Hawkshead Relish Recognised with Family Business of the Year Award

The company, which is run by Maria Whitehead and her husband Mark and two daughters Abbie and Izzy, was also named as a finalist in the Food & Drink and North of England categories, respectively.

Maria Whitehead said, “We are a family team - a team and its combined resources that each and every member brings to the party that makes the sum of the whole. We are delighted to win the inaugural award for a small family firm and truly proud to do it for Cumbria.”

Paul Andrews, founder and managing director of Family Business United, which organises the awards, said, “We were delighted to pull together such a vibrant bunch of family businesses for the 2017 awards, some that have succeeded for numerous generations and continue to thrive, and others that are relatively young but have great values at the heart of what they do. Due to the calibre of small business finalists the judges decided that an award should be created for them and Hawkshead Relish are our inaugural Small Family Business of the Year Winners.

“Hawkshead are a fantastic family firm dating back to 1999 that have been on a real journey to get to where they are today and it has certainly not been plain sailing. Their core values permeate the entire operation and they have continually invested in all aspects of the business to create the family firm that it is today, a market leader in their field, respectful of their heritage and building solid foundations for the future. They now make more than 150 different relish recipes, continue to add new products to their range, and export to over 35 countries too. They represent a truly great British family firm and truly deserve all the plaudits that winning this award brings and are one to watch as far as we are concerned.”