Judges for the 2015 Farm Shop & Deli Awards have whittled more than 500 entries down to 12 category winners.

Now in their second year, the awards - held in partnership with Olives Et Al - are organised by The Grocer’s publisher, William Reed Business Media, and celebrate the best of the UK’s independent, speciality retail market.

The category winners were described as a group of “focused, driven and talented food retailers” by food writer, broadcaster and chairman of judges Nigel Barden. “It’s marvellous that these awards can bring them to much wider attention,” he said.

“The quality, dedication and sheer hard work of all the businesses entering this year showed this is, once again, a sector of which to be proud,” added fellow judge Elaine Lemm. “It’s no wonder shopping habits in the UK are changing with retail of this quality on offer for the British shopper.”

Entries will now be counted and judged within the ten UK regions, along with online votes from consumers, with regional champions to be announced on 17 March 2015. The overall Retailer of the Year award winner will be announced at this year’s Farm Shop & Deli Show on Monday 20 April, at Birmingham’s NEC. 

Full list of category winners and commended entrants:

Baker of the Year

Winner:            Dee Light Bakery, London 

Commended:    Hambleton Bakery, Rutland 

Butcher of the Year

Winner:            Ludlow Food Centre, Shropshire 

Commended:    MeatNW5, London

Commended:    M&W Farm Meats, Armagh

Cheesemonger of the Year

Winner:             George Mewes Cheese, Glasgow

Commended:    The Courtyard Diary, North Yorkshire 

Commended:    Cheese Please, East Sussex 

Delicatessen of the Year

Winner:            The Hungry Guest, West Sussex 

Commended:    Bloomfields fine food, Wiltshire

Commended:    Fresh Basil, Derbyshire

Farm Shop of the Year sponsored by Lakeland Computers

Winner:            Knitsley Farm Shop, County Durham

Commended:    Cross Lanes Organic Farm Ltd, County Durham

Commended:    Foxholes Farm Shop, Hertfordshire

Commended:    Bodnant Welsh Food, Conwy 

Fishmonger of the Year

Winner:            Latimer’s Seafood Deli & Café, Tyne & Wear 

Commended:    Ramus Seafood Emporium, North Yorkshire 

Commended:    Veasey & Sons, East Sussex 

Food Hall of the Year

Winner:            Fodder, North Yorkshire

Commended:    Delifonseca Dockside, Merseyside

Commended:    Bakers & Larners of Holt, Norfolk 

Retail Group of the Year

Winner:            Johns of Instow & Appledore, North Devon 

Commended:    Arthur Howell, Norfolk 

Commended:    Brown and Green, Staffordshire 

Greengrocer of the Year

Winner:            Andreas of Chelsea Green, London

Commended:    Strongs Fruit and Veg, Lancashire

Commended:    Market Garden Produce Ltd, Suffolk 

Local Shop of the Year sponsored by Pidy and Hider

Winner:            Shropshire’s Own, Shropshire 

Commended:    Thrussington’s Village Store, Leicestershire 

Market of the Year

Winner:            Tonbridge Farmers Market, Kent

Commended:    Horsforth Farmers’ Market, Leeds

Commended:    Made in Stroud Ltd, Gloucestershire 

Online Business of the Year

Winner:            Parsnips and Pears, Nottingham 

Commended:    Alternative Meats Ltd, Shropshire

Commended:    Best of British Beer, Staffordshire  

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