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Being nominated is just the first step and does not automatically place you into the awards.  Didn’t receive a nomination? You can still enter! Entries are open to everyone and are completely free of charge.

Please note - each entrant may submit entries in up to three categories (doesn't include entries into the business awards).

Entries are now closed.

Entries close: Friday 13 March 2026

Business Awards

Business Awards 

Honouring a business with a strong, values-led workplace culture that empowers women and underrepresented groups.

This item is not available

Staff satisfaction data, engagement surveys, inclusive HR policies, and proactive wellbeing, mental health and equity initiatives.

Recognising a company’s efforts to drive gender and broader inclusion across its sourcing, procurement, or supplier partnerships.

This item is not available

Supplier diversity targets, support for women-owned businesses, inclusive procurement frameworks, and impact metrics.

Celebrating a standout DE&I campaign or programme at a large enterprise company that has shifted the dial in gender representation in food and drink.

This item is not available

Bold vision, stakeholder engagement, communications, internal impact and industry influence.

Recognising a company initiative specifically designed to elevate women into leadership roles across food and drink.

This item is not available

Quality and impact of the programme; measurable outcomes (e.g. promotions, retention, engagement); testimonials from participants; scalability and sector relevance.

For hospitality businesses, from high-street operators to fine dining groups, creating opportunities for women in culinary, management and operational roles.

This item is not available

Internal progression pathways, recognition and rewards programmes, training investment, and support for female chefs and managers.

Individual Awards

Individual Awards 

Description:The most prestigious award, recognising an outstanding woman whose achievements have had a transformative impact on the food and drink industry.

This item is not available

Criteria:Proven leadership, innovation, and measurable impact; influence across the wider sector; embodiment of values of inclusivity and inspiration.

Description:Celebrating an emerging woman who is already making her mark early in her career.

This item is not available

Criteria:A woman with under 5 years’ experience in the industry; clear potential for future leadership; evidence of initiative, innovation, and ambition.

Description: Recognising excellence in food production and manufacturing leadership.

This item is not available

Criteria: Leadership of a manufacturing operation; innovation in production efficiency, safety, or sustainability; contribution to team development and gender equality.

Description: Honouring women driving innovation and quality in beverage production, from soft drinks to spirits.

This item is not available

Criteria: Achievements in product development, sustainability, or market growth; leadership and advocacy for diversity in the drinks sector.

Description: Celebrating women at the forefront of agriculture, fisheries, or, horticulture, aquaculture.

This item is not available

Criteria: Outstanding contributions to primary food production; innovation in sustainability or animal welfare; community and environmental leadership.

Description: Recognising women who keep the food and drink industry moving; from sourcing to shelf.

This item is not available

Criteria: Achievements in logistics, distribution or cold chain management; operational excellence; commitment to reducing environmental impact.

Description: For women transforming retail through strategy, technology, or customer experience.

This item is not available

Criteria: Innovation in product offering, digital transformation, or sustainability in retail; measurable business impact.

Description: Recognising an exceptional woman driving impact within foodservice operations; across wholesale, distribution, contract catering, or supply to hospitality

This item is not available

Criteria: Recognises a woman demonstrating outstanding leadership in foodservice through innovation, strategic impact, and operational excellence.

Description: Recognising outstanding contribution to food and drink within hotels, restaurants, bars or catering; driving quality, customer experience, and team leadership.

This item is not available

Criteria: Exceptional customer impact, operational innovation and a commitment to inclusion and diversity; for chefs, hospitality operations and food and beverage managers.

Sponsored by Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute

Description: Celebrates a woman making a difference in buying, category management merchandising and retail operations. This award recognises commercial insight, supplier collaboration, and strategic thinking that drives consumer value and retail success.

This item is not available

Criteria: Recognises a woman driving commercial success in food and drink retail through strategic buying, category growth, and customer-led merchandising.

Description: Celebrates a woman leading the creation, reformulation, or innovation of food and drink products that meet evolving consumer needs.

This item is not available

Criteria: Recognises a woman driving product innovation in food and drink through technical excellence, consumer-led development, and successful launches.

Description: Recognising women leading the charge towards a greener, more responsible food system.

This item is not available

Criteria: Proven sustainability initiatives reducing waste, carbon footprint, or improving supply chain ethics; measurable outcomes

Description: Celebrating women driving new ideas, products, or technologies in food and drink.

This item is not available
Criteria: Evidence of breakthrough innovation, commercial success, or disruptive thinking; contribution to sector advancement.

Description: For women who have founded or co-founded successful, innovative businesses within food and drink.

This item is not available

Criteria: Business growth, creativity, and resilience; positive social or environmental impact; leadership and vision.

Description: Celebrates a woman driving exceptional growth, innovation, and influence within a challenger or emerging food or drink brand.

This item is not available

Criteria: Recognises a woman leading a fast-growing or disruptive food or drink brand through innovation, visionary leadership, and purpose-led values.

Description: Honouring those advancing gender and wider diversity within their organisations and the industry.

This item is not available

Criteria: Implementation of inclusive policies, mentoring initiatives, or advocacy work with demonstrable impact.

Description: Recognising women who have shaped powerful food and drink brands through creativity and insight.

This item is not available

Criteria: Effective brand storytelling; campaign impact and innovation; alignment with ethical or social values.

Description: For excellence in technical, regulatory, or food safety roles that ensure trust in our food system.

This item is not available

Criteria: Leadership in compliance, quality assurance, or technical innovation; measurable improvements in safety and standards.

Description: Celebrating chefs and culinary professionals who are redefining excellence in taste, creativity, and leadership.

This item is not available

Criteria: Culinary innovation, mentorship of others, and contributions to sustainability or local sourcing.

Description: For women making a tangible difference in their local or regional food ecosystem.

This item is not available

Criteria: Demonstrated community benefit through education, food poverty initiatives, or local economy support.

Description: Recognising leadership in waste reduction, recycling, and circular economy innovation.

This item is not available

Criteria: Demonstrable reduction in waste or resource use; scalable or replicable initiatives across the supply chain.

Description: For women expanding the UK and Ireland’s food and drink reputation on the global stage.

This item is not available

Criteria: Success in export growth, international partnerships, or cross-border trade leadership.

Description: Honouring women influencing policy, regulation, or advocacy in food and drink.

This item is not available

Criteria: Measurable contributions to public policy, regulatory reform, or advocacy on key industry issues.

Description: Recognising a trailblazer whose lifelong contributions have transformed the food and drink sector.

This item is not available

Criteria: 20+ years of leadership and service; legacy of impact, mentorship, and advocacy for women in the industry.

This award recognises a male professional who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to championing gender equity in the food and drink sector. A true advocate, he actively supports, mentors, and empowers women, fosters inclusive workplaces, and uses his position to drive meaningful progress across the industry.

This item is not available

Recognises a male champion of gender equity who has visibly advocated for women, taken meaningful action to support their advancement, driven measurable change, and earned peer recognition for inclusive leadership across the food and drink industry.

Challenger Brand Leader

Description: Celebrates a woman driving exceptional growth, innovation, and influence within a challenger or emerging food or drink brand.

This category is now closed

Criteria: Recognises a woman leading a fast-growing or disruptive food or drink brand through innovation, visionary leadership, and purpose-led values.

Culinary Excellence Award

Description: Celebrating chefs and culinary professionals who are redefining excellence in taste, creativity, and leadership.

This category is now closed

Criteria: Culinary innovation, mentorship of others, and contributions to sustainability or local sourcing.

Entrepreneur of the Year

Description: For women who have founded or co-founded successful, innovative businesses within food and drink.

This category is now closed

Criteria: Business growth, creativity, and resilience; positive social or environmental impact; leadership and vision.

Food Waste & Circular Economy Champion

Description: Recognising leadership in waste reduction, recycling, and circular economy innovation.

This category is now closed

Criteria: Demonstrable reduction in waste or resource use; scalable or replicable initiatives across the supply chain.

Hospitality Hero

Description: Recognising outstanding contribution to food and drink within hotels, restaurants, bars or catering; driving quality, customer experience, and team leadership.

This category is now closed

Criteria: Exceptional customer impact, operational innovation and a commitment to inclusion and diversity; for chefs, hospitality operations and food and beverage managers.

Leadership in Drinks Manufacturing

Description: Honouring women driving innovation and quality in beverage production, from soft drinks to spirits.

This category is now closed

Criteria: Achievements in product development, sustainability, or market growth; leadership and advocacy for diversity in the drinks sector.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Description: Recognising a trailblazer whose lifelong contributions have transformed the food and drink sector.

This category is now closed

Criteria: 20+ years of leadership and service; legacy of impact, mentorship, and advocacy for women in the industry.

Policy & Advocacy Award

Description: Honouring women influencing policy, regulation, or advocacy in food and drink.

This category is now closed

Criteria: Measurable contributions to public policy, regulatory reform, or advocacy on key industry issues.

Product Developer of the Year

Description: Celebrates a woman leading the creation, reformulation, or innovation of food and drink products that meet evolving consumer needs.

This category is now closed

Criteria: Recognises a woman driving product innovation in food and drink through technical excellence, consumer-led development, and successful launches.

Retail Innovator of the Year

Description: For women transforming retail through strategy, technology, or customer experience.

This category is now closed

Criteria: Innovation in product offering, digital transformation, or sustainability in retail; measurable business impact.

Supply Chain & Logistics Leader

Description: Recognising women who keep the food and drink industry moving; from sourcing to shelf.

This category is now closed

Criteria: Achievements in logistics, distribution or cold chain management; operational excellence; commitment to reducing environmental impact.

Technical & Quality Leader

Description: For excellence in technical, regulatory, or food safety roles that ensure trust in our food system.

This category is now closed

Criteria: Leadership in compliance, quality assurance, or technical innovation; measurable improvements in safety and standards.

Community Impact Award

Description: For women making a tangible difference in their local or regional food ecosystem.

This category is now closed

Criteria: Demonstrated community benefit through education, food poverty initiatives, or local economy support.

Diversity & Inclusion Champion

Description: Honouring those advancing gender and wider diversity within their organisations and the industry.

This category is now closed

Criteria: Implementation of inclusive policies, mentoring initiatives, or advocacy work with demonstrable impact.

Export & International Trade Leader

Description: For women expanding the UK and Ireland’s food and drink reputation on the global stage.

This category is now closed

Criteria: Success in export growth, international partnerships, or cross-border trade leadership.

Foodservice Leader of the Year

Description: Recognising an exceptional woman driving impact within foodservice operations; across wholesale, distribution, contract catering, or supply to hospitality

This category is now closed

Criteria: Recognises a woman demonstrating outstanding leadership in foodservice through innovation, strategic impact, and operational excellence.

Innovator of the Year

Description: Celebrating women driving new ideas, products, or technologies in food and drink.

This category is now closed
Criteria: Evidence of breakthrough innovation, commercial success, or disruptive thinking; contribution to sector advancement.

Leadership in Food Manufacturing

Description: Recognising excellence in food production and manufacturing leadership.

This category is now closed

Criteria: Leadership of a manufacturing operation; innovation in production efficiency, safety, or sustainability; contribution to team development and gender equality.

Marketing & Brand Leader

Description: Recognising women who have shaped powerful food and drink brands through creativity and insight.

This category is now closed

Criteria: Effective brand storytelling; campaign impact and innovation; alignment with ethical or social values.

Woman of the Year

Description:The most prestigious award, recognising an outstanding woman whose achievements have had a transformative impact on the food and drink industry.

This category is now closed

Criteria:Proven leadership, innovation, and measurable impact; influence across the wider sector; embodiment of values of inclusivity and inspiration.

Primary Producer of the Year

Description: Celebrating women at the forefront of agriculture, fisheries, or, horticulture, aquaculture.

This category is now closed

Criteria: Outstanding contributions to primary food production; innovation in sustainability or animal welfare; community and environmental leadership.

Retail and Buying Excellence Award

Sponsored by Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute

Description: Celebrates a woman making a difference in buying, category management merchandising and retail operations. This award recognises commercial insight, supplier collaboration, and strategic thinking that drives consumer value and retail success.

This category is now closed

Criteria: Recognises a woman driving commercial success in food and drink retail through strategic buying, category growth, and customer-led merchandising.

Rising Star Award

Description:Celebrating an emerging woman who is already making her mark early in her career.

This category is now closed

Criteria:A woman with under 5 years’ experience in the industry; clear potential for future leadership; evidence of initiative, innovation, and ambition.

Sustainability Champion

Description: Recognising women leading the charge towards a greener, more responsible food system.

This category is now closed

Criteria: Proven sustainability initiatives reducing waste, carbon footprint, or improving supply chain ethics; measurable outcomes

Categories

Individual Awards 

Description:The most prestigious award, recognising an outstanding woman whose achievements have had a transformative impact on the food and drink industry.

This item is not available

Criteria:Proven leadership, innovation, and measurable impact; influence across the wider sector; embodiment of values of inclusivity and inspiration.

Description:Celebrating an emerging woman who is already making her mark early in her career.

This item is not available

Criteria:A woman with under 5 years’ experience in the industry; clear potential for future leadership; evidence of initiative, innovation, and ambition.

Description: Recognising excellence in food production and manufacturing leadership.

This item is not available

Criteria: Leadership of a manufacturing operation; innovation in production efficiency, safety, or sustainability; contribution to team development and gender equality.

Description: Honouring women driving innovation and quality in beverage production, from soft drinks to spirits.

This item is not available

Criteria: Achievements in product development, sustainability, or market growth; leadership and advocacy for diversity in the drinks sector.

Description: Celebrating women at the forefront of agriculture, fisheries, or, horticulture, aquaculture.

This item is not available

Criteria: Outstanding contributions to primary food production; innovation in sustainability or animal welfare; community and environmental leadership.

Description: Recognising women who keep the food and drink industry moving; from sourcing to shelf.

This item is not available

Criteria: Achievements in logistics, distribution or cold chain management; operational excellence; commitment to reducing environmental impact.

Description: For women transforming retail through strategy, technology, or customer experience.

This item is not available

Criteria: Innovation in product offering, digital transformation, or sustainability in retail; measurable business impact.

Description: Recognising an exceptional woman driving impact within foodservice operations; across wholesale, distribution, contract catering, or supply to hospitality

This item is not available

Criteria: Recognises a woman demonstrating outstanding leadership in foodservice through innovation, strategic impact, and operational excellence.

Description: Recognising outstanding contribution to food and drink within hotels, restaurants, bars or catering; driving quality, customer experience, and team leadership.

This item is not available

Criteria: Exceptional customer impact, operational innovation and a commitment to inclusion and diversity; for chefs, hospitality operations and food and beverage managers.

Sponsored by Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute

Description: Celebrates a woman making a difference in buying, category management merchandising and retail operations. This award recognises commercial insight, supplier collaboration, and strategic thinking that drives consumer value and retail success.

This item is not available

Criteria: Recognises a woman driving commercial success in food and drink retail through strategic buying, category growth, and customer-led merchandising.

Description: Celebrates a woman leading the creation, reformulation, or innovation of food and drink products that meet evolving consumer needs.

This item is not available

Criteria: Recognises a woman driving product innovation in food and drink through technical excellence, consumer-led development, and successful launches.

Description: Recognising women leading the charge towards a greener, more responsible food system.

This item is not available

Criteria: Proven sustainability initiatives reducing waste, carbon footprint, or improving supply chain ethics; measurable outcomes

Description: Celebrating women driving new ideas, products, or technologies in food and drink.

This item is not available
Criteria: Evidence of breakthrough innovation, commercial success, or disruptive thinking; contribution to sector advancement.

Description: For women who have founded or co-founded successful, innovative businesses within food and drink.

This item is not available

Criteria: Business growth, creativity, and resilience; positive social or environmental impact; leadership and vision.

Description: Celebrates a woman driving exceptional growth, innovation, and influence within a challenger or emerging food or drink brand.

This item is not available

Criteria: Recognises a woman leading a fast-growing or disruptive food or drink brand through innovation, visionary leadership, and purpose-led values.

Description: Honouring those advancing gender and wider diversity within their organisations and the industry.

This item is not available

Criteria: Implementation of inclusive policies, mentoring initiatives, or advocacy work with demonstrable impact.

Description: Recognising women who have shaped powerful food and drink brands through creativity and insight.

This item is not available

Criteria: Effective brand storytelling; campaign impact and innovation; alignment with ethical or social values.

Description: For excellence in technical, regulatory, or food safety roles that ensure trust in our food system.

This item is not available

Criteria: Leadership in compliance, quality assurance, or technical innovation; measurable improvements in safety and standards.

Description: Celebrating chefs and culinary professionals who are redefining excellence in taste, creativity, and leadership.

This item is not available

Criteria: Culinary innovation, mentorship of others, and contributions to sustainability or local sourcing.

Description: For women making a tangible difference in their local or regional food ecosystem.

This item is not available

Criteria: Demonstrated community benefit through education, food poverty initiatives, or local economy support.

Description: Recognising leadership in waste reduction, recycling, and circular economy innovation.

This item is not available

Criteria: Demonstrable reduction in waste or resource use; scalable or replicable initiatives across the supply chain.

Description: For women expanding the UK and Ireland’s food and drink reputation on the global stage.

This item is not available

Criteria: Success in export growth, international partnerships, or cross-border trade leadership.

Description: Honouring women influencing policy, regulation, or advocacy in food and drink.

This item is not available

Criteria: Measurable contributions to public policy, regulatory reform, or advocacy on key industry issues.

Description: Recognising a trailblazer whose lifelong contributions have transformed the food and drink sector.

This item is not available

Criteria: 20+ years of leadership and service; legacy of impact, mentorship, and advocacy for women in the industry.

This award recognises a male professional who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to championing gender equity in the food and drink sector. A true advocate, he actively supports, mentors, and empowers women, fosters inclusive workplaces, and uses his position to drive meaningful progress across the industry.

This item is not available

Recognises a male champion of gender equity who has visibly advocated for women, taken meaningful action to support their advancement, driven measurable change, and earned peer recognition for inclusive leadership across the food and drink industry.