FWD Gold Medal Awards honour wholesaler and supplier excellence

A record 950 guests attended the FWD Gold Medal Awards, which honoured excellence among wholesalers and suppliers, including rising talent.

Hosted by comedian Josh Widdicombe, this year’s awards recognised the individuals, teams and businesses that have gone above and beyond to drive success and resilience across the sector. Categories ranged from operational excellence and customer service to innovation, marketing, sales and sustainability.

For the first time, suppliers were able to nominate their brands and products, contributing to a significant uplift in entries and making 2025 one of the most competitive years in the awards’ history.

Martin Lovell of Cash & Carry Management with Elit Rowland, who was presented with a Special Recognition Award.

One of the highlights of the night was the presentation of a Special Recognition Award to Elit Rowland, founder of Women in Wholesale (WiW). After a decade championing equity, inclusion and representation for women across the wholesale channel, Rowland was celebrated for her vision and leadership in building WiW into a nationally-recognised movement. FWD has partnered with her for the past five years and will take ownership of the programme from January 2026.

There was also huge applause for the winner of the Wholesale Star Award, Chloe Staniforth, marketing manager at Pricecheck, who has been an inspiring member of FWD’s Future Leaders Forum for the past four years. Judges praised her “strategic clarity, creative energy and authentic voice”, as well as her ability to champion wholesale to both internal teams and the wider industry. She was recognised for her leadership on key projects, her commitment to developing future talent, and her role as a standout ambassador for the next generation of wholesale.

James Bielby, chief executive of FWD, said: “The sheer quality of this year’s finalists and winners shows exactly why wholesale is one of the most dynamic, resilient and forward-thinking parts of the food and drink supply chain.

“Every medal awarded represents businesses and individuals who have pushed standards higher, invested in their people, and delivered exceptional service in a challenging environment. We’re incredibly proud of this sector, its creativity, its commitment to customers, and its ability to keep the nation supplied no matter what.

“It was a fantastic night and a celebration of everything that makes wholesale such a great sector. Congratulations to all our winners – and to every team, supplier and individual who continues to raise the bar year after year.”

The evening opened with an address from FWD chairman Dawood Pervez, who reflected on both the challenges and achievements of the past 12 months.

“We all know that 2025 hasn’t exactly been a quiet year. It’s been another testing chapter – with fiscal uncertainty, tightening margins, and inflationary pressures that have challenged even the strongest businesses. Yet once again, our sector has proved its resilience,” he said.

Pervez also marked his final year as FWD chairman, before handing over to Tom Gittins in January: “It’s been a huge honour to represent an industry that plays such a vital role in keeping the nation fed – and one that never fails to step up when it matters most. At a time of escalating business costs, our mission has been simple: to secure a fair, competitive, and sustainable future for this sector.”

The event’s charity raffle raised nearly £15,000 for FareShare, supporting its work to redistribute food to communities nationwide.

The winners:

Wholesale awards

Best Use of Data and Insight: Henderson Foodservice

Diversity in Wholesale: Creed Foodservice

Sustainable Wholesaler: Booker Group

Telesales Star: Jonny Carroll, Birchall Foodservice

Star Driver: Joshua Davidson, Oliver Kay

Wholesale Manager: Leanne Fay, Booker Group

Customer Development: Sebastian Serrano, Bidfood

Wholesale Star: Chloe Staniforth, Pricecheck

Emerging Talent: Santosh Salunkhe, Dunsters Farm

Best Wholesaler with a Turnover of up to £50 million: Birchall Foodservice

Best Foodservice Wholesaler: Bidfood

Best Retail Wholesaler: Parfetts

Supplier awards

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

Best Service Provider: TWC Group

Best Service Level to Wholesalers: Coca-Cola Europacific Partners

Best Overall Service Supplier: Kellanova

Best New Retail Product: Doritos Dinamita, PepsiCo

Best New Foodservice Product: Sharwood’s & Homepride cook in sauces, Premier Foods

Best Marketing and Promotional Activation: Doritos Dinamita, PepsiCo

Diversity in Wholesale (Supplier): Heineken UK

Sustainable Supplier: Radnor Hills

Emerging Talent: Alice Davies, Budweiser Brewing Group

Best Licensed Brand: BuzzBallz, Sazerac UK

Best Foodservice Brand: Hellmann’s, Unilever Food Solutions

Best Grocery Brand: Monster, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners