It’s been another busy week on The Grocer.

This afternoon, we celebrated over 200 standout products which have been awarded the ultimate accolade in food and drink innovation at The Grocer New Product & Packaging Awards. Walking away with either a bronze, silver or gold accolade, we have recognised these product and packaging trailblazers for their hard work and dedication in helping to shape the future of UK grocery.

It was an inspirational event, held, fittingly, at Wembley Stadium. There were some outstanding winners, and the full list of who won what can be found here.

But all that doesn’t mean we’ve been resting on our laurels. We broke the news yesterday that experts have raised serious concerns over the limitations of a report the FSA used to deny cancer risks from the nitrites found in processed meats such as bacon and ham. It’s not been a great week for the meat sector in general, kicking off on Monday when whistleblowers accused the industry of a relentless drive towards cheap, processed and lower-welfare meat.

As you’d expect, NPD continues to be a major focus for us at The Grocer. This week saw the first flurry of festive launches, with brands like All Things Butter unveiling a new Christmas-themed variety, and Ginsters getting into the spirit with a trio of Christmas-themed pasties, including a pork and cranberry option. Something for everyone there.

Sticking with seasonal indulgence, chocolate news continues to come through thick and fast. One of the biggest stories this week was the news that Made Uncommon has snapped up James Cadbury’s Love Cocoa brand for an undisclosed sum. This follows hot on the heels of its recent purchase of the IP for organic chocolate brand Seed & Bean, bringing its portfolio to six chocolate brands. Time for a little brand consolidation, perhaps?

And speaking of mixing things up, Au Vodka made headlines by becoming the most popular brand in the entire RTD category. That’s no small feat, especially considering it’s overtaken the likes of Gordon’s, Smirnoff, Jack Daniel’s, and even WKD, all in less than four years. The question now is whether anything can slow its momentum?

Diageo’s latest results were arguably more notable for what they didn’t say than what they did. There’s still no confirmation on whether interim CFO Nik Jhangiani will take the top job permanently, and investors remain cautious after a shaky Q1.

The week also got off to an exciting start for those of us who celebrate Christmas ad season. Asda was the first out of the gate with its Grinch-themed campaign, closely followed by – well – almost everyone else, with John Lewis’ dewy-eyed 90s raver dad getting a special mention. But who did it best? We asked Obesity Health Alliance director Katharine Jenner to join our panel of creative judges giving their opinions on the ads, in light of the voluntary HFSS restrictions which have been in place since October. Have minted peas replaced mince pies?

And finally, anyone even vaguely familiar with social media will be aware of the prevalence of ‘drop’ culture and the explosion of brand ‘collabs’ in fashion. We investigated what supermarkets can learn from streetwear brands and asked how food retailers can build their own ‘hype’ – and it turns out the leap from fashion to food and drink isn’t that big after all.

Of course, there’s plenty of other brilliant stories, news and regular features in this week’s issue and even more online. We would love to hear your thoughts. Is there anything we’ve missed? Get in touch via LinkedIn or jacqui.parr@thegrocer.co.uk.

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