Area Manager
Moy Park

Katia’s nomination revealed that she has invested a great deal of her time into guiding the new placement students in the right direction. She goes above and beyond to make sure that students are being treated equally and fairly, and are getting the most out of their year with the company. She pushes them to achieve their potential – even if it means taking time out of her day to do so.

Category Technologist – Poultry
ASDA

Jenna has championed the poultry category at Asda through what has been an unprecedented 12 months for both the industry and the retailer, leading the Asda own label reset across primal poultry and also benchmarking products to understand where the business should make the right quality investments. Jenna then went straight out of that project to manage the issues that trading for Christmas can bring, with the added complexities this year of the worst avian influenza season in history, and the ramifications of post-Brexit trade.

Factory Manager
Capestone Organic Poultry Limited

Leaving school in Latvia aged 19, Laura moved to the UK in 2016 and began work as a Factory Operative. Commitment led her to becoming one of the Company’s youngest ever supervisors in 2019, where she led a multi-lingual team and mastered all the operational activities, leading on to her further promotion in 2021 as Assistant Factory Manager. Following a company takeover that same year she earned the respect of the new owners who subsequently promoted her to Factory Manager in 2022, and all forecasts are that her journey is not over yet!

Buyer
Sysco Ireland

Aoife has shown great patience and innovation in her role as buyer of fresh poultry. She works closely with all suppliers to meet the challenges across the supply chain head on. Engaging with the sales team, she provides up-to-date market insights and solutions for both the sales teams and their customers. Known for her leadership through long hours she offers innovative ideas to help overcome supply chain challenges and to cope with inflation that has affected the poultry sector.

Farmer / Producer / Marketing
Duntisbourne Beef

This enthusiastic nomination follows Churri’s “brilliant lockdown farming posts.” Also for producing superb beef alongside her husband David Barton, which is marketed and sold from the farm gate at affordable prices for all to enjoy. Her unwavering kindness, enthusiasm, positivity and support within the Gloucestershire community is much valued, be it farming or in her role with the NHS.

Category Manager Fresh Meat
Sysco Ireland

Joanne constantly engages with suppliers and the Sysco sales team to ensure that Sysco Ireland has the highest quality product. She is very passionate about supporting Irish produce and constantly tries to help niche or artisan suppliers establish their business. This passion can also be seen in her drive to offer sustainable products within her category. Joanne also acts as a mentor to colleagues and she is very approachable, while also helping everyone develop and grow. A real team player.

Managing Director
Woburn Country Foods Ltd

Awesome customer service is the message from one of Helen’s proposers. Helen worked tirelessly through the pandemic, altering all work practices over the first weekend of lockdown, so when her team returned on the Monday everyone had a safe working environment. She altered the whole set up of the business to move from food service to internet and retail sales to keep the business afloat while restaurants were closed. This enabled the company to retain all staff and all suppliers, so the business was ready for the reopening of its core catering trade. Her hard work not only allowed the business to survive the pandemic but to thrive.

Chief Operating Officer
Farmison & Co

Joining Farmison & Co as one of only four employees, she is now Chief Operating Officer with 90 employees. She mentors the team to drive passion for the business at all levels, creating a positive culture and implements improvements by upskilling, using her vast experience. Working seven days a week during the pandemic, she ensured the huge increase in orders for home delivery were fulfilled in lockdown. She implemented a bespoke internal system for traceability and fulfilment and also introduced a compliant Food Safety Management system.

Co-owner
E&G Butchery and Farm Shop

Ella has set up a locally sourced butchery with her husband. They also have a farm shop and have taken over a herd of fallow deer. She is described by her proposer as someone who works extremely hard, and is an individual who always has a smile on her face.

People and Culture Manager
Hilton Foods

Kealey plays a key role in the culture of Hilton Foods, with a strong focus on strategy and supporting team members. She has worked across a number of complex projects and is respected and highly valued by all her colleagues. The nomination recommended Kealey as someone who is both a role model for others in the industry and as an incredibly talented businesswoman. The narrative commented: “Having worked with her in the past I believe her hard work, dedication and focus should be recognised and celebrated.”

Planning Manager
Danish Crown UK

With 25 years’ experience in the meat industry, Cathy started as an operator and has since developed a successful career as a planning manager (and an affectionate nickname – ‘The Meat Girl’). Cathy’s roles have involved working across numerous projects, business facets and categories, always upholding high customer standards, building relationships, and mentoring colleagues along the way. Cathy is highly valued as an asset to Danish Crown and the industry, with an unrivalled resilience and passion for her work.

Livestock buyer
Alec Jarrett Ltd

Alec Jarrett is a family owned business between Bristol and Bath. The main activity is meat processing, supplying a wide range of quality meat products to all sectors of the retailing, catering and manufacturing industry. Malgorzata (Gosia) is nominated as an outstanding buyer who always goes the extra mile to meet the needs of the business and its livestock producers. She is always looking to educate young people and always ready to help her colleagues and associates.

Customer Director – Co-op
Pilgrim’s UK

Zoe is nominated as an excellent leader and as a credit to the Pilgrim’s business. She is very well respected within the Coop at all levels of its business. Not only does she lead the Co-op team, but has also been a key figure in many group wide projects. Zoe is driven to do the best for both Pilgrim’s and the Co-op, and will always find a way to deliver what is required.

Site Director
Karro Food Group / Sofina Foods

Amy is a leader who has a hands on approach. Proposed as someone who has an amazing knowledge of the manufacturing industry she has over 15 years of experience at a senior level. Amy also has passion and enthusiasm to strive for the best. Her approach to the workplace and her team is described as inspiring. She is always supporting, guiding and coaching colleagues in aiming to deliver the best product and to strive to be industry leaders. Colleagues and team members all have great respect for Amy, known as a ‘one of a kind’ role model within the industry.

Technical Manager, Agriculture
Pilgrim’s UK

Helen never fails to support the wider team and share her industry expertise and knowledge. Helen is passionate about the industry and throughout challenging times has never failed to remain resilient and supportive. Helen lives by the business values of Pilgrim’s UK, she is always approachable and available, takes ownership and is sincere. She also has very strong technical knowledge and in particular on raw materials. Given the challenging market of today, her guidance has been and remains highly valuable.

Market Street Butcher
Morrisons Supermarkets Limited

Shania, like all her cohort, went through her apprenticeship during the pandemic, and whilst she managed an overall pass, Shania actually got a pass with excellence on her Vocational Confidence discussion, the very element that she was least confident on, as she disliked speaking in this type of situation. A real credit to her. Shania is now working on a presentation for a Webinar for Remit, this is about her apprenticeship where she intends to talk about her desire that butchery becomes a genderless industry.

Director / Co-Owner
Alderson Butchers

Julia has injected an innovative and creative element to a traditional butcher’s shop. She has increased sales by infusing oriental cuisine with more traditional butchers style cuts and is growing the businesses by developing a value added section, whilst at the same time training up two apprentices in this area who are now becoming butchers through the MEAT Ipswich training school. Julia is described as a person who goes above and beyond, sourcing the best ingredients and this success has been reflected in positive customer feedback. Julia manages all this as well as looking after a small toddler, a true example of hard work and effective planning.

Co-owner
Johnsons of Thirsk

Sarah-Jane’s narrative confirms she is wonderful to her customers and is always coming up with creative ways to sell her meat products. She looks at meat from the customer’s perspective catering for individuals’ needs as well as families. She always has a range of tasty pre-prepared dishes for those who want the convenience of oven-ready meals that are pure, wholesome and additive-free.

Butcher
Grooms Farm Shop

Harriet joined Grooms during the pandemic where she was thrown into the deep end to help with the increase in custom. She very quickly became a critical part of the team where she has picked up the butchery part of the job also very quickly. In addition, Harriet has been involved with the farm shop expansion and is reported as being very good at creating a display. Her love, for not only butchery but also cooking, shines through when every week there is another new and exciting product in the window for people to try.

Skilled Butcher
Dunbia Highland Meats

Ewa Lendzion and her dedication to butchery is considered an enormous asset to Highland Meats. Ewa was the first female to apply when the Butchery Academy was established, completing the course to become a skilled butcher and achieving an SVQ 2 in Meat Skills. With a full time Butchery career and as a full-time single mum, Ewa has continued to be committed to her learning and development and goes above and beyond to learn all aspects of her trade.

Head of Membership & Marketing
National Craft Butchers

Eleanor is the key pin for administration, membership and marketing for the National Craft Butchers, and goes well beyond her own duties. As well as holding executive meetings, she also organises zoom meetings for members, and provides important updates and communicates about new legislation for key areas such as Natasha’s Law and other developments affecting retail butchers.

Chief Executive Officer
International Meat Trade Association

Katie originally joined the International Meat Trade Association (IMTA) without any trade knowledge, yet quickly developed a grasp of the industry and a knowledge of the complex world of trade related quotas. A baptism of fire followed with Brexit. Her rapid promotion to CEO occurred at a time of great change and uncertainty due to the Brexit negotiations, which had and continues to have a major impact on IMTA members. She has built a strong reputation and has developed a good team around her, gaining a healthy respect from those she deals with.

The Deputy Clerk
Worshipful Company of Butchers

Carla Ashcroft is the deputy clerk at the Worshipful Company of Butchers, the meat industry livery company, based in the City at Butchers Hall, London. She deals with a great deal of the day to day business for the WCB and is key to organising many events and activities and for facilitating good communication with its membership, and promoting the good name of the livery. Always helpful and friendly, Carla is a highly valued member of the Butchers Hall team and plays an important part in maintaining its long history and relationship with the trade.

Office Manager
Provision Trade Federation

The long standing office manager at the Provision Trade Federation is a core member of the team and is relied upon to keep the wheels turning in this important and much admired trade body. One proposer said: “Think PTF and you automatically think Penny McEntire Kemp. She is simply brilliant and someone we all rely on. She deals with enquiries efficiently and in a friendly fashion, and she has given years of loyal service. She is outstanding at her job and in her understanding and knowledge of member needs.”

Head of Business
Foods Connected

Sarah joined Foods Connected two years ago, bringing a wealth of meat industry experience and expertise. This has proven invaluable in delivering practical, useful data capture solutions for customers. Sarah’s involvement is pivotal to generating meaningful insight that drives customer performance, safeguards supply chains and improves supply chain visibility. Sarah is an outstanding member of the Foods Connected Team, universally liked and respected while delivering exceptional customer service.

Technical Support & Product Manager
ABP

Kirsty’s work on quality systems has been ground-breaking according to her proposer. Designing a bespoke quality IT system for Asda she has taken quality to a new level. She has even shared her innovations to most of Asda’s suppliers who have greatly benefitted, increasing their own product quality as a result. Kirsty is always looking for ways to continually improve in the meat industry and drives innovation like a steam train through these uncertain and challenging times. The future is safe in Kirsty’s hands!

Marketing Manager
Interfood Technology Ltd

Jess joined Interfood with no marketing experience. Working alongside a mentor she very quickly learnt website design, social media marketing and advertising campaigning. Her success earnt her a recent promotion to Marketing Manager. She is Highley committed to the company and our food industry.

Technical Development Manager
ABP

Rachael’s approach to technical and quality is described as breath-taking. She ensures all specifications are safe and legal with her enviable attention to detail. Often working to tight deadlines Rachael works tirelessly to land all projects on time. During a recent rebrand she personally managed the landing of hundreds of lines to deliver our Asda customers the quality they have been accustomed to. Rachael is put forward as an amazing asset to Anglo Beef Processors.

Butcher
Booker

Jade is put forward as a ‘fantastic’ candidate for the Wholesaling category. She has recently passed her final exams and has been working hard in her department located in Blackburn. Nominated by Crosby Management Training they say: “We at CMT are proud of her progress and how she has been adapting to her roles in Wholesale.”

Lead Accountant
Dunbia – Sawley

Lucy is passionate about supporting the training and development of new employees across the whole business and not just her team. With a methodical and thorough style Lucy has a flair for bringing people along on their journey, with no question left unanswered. Not only is Lucy committed to training others, she is also continuously developing herself, having joined Dunbia Sawley in 2009 as a receptionist she progressed through various roles before being promoted to Lead Accountant in May 2021.

Human Resources Manager
ABP

According to Bethan’s proposer, what makes Bethan such a deserving candidate for this award is her ability to engage and interact phenomenally well with those around her. Coinciding with her dedication to her colleagues and ABP, she has continued to develop herself personally by achieving her CIPD Level 5 in HR Management which she puts to good use every day. As someone who has benefited strongly from further education, she is ever encouraging colleagues in the factory to take part in apprenticeships in order to better themselves

Managing Director
M.E.A.T. Ipswich

Jane is an inspirational ambassador for the Meat industry. Her drive and enthusiasm to promote and encourage young people to embark on a butchery career is second to none. She is passionate about training and developing people – often those who have been overlooked by others. Described by one proposer as a no nonsense lady, Jane is extremely keen to encourage young people to learn the trade of butchery and works very hard in the training aspect of her business.

Trainer
ABP

Anca has worked for ABP for seven years. Since joining the company she as gained several qualifications to help in her role which includes level 4 food safety, level 3 HACCP and level 3 in Health and Safety. At the time of her proposal she was waiting on her NEBOSH result. Anca is also a qualified physical first aid instructor together with holding a mental health first aider qualification, and in addition has gained her teaching qualification, education and training level 3, she now delivers several level 2 and level 3 qualifications.

Apprentice Butcher
ABP

Jessica has been on the apprenticeship scheme since September last year and was previously a nursery nurse – a big change. The level of her work is reported as exceptional and she has received very good feedback from her college and has recently started to learn to bone beef. Now also trained as a first aider she always put others first and helps support her fellow colleagues. Colleagues say Jess is a real shining star and a great asset to the company. She will look at any development opportunities to help her succeed and shows great leadership qualities.

Brexit Administrator
Dawn Meats Group

An integral member of the Brexit Administrative team, Dawn Meats say that Kate demonstrates remarkable initiative and seeks to deliver excellence in an ever evolving and challenging role. Supporting the new department, her effective teamwork, along with an ability to recognise when extra support is needed is fantastic. A professional perfectionist with a rapid learning ability, she goes above and beyond to support all the sites, dedicating countless hours to ensure our product clears BCPs to reach its destination.

Butcher
Firths Butchers

Amelia is proposed for this award as an incredible butcher; she was the youngest apprentice to qualify via CMT training who say she has grown so much over the last year and a half. Amelia had never left her town until attending a butchery residential in Snowdonia last August. She was shy and reserved on arrival, but she got stuck in with all the butchers and had a fantastic time and made lots of friends. Amelia has now started her Level 3 Advanced Butchery Apprenticeship and her colleagues and trainers are looking forward to seeing how she progresses and what she can achieve.

Manager
Buckinghams Artisan Butchery

Remarkably, up until March 2020 Sadie hadn’t stepped foot behind the butcher’s counter but within the last two years she has trained to be a cheese specialist, taken over the accounting for the business, started to learn to cut meat, serves on the meat counter offering great advice and a friendly smile, and is very keen on pushing the business forward, so much so that this year the business offered her a managing director’s role within the company. Buckinghams Artisan Butchery say that Sadie is already a massive asset to the business.

Trading Manager – Technical Development Livestock
Morrisons Supermarkets Limited

Harriet joined as a graduate and her roles have included working in pet food and abattoir, plus the retail commercial team and livestock sourcing. Harriet now heads a new team at Woodhead processing sites, leading audit and compliance and driving farm and site animal welfare standards. Harriet has created a new approach to deliver better standard both on farm and sites, making welfare a priority. Harriet supports talent coming through the business, and outside of work for the company her passion continues with her own flock of sheep.

Technical Shift Manager
Morrisons Supermarkets Limited

Sophie joined Morrisons as a degree apprentice and she has nearly finished a self-funded Master’s Degree in Food Science. Her dissertation focuses on driving the quality of cooked meats by preventing discoloration. This is also driving benefits at the site that Sophie works at, who supply the majority of Morrisons cooked meats range. Her proposer says that Sophie’s development has been fantastic, moving from leading a team of QC’s to now being the site’s food safety specialist. A potential technical manager of the future. Sophie also supports nine DAs.