FDF Awards 2026 winners revealed

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has announced the winners of the FDF Awards 2026, celebrating the businesses, initiatives and individuals driving innovation, progress and excellence across the UK food and drink industry.

This year’s winners reflect the breadth of talent within the sector, with achievements spanning manufacturing technology, product development, sustainability, healthier diets, exports, skills and workplace culture.

The Manufacturing and Technological Innovation Award went to Siemens for the Frugal Bottle Assembly Machine 2, developed in partnership with Frugalpac. The high-speed machine produces paper bottles for wines, spirits and edible oils, increasing production capacity while reducing costs.

Flow Health Science received the Product Innovation Award for Klario®, a new approach to hypo recovery developed alongside diabetes specialists and people living with diabetes. HappyTapi Ltd was recognised for its tapioca-based prebiotic sweetener range with the Excellence in Supporting Healthier Diets Award.

Sustainability remained a major focus across the awards. pladis Global’s Back to Farm programme received the Net Zero Initiative Award, while the Tilda Basmati Sustainability Programme won the Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative Award. Open Kitchen MCR took home the Food Waste Initiative Award for its surplus-led catering and community education model.

Isabelle McKeever, Event Manager for IFE Manufacturing, said: “Congratulations to all the winners of the FDF Awards 2026. From new manufacturing technologies and product development to sustainability, skills and workplace culture, these achievements demonstrate the extraordinary breadth of innovation taking place throughout our industry.

“It is particularly encouraging to see organisations of different sizes working creatively to address some of the biggest challenges facing food and drink manufacturing. The winners provide a fantastic showcase of the ideas, expertise and collaboration that continue to move the sector forward.”

Nick Pink, Chief Operating Officer, The Food and Drink Federation (FDF), said: “The FDF Industry Awards are a brilliant opportunity to get together and celebrate the people and businesses working every day to feed the nation, put British innovation on the map, and power communities up and down the country.

“It was a spectacular, celebratory and inspiring evening, shining a light on new talent, new products, experience, ingenuity and success across the sector. A huge congratulations to all our winners and runners up!”

FDF Awards 2026 winners

• Apprentice of the Year Award: Abby Metcalf, Ingredients & Formulation team, Level 6 Food Industry Technical Professional Degree Apprenticeship, The Magnum Ice Cream Company

• Brand Launch of the Year Award: Mondelēz International – Cadbury Biscoff

• Campaign of the Year Award, joint winner: Goodfella’s Pizza (Birds Eye) – There’s Good, then there’s Goodfella’s Goooood

• Campaign of the Year Award, joint winner: pladis UK&I – McVitie’s 100 years of Milk Chocolate Digestives

• Excellence in Supporting Healthier Diets: HappyTapi Ltd – Prebiotic Sweetener for Healthier Diets

• Export Success Award: TAIKO FOODS LTD

• Food and Drink Technologist/Scientist of the Year Award: Carole Bingley, Product Development Technical Lead, Reading Scientific Services Ltd (RSSL)

• Food Waste Initiative Award: Open Kitchen MCR – Funding Community Education with Surplus-Led Catering

• Manufacturing and Technological Innovation Award: Siemens – Frugal Bottle Assembly Machine 2 (FBAM-2)

• Net Zero Initiative Award: pladis Global – Back to Farm

• Outstanding Community Partner Award: Felix – The FLEX Programme

• Packaging Excellence Initiative Award: Mondelēz International – Cadbury Crunchie Multipack sticker

• People and Culture Initiative Award: pladis UK&I – Increasing Representation of Women in Engineering

• Product Innovation Award: Flow Health Science – Klario: first hypo recovery innovation in 100 years

• Rising Star Award: Joanne Lamberti, UK Operations Colleague Training Lead, Princes Group

• SME of the Year Award: Pip & Nut

• Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative: Tilda Basmati Sustainability Programme (TBSP)

The FDF Awards recognise achievements throughout the food and drink sector and provide a platform for the people, businesses and projects helping to shape its future.

View the winners and read the full case studies on the FDF website.