Women In Meat Industry Awards 2026 judging draws to a close

The Women in Meat Industry Awards initiative recognises and celebrates the contribution made by women working in a wide range of roles across the sector, from family-owned businesses to large corporations and trade bodies.

Judging has concluded for this year’s awards, with a panel of senior industry figures selecting the 2026 Meat Businesswoman of the Year from among the winners of each of the awards categories. Judges praised the calibre of the nominees, who they said exemplify the skills, experience and hard work that women bring to the meat sector and serve as an inspiration to other women in their fields.

The results of this year’s Women In Meat Industry Awards will stay firmly under wraps in advance of the upcoming awards event at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on 20th November, when the 2026 winners will be exclusively revealed at a black-tie dinner and ceremony featuring Olympic gold medallist Sally Gunnell OBE as the celebrity host. 

Awards will be presented in 12 categories as follows:

• Meat Businesswoman Award – Independent Retailing
• Meat Businesswoman Award – Multiple Retailing
• Meat Businesswoman Award – Poultry
• Meat Businesswoman Award – Foodservice (Catering Butcher)
• Meat Businesswoman Award – Manufacturing/Processing
• Meat Businesswoman Award – Craft Butchery
• Meat Businesswoman Award – Trade Body
• Meat Businesswoman Award – Livestock Procurement & Sustainability
• Meat Businesswoman Award – Wholesaling
• Meat Businesswoman Award – Industry Supplier
• Meat Businesswoman Award – Training & Education
• Rising Star Award

The overall Meat Businesswoman of the Year award winner is selected from among the category winners (excepting the Rising Star Award winner).

Nominations for the awards opened in the summer, when readers of Meat Management magazine were invited to put forward colleagues who they believe are making an outstanding contribution in their chosen sector, and votes were then cast by the wider industry to decide the winners in each category. 

Gwen Mostyn, editor of Meat Management, which organises the awards, commented: “It is a privilege to be able to spotlight the work done by women in the industry. The winners of these awards illustrate the impact made by women throughout the meat sector – the skills, knowledge and passion for the industry shown by the candidates are a real inspiration, and it was a very difficult task to pick an overall winner when they are all worthy of distinction.”

Meat Management publisher Graham Yandell MBE added: “This year’s initiative has had an incredible response, with members of the industry voting in their thousands to select the winners in each of the awards categories. The quality of nominees was exceptional, and I would like to extend my congratulations to each of the winners.

“The upcoming dinner and awards ceremony gives colleagues from across the sector the opportunity to get together and show their appreciation for the work done by women in the industry, and we look forward to celebrating with them at the 5-star event in London.”

To read an interview with awards host Sally Gunnell, click here.

Thank you to our official 2026 Awards Partners…