What our Judges Look For

Read advice from our judges and what they look for in a winning entry:

“What I am looking for, particularly in the early stages when I am doing the online judging, is to learn about you and your story. What is it about you and your business? It could be about the people that you work with, it may be the product, the producers it could be your history and heritage. I need you to tell me that story because through it I can learn about you, your business and the people you work with. Later when we are out on the road visiting that is when it comes to live and we get to see who you are - and we find that, as judges, so inspirational!”
Elaine Lemm, Co-Chair of Judges

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"I am looking for something that is completely outstanding in every department, great customer interfacing, but also in staff training. I am looking for someone who might be doing something a bit different...It's about excellence, because without a doubt, for the Retailer of the Year, their lives will change for them and all their staff."
Nigel Barden, Chair of Judges

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“We’re looking for people that have a real insight into their business, are passionate about everything they do within the business and have a clear understanding of what they want to achieve in the future and taking their teams with them."
Catherine Connor, Lovingly Artisan Bakery (Retailer of the Year 2024)

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“There’s a lot of new things opening up, a lot of creativity out there – that’s what I’m looking forward to seeing. I want to see the passion behind the business and how they put that across to their customers to keep them coming back.”
Sangita Tryner, Owner Delilah Fine Foods (Retailer of the Year 2025)

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“I am looking for a business that really respects what they do, their customer base, the guys they are buying from and their team.”
Debbie and Callum Edge, Owners of Edge & Son (Retailer of the Year 2018)

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"I always look for genuine stories with lots of independent recommendations from staff, customers and suppliers alike. A good shop will be treating all of these fairly and supportively. Anything over and above the day job is always going to score points with me; whether it is green initiatives, supporting local charities or really being an integral part of the local communities they serve."
Ian Nottage, Head of Food Development at Fresh Direct

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“First advice is go for it. Take time to complete a detailed entry supported with high quality images. It may seem time consuming but efforts in your entry will pay dividends.”
John Gill, Head of Procurement & Marketing at Booths

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"We look forward to hearing the inspiring stories and successes from this year’s participants."
Nicki Daw, Social Media & Marketing Manager at Cress Co

Need more advice?

Make sure to visit our video gallery for some handy tips from our judges and previous winners on how to write an award-winning entry!

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