Voting opens for The Farm Shop & Deli Awards 2020

Entries for the Farmshop & Deli Awards 2020 have now drawn to a close, which means that the online consumer voting stage of the Awards has commenced and will finish on 31st of October.

With 90 entries from all over the country and Northern Ireland, retailers who entered have been equipped with a voting pack which gives them all the tools they need to raise awareness of their entries and drive their votes before voting period ends.

The awards, which has received over 3,000 votes for submitted entries across the 11 award categories, invites potential voters to visit their website and vote to support their local retailers(s).

Why consumer votes count

Customer comments are integral to the judging process and also allow a chance to show support for local retailers. The consumer votes assist in the decision making of the category, regional and overall Farmshop & Deli Retailer of the Year Award winner.

On judgement day, in mid-November, the Award judges will come together to review all category entries as well as the online consumer votes they have received. Based on the quality of comments, rather than the quantity of votes, these consumer votes really do contribute towards deciding the shortlist for the Awards finalists.

What’s more, as part of the judging process, comments from the judges and consumer voting are collated, evaluated and supplied to all entrants once the Award’s finals have taken place in April, providing invaluable and constructive feedback.

Getting involved

The Eleven Categories Include: Baker, Butcher, Cheesemonger, Delicatessen, Farm Shop – Large Retailer, Farm Shop – Small Retailer, Fishmonger, Food Hall, Greengrocer, Online Business, Village store/ Local Shop and additional category ‘Newcomer’ for any businesses that opened since April 2017.

Consumers can visit the ‘2020 Entrants’ web page, select the retailer(s) you wish to vote for and submit your entry online. Online voting closes on 31 October 2019 and all voters will be entered into a prize draw to win a delicious Fortnum & Mason food hamper from the Farm Shop & Deli Awards team.

The judging process

The Awards celebrate the highest levels of service, product knowledge, initiative, innovation and community involvement, offered by our heroes of the high-street and are judged by a panel that includes experts from the world of speciality retail, fine food and food media.

The online entries, videos and consumer votes will be evaluated by the judging panel before being whittled down to a shortlist of finalists, some of whom may receive a ‘secret’ visit later this year to see the retailers in action. The successful finalists will be announced in March 2020, with the winners revealed live at Farm Shop & Deli Show on Monday 30^th March at the NEC Birmingham.

Nigel Barden, Chair of judges and Food and Drink journalist, says: “It’s such a privilege to see the joy on the faces of the Farm Shop & Deli Award winners as their names are read out. All the hard work and long hours are pushed to the back of their minds, with the realisation that they are the finest in their sector.”

Find out more, or vote online, at farmshopanddelishow.co.uk/awards