Nominees this year include big name brands like Tesco and ASDA in the Best National Retailer category, as well as established ethnic brands like Veetee and Kohinoor for Best Packaging. Levi Root's Reggae Reggae Sauce, of Dragon’s Den fame, has made the list for Best New Product, while world food industry veterans Meena and Kirit Pathak OBE and Sir Gulam Noon MBE are among those up for the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award.
Nominations are:
World Food Award 2009 - Best New Product
• Ashoka Olive Oil Pickles, ADF Foods Ltd
• Jamaican Patties, Caribbean Savouries Ltd/Caribbean Food Delights
• Levi Root - Reggae Reggae Sauce
World Food Award 2009 - Best Packaging
• Aisha's Original Recipe, Halal Range, Cofresh
• Kohinoor Basmati Rice Bags, Indo European Foods Ltd
• Veetee Dine In, Veetee Rice Ltd
World Food Award 2009 - Best Marketing Campaign
• Heera Chappati Flour, P & B Foods
• Reggae Reggae Subway
• Wanchai Ferry, General Mills UK
World Food Award 2009 - Best Wholesaler
• Donatantonio
• Hyperama Wholesale
• Wanis
World Food Award 2009 - Best Catering Supplier
• 3663
• Eurofoods Group Ltd
• JJ Food Service Ltd
World Food Award 2009 - Restaurant of the Year
• The Cinnamon Club
• Haandi
• Haozhan
World Food Award 2009 - Best Independent Retailer
• Quality Foods
• Sira Cash Carry, Southall
• V B & Sons
World Food Award 2009 - Best National Retailer
• ASDA
• Sainsbury's
• Tesco
World Food Award 2009 - Top National Account Manager
• Saj Noray, Cofresh Snack Foods Ltd
• Yonas Tekle, Shana Foods Ltd
• Zaff Khan of J K Foods Ltd
World Food - Lifetime Achievement Award
• Meena K Pathak OBE & Kirit K Pathak OBE
• Sir Gulam Noon MBE
• Terry Butcher, Westmill Foods
Currently busy deliberating the winners, this year's high-profile judging panel comprise of celebrity chefs Ainsley Harriott and Anjum Anand; David Moore, of BBC's The Restaurant; Simon Numphud, Head of AA Services; Tony Matharu, Managing Director of Grange Hotels; Humayun Hussain, Editor of Tandoori Magazine; Kirti Mistry of BNP Paribas Fortis Bank and David Jago of Mintel.
Harry Dulai, of Surya Foods, co-organisers of the event with Sony Entertainment Television (SET) Asia said: "World food is a thriving industry that has been identified as one of the fastest growing areas within the UK retail market. We felt it was the right time for this industry to have its own awards ceremony to recognise and celebrate the talents of the people who work within it.
"Our aim is to ensure that the ethnic food industry is recognised as an important sector within the UK food market and to move away from the 'corner shop' mentality that is often associated with it. This is simply not the case. World food is now a thriving and fast-paced industry that is crossing over into mainstream markets and we are proud to be working with Sony on this event."
The World Food Awards 2009 will be broadcast on SET Asia in over 100 countries to an audience of millions. Sponsors include ASDA, Tesco, HSBC, Rubicon, Shana Foods, Shazan Food, Cofresh, Fantasia Advertising and Supermalt. The World Foods Association represents the interests of UK companies operating in the ethnic foodservice markets, covering Asian, Oriental, Afro-Caribbean, East-European, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean products.
