Food Northwest Celebrates A Culture of Success
The annual awards recognise the innovations, best practice initiatives and achievements of businesses across Cheshire, Cumbria, Lancashire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester. They acknowledge companies from all areas of the industry, including food retail and service, wholesale, catering, distribution, food processing and agriculture, with winners in eleven categories.
The winners of the awards were announced at a gala dinner at the Liverpool Arena and Convention Centre on Thursday 19th June with a focus on the theme ‘Celebrating a Culture of Success’, reflecting Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture status for 2008. The dinner was hosted by Lucy Meacock of Granada TV, and speakers included Joanne Denney-Finch, chief executive of IGD.
Pat Foreman, chief executive of Food Northwest, said: “The standard of this year’s entries has been very impressive and we are delighted with the response from the industry, which has been overwhelming. The winners are truly deserving of their awards and demonstrate the excellence and expertise of the region’s flourishing food industry.”
The Northwest has one of the largest food and drink sectors in the UK, contributing £9.5 billion to the local economy, employing over 450,000 people and providing more than 12 per cent of the region’s income. The sector has been identified by the Northwest Regional Development Agency, (NWDA) as a priority growth sector within the Regional Economic Strategy.
