Farm Shop & Deli Awards 2018: Expert Panel of Judges Announced

The 2018 awards received over 90 entries across the 12 categories, with 16 also entering the additional ‘Newcomer of the Year’ award - some of which only opened their doors in 2017!

How consumers can get involved…
The consumer voting is now well underway, with over 2,300 votes already received. This is an important stage of the judging process, which allows customers to vote online for their favourite retailer by Monday 31st October. All the votes will be evaluated by the judges, alongside the retailer’s online entry ahead of the judging day in November, when the deliberations begin to decide the finalists and winners.

Meet the 2018 Farm Shop & Deli Awards judges

In 2018, Farm Shop & Deli Awards will enter their 5th year in recognising the very best standards in the UK’s independent, specialist retail market. With an expert panel of judges joining Nigel Barden, chair of judges, the awards will celebrate the highest levels of service, product knowledge, initiative, innovation and community involvement, offered by our heroes of the high street.

Every November, food and drink broadcaster and journalist, Nigel Barden, and co-chair of judges and food writer, Elaine Lemm, are joined by experts from the world of speciality retail, fine food and food media to form the Farm Shop & Deli Awards judging panel.

This year the judging panel includes:

• Anthony and Sue Johns, Johns of Instow, 2015 winner ‘Farm Shop & Deli Retailer of the Year’

• Holly Shackleton, editor of Speciality Food

• Jamie Hall, UK retail and rest of world market sales for Neal’s Yard Dairy

• John Gill, head of commercial operations and buyer at Booths

• Jon May, managing director of Fabulous Food & Drink

• Martin Hesp, editor-at-large and food and drink editor of Western Morning News

• Neil Nugent, head of product development for Iceland Foods

• Simon Hurley, managing director of Olives Et Al

• Victoria Robertshaw, co-owner of Keelham Farm Shop and 2017 Retailer of the Year winner

• Vince Bamford, editor of British Baker