TIME TO GET VOTING FOR SUSSEX FOOD AND DRINK AWARDS 2020

TIME TO GET VOTING FOR SUSSEX FOOD AND DRINK AWARDS 2020

Public voting is now open for the Sussex Food & Drink Awards 2020 and organisers are calling all food and drink lovers across the county to vote for their favourite to win at www.sussexfoodawards.biz before they close on 18 January 2020.

The top ten finalists were announced this week for Sussex Food Producer of the Year sponsored by Southern Co-op; Sussex Farmers Market of the Year sponsored by Harvey’s Brewery; Sussex Butcher of the Year sponsored by RP Meats Wholesale Ltd; Sussex Eating Experience of the Year sponsored by Lloyds Bank Cardnet; Sussex Food Shop of the Year sponsored by Sussex Food & Drink Network; and Sussex Drink Producer of the Year sponsored by Natural PR.

Sussex is blessed with a wealth of amazing food and drink producers and over the last 14 years the Sussex Food & Drink Awards have helped enormously to support and boost local farmers, food and drink producers and the outlets that serve and sell this superb local fare.

A whopping 18,000 public votes were received for the awards last year and the expert judging panel, chaired by local dairy farmer and Nuffield Scholar, William Goodwin, is hoping that even more people will vote this year.

Said William Goodwin, “We say it each year, but what an exciting line up of finalists we have for

2020 and I’m delighted to see some new names as well as those more familiar on the list this year. The festive season is the perfect time of year to get out and about and sample the wonderful products from these amazing Sussex food and drink businesses and I would urge people to try out as many of our finalists as possible.

“The bar is raised higher each year in these unique awards, making the public vote a vital part of the judging process and who makes it through as a grand finalist. It only takes a minute or two and can really make a difference, so please vote for your favourite to win now.”

Entries remain open until 3 January 2020 for Sussex Newcomer of the Year category, sponsored by SRC-Time as well as Sussex Young Chef of the Year, sponsored by Blakes Foods and Young Sussex Farmer of the Year, sponsored by Natural Partnerships CIC in association with Farmers Weekly. The Grand Finalists for Sussex Street Food of the Year, sponsored by Horsham Foodies were revealed last month at the Live Finals and details can be found at www.sussexfoodawards.biz

As well as earning the huge respect and recognition that these awards now carry, Grand Finalists from all ten categories will be invited to attend a BAFTA-style ceremony on 29 April 2020 at the Amex Stadium in Brighton, where the winners will be revealed and guests will enjoy a seven-course Sussex produce banquet, hosted by awards patron Sally Gunnell OBE and Danny Pike from BBC Sussex.

VOTE NOW at www.sussexfoodawards.biz

Sussex Food and Drink Awards 2020 Finalists:

Sussex Food Producer of the Year, sponsored by Southern Co-op

Bangers Galore, Horsham, West Sussex

Boho Gelato, Brighton & Hove

Jengers Craft Bakery, Billingshurst, West Sussex

Latchetts Farm, Danehill, East Sussex

Noble and Stace Chocolatiers, Midhurst, West Sussex

Perfectly Preserved, Worthing, West Sussex

South Downs Honey, Lancing, West Sussex

Southview Farm Dairy, Pulborough, West Sussex

The Copper Pan Fudge Company, Chichester, West Sussex

The Sussex Biltong Co, Piltdown, East Sussex

Sussex Butcher of the Year, sponsored by RP Meats Wholesale Ltd

Archers of Westfield, Westfield, East Sussex

Bramptons Butchers, Brighton & Hove

C.L.Leppard of Mayfield, Mayfield, East Sussex

Cottenhams of Lindfield – Craft Butchers, Lindfield, West Sussex

Coughtrey’s Butchers, Pulborough, West Sussex

Cowdray Farm Shop Butchery, Midhurst, West Sussex

Michael Courtney Butchers, Midhurst, West Sussex

New Street Butchers & Deli, Horsham, West Sussex

Nick The Butcher, Hartfield, East Sussex

Tablehurst Farm, Forest Row, East Sussex

Sussex Farmers Market of the Year, sponsored by Harvey’s Brewery

Chichester Farmers Market, West Sussex

Forest Row Village Market, East Sussex

Hailsham Farmers Market, East Sussex

Horsham Market (Saturday), West Sussex

Lewes Farmers Market, East Sussex

Shoreham Farmers Market, West Sussex

The Great Little Farmers Market, Worthing, West Sussex

Sussex Eating Experience of the Year, sponsored by Lloyds Bank Cardnet

Crabshack, Worthing, West Sussex

etch. by Steven Edwards, Brighton & Hove

Into The Blue, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex

Restaurant Interlude, Lower Beeding, West Sussex

Semolina, Brighton & Hove

The Cat Inn, West Hoathly, West Sussex

The Earl of March Country Pub & Restaurant, Lavant, West Sussex

The Fig Tree, Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex

The Pink Cabbage Produce Co., Mayfield, East Sussex

The Seahorse Cafe, East Preston, West Sussex

Sussex Drink Producer of the Year, sponsored by Natural PR

Bedlam Brewery, Plumpton Green, East Sussex

Bolney Wine Estate, Bolney, West Sussex

Brighton Bier, Brighton & Hove

Brighton Gin, Brighton & Hove

Chilgrove Spirits, Chichester, West Sussex

Drunken Berries, Chichester, West Sussex

Long Man Brewery, Litlington, East Sussex

Oxney Organic Estate, Beckley, East Sussex

Ridgeview Wine Estate, Ditchling Common, East Sussex

Wobblegate Crushed Fruit Juices, Bolney, West Sussex

Sussex Food Shop of the Year, sponsored by Sussex Food and Drink Network

Barney’s Delicatessen, Brighton & Hove

Cowdray Farm Shop, Midhurst, West Sussex

Eggs to Apples Farm Shop, Etchingham, East Sussex

Jeremy’s Two, Cowfold, West Sussex

Nick the Butcher Farm Shop and Deli, Hartfield, East Sussex

Park Farm Shop, Falmer, East Sussex

Rushfields Farm Shop, Poynings, West Sussex

The Fresh Fish Shop, Haywards Heath, West Sussex

The Seasons Forest Row, Forest Row, East Sussex

Veasey & Sons Fishmongers, Forest Row, East Sussex

Business support at the right time for those who need it

Business support at the right time for those who need it

Brighton’s business support programme Catch the Wave received a 100% satisfaction rating from attendees in 2019.

Run by Brighton Chamber and supported by leading businesses including Kreston Reeves Accountants and Eagle Labs.

Alison Jones, partner at Kreston Reeves, said:

“We are so pleased to have had the opportunity to support this excellent programme which helps businesses in the City launch and grow. Daniel Daly and Jamie Servante from our Brighton team have actively taken part in the workshops by hosting a Q & A on finances at each session and received some superb feedback.”

Catch the Wave includes workshops for those looking to start a business and for early stage start-ups.

Next in the Catch the Wave series is: Smart Bidding: How to win contracts. This panel event on 15 November offers help with bidding for public sector and private sector contracts. The panel includes Brighton & Hove City Council, the University of Brighton and Gatwick Airport.

Chamber CEO Sarah Springford said ‘These sessions are a joy to organize and deliver because they are led by local businesses and supported by local case studies who generously share their advice and lessons learnt.’

The start-up sessions, led by Richard Freeman of always possible, sold out and will be repeated again in 2020.

A recent attendee said “Richard's delivery was excellent. Topics were covered in depth but also delivered with humour! The workshop was honestly one of the best I've been to.”

Catch the Wave workshop attendees can also access a free 1-to-1 mentoring session with a business expert of their choice and have the opportunity to build a free one-page website with Create.net.

To find out more see https://www.brightonchamber.co.uk/catch-the-wave