Director
Morgan’s Butchery

One of Amy’s proposers states that she has done so much for Morgan’s and is outstanding in supporting the family business while holding down multiple other jobs. A finalist in the awards last year, Amy is always looking at new ways to build Morgan’s reputation and is working on a great net-zero plan, whilst keeping high quality produce available for customers. This typifies the work she does to keep Morgan’s on the front foot. She also manages the company’s social media independently, which is a huge job in itself but very important to small independent businesses. She does this all without needing to be asked – even when she’s away on holiday she schedules posts and replies to emails. One colleague commented: “We can’t thank her enough and we’d love her to be a finalist and hopefully winner, to show our appreciation and how amazing she is.” Miles Morgan, Amy’s dad added: “Amy’s out of the box thinking has increasing our footfall and turn over considerably in the time she’s been with us, her eye for detail and money management has meant we have been able to clear all our outstanding debt without any cut backs to our products or produce in the shop. She always puts others first and this has made the business the success it is today.”

Senior Category Manager
ABP UK

Robyn plays a pivotal role in the category team with one of ABP’s largest retail customers. She consistently goes above and beyond to support and assist her account and, as a result, helps the business in driving improvement for the end shopper. Robyn’s tireless work has been recognised by her customers on several occasions and, in fact, it was a retail customer that nominated Robyn for this award (with full support of the ABP business) to reflect her outstanding work.

Site Director
Pilgrim’s Europe

Nompilo demonstrates an exceptional approach to driving KPI delivery at site. A people-centric leader, she continually demonstrates an ability to break all barriers within the industry. With almost 20 years of service, starting as a graduate at Pilgrim’s Europe, she has used every opportunity to learn and develop both herself and those around her. She has an incredible knowledge of the end-to-end business, gained while working across a number of roles in technical, supply chain commercial and now operations. Nompilo’s “squiggly” career took her from commercial, as a technical and development controller, to site director. In her two years as site director, Nompilo has celebrated numerous milestones with a marked improvement across operational, financial and people KPIs. She has also developed other members of the management team with recent internal promotions to ‘head of’ roles for two members of her site senior leadership team. Nompilo always has a holistic approach to manufacturing demands and ensures the best solution, whether it be short-term problem solving or long term strategic planning. She makes everyone on site feel included with daily walks of the factory floor, engaging team members- all 1,200 of them!

Butchery Office Supervisor
Creed Foodservice Ltd

Rachael was promoted last year due to what one of her many proposers report is her total commitment and enthusiasm shown to the business. Rachael is said to be “hugely customer and service focused” – continually liaising with the internal sales team and external customers to ensure the department delivers the best quality meat possible. In order to achieve this, she has built a great rapport with suppliers to ensure that the business receives the best quality products into the butchery. Meat sales have continued to grow substantially, and this has been massively impacted by Rachael’s approach within the department. Rachael has proven herself to be an invaluable butchery office supervisor at Creed Butchery due to what is described as her exceptional organisational skills and extensive knowledge of the meat industry.

Operations Manager
Sofina Foods

Chantelle joined the business in February 2021, initially working at the company’s Malton site in the value added department. She hit the ground running and made a very positive impact on the team and ultimately on the results obtained. She is a larger than life character and is hugely passionate about everything she does. Her ‘can do’ attitude and enthusiasm means she is a pleasure to work with and this contributes to a great team dynamic. More recently Chantelle has accepted the huge challenge of running one of the other company sites, which for many could be a somewhat daunting task, but Chantelle has risen to the challenge with alacrity and continues to shine. Colleagues agree that they are very happy and proud to have her on their team.

Retail Butcher Assistant
Kings Fine Cooked Meats

After working at the business for over three years, Julie has surpassed all expectations and defied gender-biased societal structures that may remain within the butchery sector. Julie is a proud Wigan local and has worked in retail/production for most of her working life. She began her career at Kings Fine Cooked Meats as a production operative in the factory, but after a position on the butcher’s counter became available, which at the time urgently needed to be filled, Julie fearlessly stepped up to the plate and swiftly moved to her current role – retail butchery assistant in the store. As well as enduring endless training and tuition from her new manager, she was also faced with an all-male department. With no previous butchery experience, Julie knew she was taking on a challenge, but due to her tenacity and persistent appetite for knowledge, she worked closely with the retail butchery manager to learn knife skills plus the importance of food safety and hygiene, as well as creating and innovating ways to keep the meat counter looking fresh and vibrant. Her proposer believes that one of Julie’s most valuable skills is her ability to produce vast amounts of exceptionally well butchered products. The increase in profit margins immediately after Julie joined the retail butchery team also confirms that she truly is an asset and an outstanding craft butcher.

Head of Marketing
AHDB

Carrie McDermid is a beacon of innovation and leadership for the red meat industry, having worked in the sector for nine years. Carrie has spearheaded transformative marketing campaigns that have significantly boosted the profile and sales of meat industry products. The most recent ‘Let’s Eat Balanced Campaign’ delivered an extra £15 million in sales to the beef and lamb categories, which equated to a £10 return on sales for every £1 of levy money invested. She has pioneered the use of effective advanced marketing technologies and data-driven strategies, resulting in highly effective campaigns that resonate with modern consumers. AHDB says that her innovative approach has set new standards in meat marketing. Carrie is also a staunch advocate for sustainable and ethical practices within the meat industry. She has successfully integrated sustainability into AHDB marketing messages, helping increase consumer advocacy in British red meat being one of the most sustainably produced in the world. In addition, she has played a crucial role in empowering other women within AHDB and the wider meat industry, fostering a supportive environment where women can thrive, develop and grow.

Livestock Procurement Officer
Liffey Meats

Maggie has worked with Liffey Meats for over 12 years and has established herself as a key figure within the business, as well as having a massive influence on all its 500 plus staff members. Maggie works directly with almost 10,000 farmer suppliers throughout the year and is one of their first points of contact when booking in or delivering their livestock to Liffey Meats. The company states that suppliers love working with Maggie and enjoy her highly professional business relations approach, as well as sharing discussion and knowledge on all the challenges that come with farming life, market outlooks and the environmental targets. Maggie has significantly developed her skills and knowledge of this fast-paced industry over the years. She has adapted rapidly to new traceability systems and specific customer requests and has embraced all the challenges that have come affecting the agri-food sector. She is also eagerly anticipating the environmental challenges that lie ahead for the business to reach its climate action targets for 2030 and ultimately 2050. Her proposer commented: “Maggie is a fantastic role model to all the new recruits we employ from general operatives to graduates out of college. She offers them great guidance and support, and is a prime example of how to succeed and prosper within the agri-food sector.”

Sales Director UK & Ireland
KP

With over thirteen years of experience in the packaging industry, Sally Molyneux is sales director UK and Ireland for trays and flexibles. She has a strategic vision and a proven track record of exceeding targets, managing teams, securing large contracts and expanding kp’s customer base. Her nominator for this award said that Sally is that “rare combination of courageous, engaged and astute team leader. She goes through massive hurdles to ensure that both she and her sales team can deliver sustainable and innovative packaging solutions to customers, making an exceptional contribution to the UK meat industry.” Her leadership and ability to engage her team has resulted in strong customer partnerships. She has spearheaded the UK poultry industry transition from using PP packaging trays to fully recyclable PET. As recently as March 2024, leading food company Moy Park also teamed up with Sally and her female team to make the switch by also launching the kp Elite® MAP solution which helps maintain product shelf-life, reduce food waste and is wholly recyclable through kerbside collection. As part of this partnership, Moy Park has also introduced kp’s innovative lidding film, further enhancing its sustainability credentials. Promoting women in packaging is another string to Sally’s exceptional bow. She has encouraged the development of the women in her team through coaching and by example.

Managing Director
Porky Whites Ltd

Francesca (Fran) Wyatt, is a third-generation butcher and as the managing director of Porky Whites has transformed and developed the family business with a perfect blend of tradition and innovation. Fran’s journey from manual operations to fully automated systems, showcase her visionary leadership and commitment to excellence. She has diversified business growth across retail, wholesale, commercial and export ventures, ensuring Porky Whites remains a key player in the industry. Her mentorship of the rising stars within the business and the introduction of innovative products like Porky Lights (sausages) and the expanded wider meat range, underline her role as a powerhouse in the meat sector. Fran has also demonstrated exceptional resilience and strategic acumen in mitigating the impact of high UK pork prices by optimising business operations and streamlining processes. She has maintained profit margins despite severe economic pressures. Affectionately known as the ‘Supreme Sausage Guru’ by her team, Fran’s mission is to create the highest quality sausages. An active Liveryman with the Worshipful Company of Butchers, her activities for her business and the wider trade epitomises her dedication to the UK meat industry.

Site Training Lead
Pilgrim’s Europe

Alina is “an absolute asset” to the L&D team, the site where she is based and the business as a whole. Not only does she ensure compliance training is constantly up-to-date, but she passionately embraces all development training, both personally and across the entire site. She finds innovative and engaging methods to delivery training at all levels in her native Romanian language, as well as in her second language of English, and also utilises pictorial, practical and other approaches, including the use of translators. By fully utilising these various approaches she ensures everyone fully understands all aspects of training and also that everyone has full access to and understanding of personal and professional development opportunities across a very diverse workforce. In addition to her inspirational approach to L&D, Alina also acts as a point of contact for the entire workforce. She supports with general translations and is actively involved in social and engagement activities. Alina also supports people with personal issues and challenges, as well as those that may arise in the workplace and, in addition to all this, she is also an active works committee rep. Through her engaging approach and extremely personable and friendly demeanour, she has built extremely strong relationships across the site, all of which supports Alina’s outstanding success in her role of site training lead.

Agriculture Manager
Dunbia Group

Leisia is an agriculture manager in Wales for Dunbia Group, working closely on the beef and lamb accounts for some of the UK’s largest retailers. She has been bought up on her family farm and has recently moved near her partners farm where they run a commercial sheep flock and breed pedigree Welsh Black cattle. She originally joined Dunbia via the Dunbia Group’s graduate programme as sales and commercial graduate. For a graduate, Leisia was given considerable responsibility as she was able to demonstrate capability to manage and complete important tasks. Before being at Dunbia in the role she currently occupies, Leisia also worked as a flock and herd health officer for the Welsh meat levy board HCC. As agriculture manager in Wales for Dunbia Group, Leisia now works closely with members across the supply chain. This involves bridging the gap between retailers and farmers to ensure supply chain efficiency, particularly as Dunbia works towards its Plan for Net Zero strategy. This has seen Leisia work with farmers to measure key performance indicators, work on animal health and grassland projects and review carcass specification to support farmers in running a profitable and sustainable enterprise. Leisia also runs live-to-dead sessions with farmers, colleges and stakeholders, to demonstrate how to choose livestock for slaughter. She also sits on HCC’s new Sustainable Innovation and Research Working Group.