The Grocer has launched a new competition which aims to recognise the extraordinary contribution that food and drink factories have played in ensuring that supply has continued since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
Entries are now open for Factory Manager of the Year, as an additional category in The Grocer Gold Awards 2020. Winners will be unveiled during a ‘Golden Week’ of celebration, which will take place online from 9-13 November.
Adam Leyland, editor of The Grocer, said: “It’s taken a heroic effort by UK food and drink factories to maintain supply as a result of the coronavirus. And remarkably, despite staff shortages and the need for extra safety measures, production actually increased in many cases to meet extra demand.
“While the efforts of store workers have been publicly recognised, the work going on behind the scenes to supply groceries to the nation’s supermarkets, convenience stores and online operations has not had the recognition it deserves. In celebrating the industry’s value, resilience, creativity and sheer commitment at The Grocer Gold Awards next month, we could not let that contribution pass unrecognised.
“Our Factory Manager of the Year Award will therefore enable us to shine a light on the invaluable work that’s taken place on factory shop floors up and down the country, with the winner being announced during our ‘Golden Week’ of celebration next month.”
The Factory Manager of the Year competition is run in association with sister title Food Manufacture, pulling in experts from the operational side to help judge the winners.
Food Manufacture editor Rod Addy said: “In these historic times when food and drink factory managers face unprecedented pressures, this is the right moment and way to boost their morale and celebrate their often unsung achievements.
“In reality there can be few jobs more worthwhile than maintaining the flow of food and drink to consumers’ tables, which is why food production staff are rightly classified as key workers during this horrific pandemic. It’s high time to shout about their efforts and nominate your own factory champion. Food Manufacture is proud to help make that happen.”
How to enter
Nominations will be welcomed for factory managers running all types of UK-based grocery supply operations, including finished goods (branded and own-label), non-food and packing facilities. Self-nomination is permissible if testimonials are also provided.
The deadline for entries is Friday 23 October, enter the Factory Manager of the Year competition here.
The shortlist will be announced on 2 November with the winner to be revealed on 10 November as part of the ‘Golden Week’, The Grocer’s week-long celebration, which has been created to crown the winners of The Grocer Gold Awards 2020.
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