The School of Artisan Food and Virtuous Bread are delighted to launch the first annual Small Food Awards.

These awards will celebrate small, professional food producers in the UK who are often on the leading edge of innovation and excellence in the food industry. 

In 2016 we have seven categories including chocolate, bread, charcuterie, cheese, viennoiserie, beer and cider. 

Entrants must meet the following criteria:

1.  Maximum two people working in the business.  This includes volunteers, interns, paid employees, or anyone else.

2.  The products are produced at home or in a home - like kitchen, a garden shed, a garage or something else non industrial.  This is the spirit of these awards.  The essence is that products are, at least in some part, 'hand made", that entrants do not have access to a whole bunch of super expensive professional equipment that allows them to mechanise the process from end to end, andthat entrants do not work in an industrial catering space.

3.  Entrants are committed to excellence and committed to growing their brand, making it the best it can be, making a positive impact on customers and on the UK food industry.

The awards will be judged and held in November 2016.  Submissions must be mailed to or dropped off at the School of Artisan Food any time up to the morning of 16 November 2016.  On the afternoon of 16 November 2016, a panel of experts in each category will judge the submissions and the top three finalists in all categories will be identified.  These lucky people will be invited to the award ceremony and bang up lunch at the School of Artisan Food on 24 November 2016.

We will have an array of fantastic prizes and as much publicity as anyone can handle!  

To enter, contestants should send an e mail to Jane Mason (jane@virtuousbread.com) by 10 November 2016   In that e mail they must state:

1.  The category they would like to enter.

2.  The name and address of their business, and some background to their business that proves you meet the criteria.  We will do some research on all entrants.

3.  Links to websites and other social media sites.

Once again, we are thrilled to host these awards and look forward to finding and celebrating the best small food producers in the UK.

ENDS

For further information, please contact Jane Mason at jane@virtuousbread.com