Entries welcomed for Food and Drink iNet Innovation Awards

Organisers of an awards ceremony for the East Midlands food and drink sector have begun the hunt for the region's most inspiring companies, organisations and individuals.

The Food and Drink iNet Innovation Awards are being held for the second year to celebrate and reward new and improved ways of working in the region's food and drink industry.

Now the categories for this year's awards have been revealed, and organisers are appealing for entries from across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland. Winners will be unveiled at a ceremony on November 17th at Athena, Leicester.

Entries are being encouraged for the following categories:

• The University of Lincoln Award for Most Innovative SME Food and Drink Manufacturer
This award will recognise small to medium food and drink manufacturers within the East Midlands that have championed innovation projects in order to improve their business.

• The Campden BRI Award for Most Innovative Business across the Food and Drink Supply Chain
This award will recognise businesses working in the food and drink supply chain within the East Midlands that have undertaken an innovation project that has benefited the food and drink manufacturing sector.

• Award for Most Innovative Research Project
This award will recognise the most successful research projects undertaken by universities within the East Midlands that have made a significant beneficial impact on the food and drink sector.

• The Food Processing Faraday Partnership Ltd Award for Most Innovative Large Food and Drink Manufacturer
This award will recognise large food and drink manufacturers within the East Midlands that have championed innovation projects in order to improve their business.

• Award for Most Innovative Business in the Wider Food Sector
This award will recognise innovation in a food or drink business that is not a manufacturer. Examples of businesses eligible to enter this award include primary producers, restaurants, caterers, deli's and local food retailers

• The Food and Drink Forum Innovation Champion Award 2009
The Innovation Champion 2009 will be selected from the winners of each of the above categories.

"We were impressed with last year's entries for the inaugural Innovation Awards, and are expecting that this year's entries will build on that and continue to reflect the exciting and innovative work that is going on in the food and drink sector in the East Midlands," said Richard Adlington, Food and Drink iNet interim project director.

Entry to the awards is free, and for the purposes of the awards, innovation is defined as creating value out of new ideas, new products, new services or new ways of doing things. This does not have to be "new to the world" but must be "new to you".

Words: Clare Riley

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