All roads will lead to The Royal Garden Hotel in London this coming November when the much anticipated Women In Meat Industry Awards ceremony will reveal all seven category winners and, in addition, this year’s Meat Businesswoman of the Year Award.
The final judging took place recently when a team of industry experts gathered to consider the winners of six categories voted for via the Meat Management website and who subsequently qualified to be considered for the overall winners' accolade.
In the running for the top spot are the winners of each of these categories:
• Meat Businesswoman Award – Foodservice• Meat Businesswoman Award – Retailing• Meat Businesswoman Award – Manufacturing• Meat Businesswoman Award – Craft Butchery• Meat Businesswoman Award – Trade Body• Meat Businesswoman Award – Wholesaling
A separate category for young up-and-coming women in the industry – The Rising Star Award – will also feature during the awards celebrations.
Awards organiser Emma Cash of YPL Exhibitions & Events reminds everyone that all the category winners, including the Meat Businesswoman of the Year Award, will remain confidential until the awards ceremony itself on 16th November, which includes a black tie dinner taking place at the five star Royal Garden Hotel, in Kensington, adding: “The dinner is set to be a sell-out and capacity is already 75% taken, so the response has been very positive indeed. We are looking forward to a great night where amazing women will be recognised and talent rewarded.”
Publisher of Meat Management and chair of the judging panel Graham Yandell added: “The judging was a very enjoyable and rewarding experience and choosing an overall winner was far from easy. All the finalists and the category winners are great ambassadors for our industry and the contribution made by women across the various industry sectors.”
Christine Walsh the MD of MLCS and one member of the judging panel added: “It’s been a hard day because it really has been difficult to choose an overall winner from such a fantastic array of candidates. Some of the ladies have done a phenomenal job and have been part of positive change in our industry.”
Editor of Meat Management, Emily Ansell Elfer was equally enthusiastic: “There are so many talented and hardworking women in this sector so it has been a privilege for me and the team to help facilitate these awards. It’s been a joy to be part of the judging process.”
Chief executive of the Institute of Meat Keith Fisher said: “It is one of my outstanding pleasures to be involved with the Women In Meat Industry Awards and having worked with and known many ladies in the business over 50 years, giving recognition to such an array of talent is simply fantastic.”
Industry consultant and previous UK market director of the Danish Agriculture & Food Council, John Howard, added his comments, saying: “It has to be recognised that the industry has been seen as male dominated for many years and these Awards highlight that this is rapidly changing. We certainly have firm evidence of that from the candidates we have been reviewing today it’s been brilliant to be involved.”
The Women In Meat Industry Awards black tie dinner and ceremony takes place on 16th November at The Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington, and tickets and tables are still available to book now. Hosted by celebrity chef and food businesswomen Lesley Waters, the event is set to be a highlight in the meat industry calendar and is being supported by an array of top companies, organisations and businesses across the meat industry. Look out for the September edition of Meat Management which features an interview with Lesley Waters and has a five page section giving details of all this year’s finalists.
For more information visit www.womeninmeatawards.com where you can view the finalists and book tickets to the dinner. Any queries or questions can be directed to Emma Cash on 01908 613323 or email emma.c@yandellmedia.com.
*Photo is a stock image and does not depict the finalists.
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
