A rich heritage in food & farming

Our Corsham site was crowned Site Team of Year at the prestigious Food Manufacture Excellence Awards 2022.

Martin Bevan, Site Director and Jess Crudgington, Site Director Designate, were both on hand to collect the award alongside Jez Curtis, Engineering Manager and other Pilgrim’s UK colleagues.

The Food Manufacture Excellence Awards were founded to celebrate outstanding achievements within the UK’s fast-growing food and drink industry. Rewarding all elements of food and drink manufacturing, including environmental initiatives, business acumen, business change management, supply chain innovation, young talent and teamwork.

Pilgrim’s UK won the Best Ready to Eat Product award for our Ruskington produced Tesco Ultimate Scotch Eggs at the 2023 FMT Food Industry Awards (Food Management Today).

The annual Food Awards champion innovation, service and great products from different sectors of food production, manufacturing and retailing, rewarding organisations, products and suppliers across 16 different categories. Our Tesco Ultimate Scotch Eggs have already been decorated by the Grocer Own Label Awards where they bagged the Bronze Award.

GroceryAid has recognised Pilgrim’s UK and awarded the GroceryAid Gold Award for the fourth-year in a row in recognition of our great fundraising, volunteering efforts – and helping raise awareness.

The Gold award is given to organisations which have carried out more than eight activities across all three of their pillars in support of the charity and its aims. The pillars include awareness, fundraising and volunteering.

Pilgrim’s UK has supported a number of GroceryAid events, while colleagues have volunteered for the charity and raised awareness of its work. In addition, the business is an active member of the GroceryAid Welfare Strategy Committee – contributing with expert advice and strategic support.

BQP farming parterres clinched two prizes at the National Pig Awards 2022 which included the prestigious best Outdoor Producer of the Year honour for GSK Pigs – Risby Unit and Trainee of the Year which was taken home by Max Campbell. In addition, Emma Claxton bagged the Highly Commended accolade in the Trainee of the Year category.

The honours recognise and reward excellence, foster innovation and inspire creativity and information sharing. It is the only awards exclusive to the British pig industry. The event has gone from strength to strength over the years and previous winners have set incredibly high standards for the rest of the industry to follow.

Our Linton produced Waitrose Mexican Inspired Pork King Kebab was declared the winner of the Pork category at the Q awards 2022 online ceremony on Tuesday 8 November but the accolades did not stop there. Our Aldi Ashfields Grill Red Masala Pork Kebabs also bagged the Commended award in the same category and our Waitrose No. 1 Farmhouse Sausage claimed Highly Commended in the Bacon & Sausages category.

The awards celebrate the many great achievements within the industry and are seen as the industry gold standard. The Quality Food Awards are now in their 43rd year and have become renowned in the food sector as one of the most prestigious awards to win in the industry today. Products from every sector are judged according to a long established ten point judging criteria, covering all aspects of the product from aroma, flavour, texture, value for money, ingredients, and above all else, taste.

BQP farming parterres clinched two prizes at the National Pig Awards 2022 which included the prestigious best Outdoor Producer of the Year honour for GSK Pigs – Risby Unit and Trainee of the Year which was taken home by Max Campbell. In addition, Emma Claxton bagged the Highly Commended accolade in the Trainee of the Year category.

The honours recognise and reward excellence, foster innovation and inspire creativity and information sharing. It is the only awards exclusive to the British pig industry. The event has gone from strength to strength over the years and previous winners have set incredibly high standards for the rest of the industry to follow.

Tracy Charlton, Ruskington Site Director, walked away with the Foodservice During the Women in Meat Awards which saw a total of six colleagues shortlisted across four prestigious categories.

The awards are designed to recognise the vitally important contributions that women make to the meat sector. They are driven by reader nominations and votes with an expert judging panel selecting the winners.

Attracting over 14,000 votes for the finalists this year, the annual Women In Meat Industry Awards ceremony revealed all the category winners at an event evening in London which was another outstanding success.

Pilgrim’s UK was awarded Best Burger for our Waitrose Summer 2 Wild Garlic & Herb Lamb Burger at the Meat Management Industry Awards 2022.

The gong follows another successful year of nominations at the prestigious awards which also saw the business shortlisted for Manufacturer of the Year, Best Sausage category for Co-op Irresistible Caramelised Onion Sausage and Best Pork/ Pigmeat Product category for Co-op Irresistible Muscovado Roast Ham.

The awards recognise the best manufacturers and producers, suppliers, retailers and butchers in the UK meat sector, and are voted for by the readers of the magazine, plus various categories judged by experts.

Lantra Cymru Awards 2022 saw Pilgrim’s UK Lamb walk away with the Food Skills Cymru award within the Large Business Category.

The Food Skills Cymru awards acknowledge businesses in the food and drink manufacturing and processing industry that have undertaken training over the last three years, are investing in their employees and upskilling their staff with a defined range of training courses. The awards comprised of three categories Large Businesses, SME (small and medium-sized enterprises) Businesses and Micro Businesses. The award in the Large Business category went to Pilgrim’s UK Lamb Ltd in Llanidloes.

Co-op Irresistible Posh Chipolatas in Blankets bagged the Gold award in the 2022 Free From Christmas Awards. In addition, our Co-op 12 Pork, Sage & Onion Stuffing Balls, bagged the Bronze award.

Judges commented that the chipolatas were juicy, salty and a great size to add one or two to a plate. While the stuffing balls won them over because of their pleasant aroma, nice size convenience. They also felt everything tasted natural and not over salted as so many stuffing balls are. Both products were available on Co-op and around until Christmas.

Tesco Soft Set Scotch Eggs won a Bronze award at The Grocer’s New Own Label awards in the competitive ‘Deli’ Category. In addition, Our Waitrose Slow Cooked Mexican Inspired Pork Al Pastor also won the Outstanding Product Winner – Pork.

The Grocer Own-Label awards celebrate winners from all the accredited products, showcasing the best across 17 categories, from alcohol to Christmas products.

QP farming partner, Rob McGregor of LSB Pigs, won Farm Manager of the Year 2022 at the prestigious Farmer Weekly Awards.

Rob has devoted his career to the outdoor pig sector and his influence has improved welfare and efficiency way beyond the two outdoor herds he manages in Norfolk. The herds rear weaners for BQP finishers, which in turn supply Waitrose and premium ranges at other retailers and food manufacturers.

Farmers Weekly’s farming awards celebrate the best of British agriculture by recognising hard-working and innovative farmers across the UK.

Waitrose Slow Cooked Ultimate Crackling Pork Belly Feast was crowned Best Alternative Christmas Main at the BBC Good Food Awards 2022.

The luxury product, which is produced in Corsham, was described as ‘everything pork belly should be’ by judges’ which includes super tender and juicy meat – all of which is complemented by the accompanying apple sauce which has a hint of spicing.

Two Jolly Hog products have been awarded respective Star Awards at the Great Taste Awards 2022. The Jolly Hog Scotch Eggs were awarded one star, just like in 2021, and the Jolly Hog Black Treacle Ham was awarded two Stars. Every Great Taste award-winning product can display the black and gold logo, a stamp of excellence that is recognised by retailers and consumers alike.  Established in 1994, Great Taste is organised by the Guild of Fine Food and is the world’s largest, longest standing and most respected food accreditation scheme for artisan and speciality food producers.