Farm Shop & Deli Awards 2017: Retailer of the Year Announced

After receiving entries from across the UK, and over 3,000 consumer votes, the category and regional award winners have been announced, with Keelham Farm Shop scooping Retailer of the Year 2017, Large Retailer of the Year and North East Regional Winner accolades.

The awards were judged by a panel of experts from the world of speciality retail, fine food and food media, including Arthur Howell, fourth generation butcher and 2016 Farm Shop & Deli Awards Retailer of the Year, Jon May, managing director of Fabulous Food & Drink, Megan Tatum, deputy features editor of The Grocer and Holly Shackleton, editor of Speciality Food.

Shortlisted entrants were chosen before judges hit the road to secret-shop the award hopefuls. The judges travelled the country to experience first-hand the enthusiasm, produce and customer satisfaction on offer in each of the shortlisted businesses.

Victoria Robertshaw, co-owner of Keelham Farm Shop said, “It’s the relationships we’ve built up with over 400 local farmers and producers over three generations of Robertshaws that enables us to deliver great-tasting, affordable, fresh food to around 19,000 customers a week. The Keelham team is full of people who are passionate about food, who believe that fresh ingredients should be available for everyone every day – not just for special occasions – and it’s really rewarding to know that our approach has impressed our peers within the industry, as well as the judges.”

Nigel Barden, chairman of judges said, “It’s a real privilege to acknowledge food and drink retailers of this quality and those looking after our online shopping requirements. These are passionate, enterprising, knowledgeable and diligent people.”

The category and regional winners are:

Keelham Farm Shop Ltd.

Farm Shop & Deli Awards Retailer of the Year 2017
Farm Shop Large Retailer of the Year and North East regional winner
Skipton, West Yorkshire, keelhamfarmshop.co.uk

Hobbs House Bakery

Baker of the Year and South West regional winner
Tetbury, Gloucestershire, hobbshousebakery.co.uk

Cunningham Butchery and Food Hall

Butcher of the Year and Northern Ireland regional winner
Kilkeel, Down, facebook.com/cunninghambutchers

Paxton & Whitfield

Cheesemonger of the Year and South East regional winner
Jermyn Street, London, paxtonandwhitfield.co.uk

Delilah Fine Foods Leicester

Delicatessen of the Year
Leicester, Leicestershire, delilahfinefoods.co.uk

The Gog Farm Shop

Farm Shop Small Retailer of the Year and East Anglia regional winner
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, thegog.com

Ramus Seafood Emporium

Fishmonger of the Year
Harrogate, North Yorkshire, ramus.co.uk

Delifonseca Dockside

Food Hall of the Year and North West regional winner
Liverpool, Merseyside, delifonseca.co.uk

Rafters of Driffield

Greengrocer of the Year
Driffield, East Yorkshire, myvegbox.com

Siop Pwllglas

Local Shop of the Year and Wales regional winner
Ruthin, Denbighshire, sioppwllglas.co.uk

Horsforth Farmers’ Market

Market of the Year
Horsforth, West Yorkshire, horsforthfarmersmarket.co.uk

Chatsworth Estate Farm Shop

Midlands regional winner
Bakewell, Derbyshire, chatsworth.org

Brace of Butchers

Newcomer of the Year
Dorchester, Dorset, braceofbutchers.co.uk

Farmison & Co

Online Business of the Year
Ripon, North Yorkshire, farmison.com

Billington’s of Lenzie

Scotland regional winner
Lenzie, Glasgow, billingtonsoflenzie.co.uk