taste, flavour, texture and presentation are so important to me personally and to my customers. So, I’m looking forward to being on the judging panel and exploring what the best of the best have to offer.” 

The Speciality & Fine Food Fair Awards are free to enter, and the winners will be announced on the first day of Speciality & Fine Food Fair, taking place on 10-11 September at Olympia London.

To find out more about the award categories and how to enter, visit specialityandfinefoodfairs.co.uk/speciality-fine-food-fair-awards-2024. The deadline for entries is Friday 28 June.