Yorkshire food and drink entrepreneurs celebrated at awards ceremony  

Yorkshire’s leading food and drink businesses have been recognised for their entrepreneurial spirit, business acumen and product or service excellence, as winners were revealed at the second annual Garbutt + Elliott Food Entrepreneurs awards, last week.

11 winners emerged from over 100 entrants to be crowned across nine categories, including the coveted ‘Garbutt + Elliott Business of the Year’ award. Both the winners and the shortlisted companies were celebrated at the awards ceremony, held at Kirkgate, the stunning Victorian Street in York’s famous Castle Museum.

The awards, set up by Leeds and York based Garbutt + Elliott, highlight the county’s growing position within the national and international food and drink sector and were created to recognise entrepreneurs and businesses from across Yorkshire who are part of creating the county’s great food industry. 

The winners were chosen by a team from Garbutt + Elliott, together with an excellent judging panel, consisting of regional food professionals from sponsors Deliciouslyorkshire,  SIAFS, Rollits, Made in Yorkshire and Yorkshire Food Guide as well as local food experts and Yorkshire chef extraordinaire Steph Moon, who also acted as MC for the awards.

Scooping two awards on the night was Cedar Barn Farm Shop and Café, who not only won in the Deliciouslyorkshire Taste category for their delicious sweet treats but also were awarded the accolade of Garbutt + Elliott Business of the Year, the most coveted of the awards.

Commenting on the winners, Garbutt + Elliott Managing Partner, Russell Turner, said, “Judging these awards was no easy task. The calibre of business, determination, genuine enthusiasm and love for their product as well as, of course, the products themselves, was extraordinarily high. We wish all the winners and those shortlisted, the best of luck and we look forward to watching them as they progress and grow.”

The overall winners of awards were:

Best Innovation                                      The Yorkshire Pudding Pie Company

Yorkshire Grit Award                              Mak Tok

Best Yorkshire Brand                             York Gin Company

Best Yorkshire Exporter                         NorthBar

Young Business of the Year                   Leeds Cookery School

Best Partnership                                    Breckenholme Trading Company / Staal Smokehouse

Growth Business of the Year                 Minskip Farm Shop

Deliciouslyorkshire Taste Award           Savoury – Nukkad Indian Street Food

                                                             Sweet – Cedar Barn Farm Shop and Café

Drink – Hotham’s Gin School and Distillery

Garbutt + Elliott Business of the Year   Cedar Barn Farm Shop and Café