New food and drink industry awards have been launched in Lancashire.
The Taste Lancashire Producer Awards were started by Marketing Lancashire in partnership with Booths, that has branches across Lancashire including Clitheroe.
Winners of the awards will be announced at the county-wide Lancashire Tourism Awards in February 2025.
The awards aim to celebrate the food and drink heroes that make Lancashire a food destination.
Lancashire county councillor Aidy Riggott, cabinet member for economic development and growth, said: "Lancashire’s reputation for quality and excellence in food and drink helps attract millions of visitors to Lancashire hospitality venues, and contributes over £1 billion in visitor spend to the local economy.
"The new Taste Lancashire Producer Awards, delivered by Marketing Lancashire in partnership with Booths, reinforce the significance of this important sector to Lancashire’s continuing economic growth and to Lancashire’s increasing popularity as a destination for food tourism."
The Taste Lancashire Producer Awards 2024 will recognise producers in four categories: Drinks; Pantry; Bakery; and Fish, Field and Dairy.
Applicants will have to tell their business story through an application form, followed by an interview and tasting session at Booths Central Office, near Preston.
Shortlisted producers will meet Booths buyers and an expert judging panel, who will select the winners.
John Gill, Booths head of trading and marketing said: "Booths has a long and successful tradition of sourcing the finest produce from Lancashire and beyond, to provide our valuable customers with the very best available food and drink.
"Booths was founded in the spirit of entrepreneurship, and we’re committed to supporting and celebrating our local producers, who help support our founding ethos, ‘to sell the best goods available, in attractive stores, staffed with first class assistants’.
"There is such a wealth of talented food and drink producers in Lancashire, from cherished family businesses, rooted in this special place to new and innovative startups in the industry.
"Working with Marketing Lancashire on these new awards, we aim to bring these producers and products to wider attention, to give established and brand-new businesses the chance to step into the food spotlight and to play their role in the sustainability of Lancashire’s vibrant food and drink sector."
Applications for the Taste Lancashire Awards 2024 are now open and can be found at www.tastelancashireproducerawards.com, along with criteria for entrants.
The deadline for applications is October 27, with the shortlist due to be announced in November.
Those shortlisted will then be invited for their first steps in January 2025, with the winners announced as part of the Lancashire Tourism Awards ceremony on Tuesday, February 11, 2025.
The Taste Lancashire Producer Awards are sponsored by Blackpool and The Fylde College.
If you would like to support or sponsor these awards then please contact Maria Moriarty-Eames at Maria@marketinglancashire.com.
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