As part of the Stage 1 Express Entry process, entrants will be asked to select their main business activity. Once Stage 2 has been submitted, the Retailer Awards team will review the entry and assign it to the category they feel is most appropriate.

If you are entering more than one business, or submitting the same business across multiple business activities, please ensure your responses are tailored to each entry. Entries with duplicated or non-specific answers may be less likely to progress to the judging stage.

Please take a look below at the Retailer Awards categories:

Delicatessen

A shop which offers a variety of high-quality speciality foods from around the world (though often with a local focus) which require little or no preparation on the part of the customer. These can include cheese, salads and charcuterie – and often coffee – which can be taken home, or consumed on-site if the store has a seating area.

Farm Shop 

Local Farm Shop: A retailer with, or without, a cafe that is set in or nearby a farm which sells fresh products grown, picked or reared on the farm itself or from specialist producers in the local area. Products can include everything from meat, fish and cheese.

Destination Farm Shop: Similar to above but offers additional attractions and multiple activities on-site such as restaurants, play areas, etc. An example of this could be Cannon Hall Farm Shop: https://www.cannonhallfarm.co.uk/ 

Independent local shop / Village store

A retail space, often operating in a rural location, which serves the local community by selling a wide variety of farm-sourced, fresh or deli produce, alongside other useful services. Or if you are a local, artisan outlet (such as ice creamery) you are welcome to enter this category.

Online Business

A food business that sells and delivers farm-sourced fresh or deli produce direct to consumers through a dedicated website or other online platform.

Other Specialist Retailer to include:

Baker:  A retailer who produces and sells flour-based goods baked in an oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies. Bakeries can double-up as cafés serving drinks and snacks to customers, alongside baked goods, to eat-in or takeaway.

Butcher:  A fully-trained professional who performs both primary and secondary butchery to prepare fresh cuts of meat for sale to the public. Butcher’s shops often also offer meal accompaniments (from deli-style cheese to fresh vegetables and herbs) but focus on a wide variety of meat cut to order.

Cheesemonger:  A retailer with an in-depth working knowledge of storing, preparing and selling cheese, and other dairy products – often with a strong locally-sourced offer. Cheesemongers also often sell accompaniments such as chutneys, sauces and crackers.

Fishmonger:  A specialist retailer with an expert working knowledge of storing, preparing and selling fish, crustaceans and general seafood, often alongside accompaniments including herbs and condiments.

Food Hall:  A retail space, usually part of a larger store, dedicated to selling fresh and prepared food to eat-in or takeaway. To be eligible for the awards, the food hall should include a large proportion of farm-sourced items and/or speciality deli food. This category is also open to garden centres with food halls. 

Greengrocer:  A retailer with an expert working knowledge of storing, preparing and selling fresh vegetables and fruit. Their selection can also include a range of ambient / chilled food and drink.

For our 'Other Specialist Retailer' category, we reserve the right to separate any of these categories to be individual awards after entries have closed, should the demand require it.

This additional award will cover the following 9 regions:

Anglia

Midlands - including East Midlands and West Midlands

North East England - including North East and Yorkshire & the Humber

North West England – including Cheshire, Cumbria, Lancashire, Manchester and Merseyside

Northern Ireland

South East England - including London and the South East

South West England

Scotland

Wales

You will select your local region on the online entry form.

Please take a look at the Regional Map below if you are unsure what region to select.

You are automatically entered into the pool for the Best in Region upon applying for one of the original specialist retailer categories.

The initial judging process of the online entry forms in will include a weighted scoring system to decide “Category” and “Best in Region” Winners.

Independent retailers must be selling regional fresh/farm produce or with a delicatessen counter, and only independent retailers (who sell directly to consumers/individuals) can enter the awards.

This year, we will also be awarding our highest accolade; Retailer of the Year. 

Our winner will be selected by the judges from retailers who have won both their category and region.

Additionally, if your store / business opened after 1st September 2024 then your entry may automatically be put forward to be shortlisted for our "Newcomer of the Year" award.