>>nominated this month

BUYER, special selection

SAINSBURY

Draycott’s responsibilities include herbs and spices, kosher and Irish ranges and special selection. She has held the role for two months having joined Sainsbury 13 years ago. Prior to that she worked for Waitrose as BWS manager before progressing to store manager.
FRESH FOOD BUYER

FORTNUM & MASON

Ribeyro’s responsibilities include charcuterie, traiteur, provisions and cheese and dairy. He joined Harrods’ charcuterie and traiteur department in the early 1990s and was promoted to area sales manager in the food hall, then buyer, also managing the fresh produce department.
BUYER, chilled

BUDGENS

Laura began as a buyer’s assistant at Safeway. She joined Budgens in October 2001 as a trainee and was promoted to buyer in July 2002. Her responsibilities include pre-packed cheese, dips, paté and kosher/fresh ethnic food. She is working on a new range of own label continental cheeses.
BUYER, grocery

WAITROSE

Vine has been at Waitrose for 12 years, starting as a trainee and then moving into buying three years ago. As a buyer, he has worked in several categories in grocery. He is currently responsible for ethnic foods, oils and vinegar, canned fish and meat and kosher products.
BUYER, DRY PACKAGED GROCERY AND THE SOMETHING SPECIAL RANGE, MORRISONS

Nithsdale has worked in her present post at Morrisons for two years, focusing on speciality and gourmet groceries. She joined from Brake Brothers where she was national accounts controller. Her past roles have included working as a trading operations manager for Asda.
SENIOR BUYER, GROCERY, TEA & COFFEE, CONFECTIONERY, HOUSE OF FRASER

Weston has worked for House of Fraser since December last year. Before that he worked for Fortnum & Mason for 11 years. His first role was as a management trainee and then he moved to the hampers department. He left Fortnum & Mason as tea, coffee and grocery buyer.
MELISSA DRAYCOTT

CHARLES RIBEYRO

LAURA KINGSMAN

JOHN VINE

HILARY NITHSDALE

DOMINIC WESTON