New prize category for Food Northwest awards

The awards recognise the innovations, best practice initiatives and achievements of businesses across Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside. They also consider companies from all areas of the sector including food retail and service, wholesale, catering, distribution, food processing and agriculture. To enter the competition, people can find applications forms online at www.foodnw.co.uk/awards. Entry to the awards is free and businesses can submit their applications in eleven categories, recognising achievement in the following three areas: Enterprise and Innovation, Environments for Sustainability and Dynamic Northwest. The deadline for entries has been extended for an extra week until 9 May. Individuals and organisations can nominate themselves, or be nominated by another party. The winner of the new category for the Northwest Food Industry Rising Star will receive a place to study on IGD's postgraduate certificate in the food and grocery industry management course. The course is worth £3,500 and is validated by the University of Edinburgh. Joanne Denney-Finch, chief executive of IGD, commented on the awards: "We want the prize to benefit…someone who can show they have gone the extra mile and made a real difference to their own personal development, their company or the industry as a whole." The awards will be presented at a gala dinner hosted by Lucy Meacock of Granada TV, on 19 June at the Liverpool Arena and Convention Centre. The competition is sponsored by companies including Business Link, Northwest, The Learning Skills Council and Food Northwest. IGD, the international food and grocery expert, works with consumers, companies and individuals throughout the food and grocery chain to provide information, research and best practice that helps companies grow and develop.