FWD announces Gold Medal award winners

The FWD has announced its Gold Medal award winners for 2022.

Wholesalers and suppliers joined together at Old Billingsgate in London to celebrate the top talent, new products and new ideas in the industry.

Left to right: Andy Kemp, Andrew Selley, outgoing FWD chair Coral Rose.

The winners included Andy Kemp MBE, executive director of Bidcorp UK, whose myriad achievements were highlighted by Bidfood’s CEO Andrew Selley: “This year’s winner of the Outstanding Contribution Gold Medal is an industry icon.

“He has worked in the foodservice and wholesale industries for over 45 years and has worked his way up from being a sales rep pounding the streets of Torquay to being one of the most respected and recognised figures in the industry.

“He has achieved great personal and team success in his senior roles in the industry, especially as group sales & marketing director, but his character has always been to look after the interests of others. He is a trustee and board member of the charity Springboard, he worked with Hospitality Action for 15 years, and he is still working part-time pursuing his passion for, among other things, championing the cause of free school meals for all schoolchildren.”

Wholesaler awards

Retail Wholesaler – Bestway Wholesale

Out of Home Wholesaler – Bidfood

Smaller Wholesaler – Failte Foods

Green Wholesaler – Direct Seafoods

Digital Innovation – JJ Foodservice

Use of Data and Insight – AF Blakemore

Telesales Star – Denise Collison, Bidfood

Star Driver – Peter Taylor Dunsters Farm

Wholesale Star – Matthew Norman, Confex

Wholesale Manager – Stuart Shaw, Bestway Wholesale

Customer Development – Susan Justice, Bidfood

Emerging Talent – Holly Rogers, Bidfood

Outstanding Contribution – Andy Kemp, Bidfood

Supplier awards

Retail Brand – Monster, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners

Licensed Brand – Madrí Excepcional, Molson Coors Brewing Company

Foodservice Brand – Bisto, Premier Foods

Best Use of Data and Insight – Coca-Cola Europacific Partners

Service to Wholesale – Britvic

New Retail Product – Madrí Excepcional, Molson Coors Brewing Company

New Foodservice Product – Radnor 125ml Tetra Pak, Radnor Hills

Process Innovation – Britvic

Digital Innovation – Britvic

Green Supplier – Coca-Cola Europacific Partners

Emerging Talent – Amy Beirne, Halewood Artisanal Spirits