Creative sweet treats prevailed in the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) Product Awards competition, with Bidfield taking first prize in the Foodservice sector with its Chocolate and Clementine Torte (pictured above). Iceland scooped up the Retail Innovation award for Luxury Five Gold Rings, which features a dark chocolate gold shell filled with Belgian dark chocolate mousse, salted caramel sauce and a dark chocolate cookie base with a dark chocolate pouring sauce (seen immediately below).
The winners were announced during the BFFF’s annual business conference, which took place online this year due to government mandated meeting and travel restrictions imposed in response to the debilitating and deadly coronavirus pandemic (SARS-CoV-2) that originated in China in late 2019 and has by now infected over 148 million people and been attributed to 3.12 million deaths around the world.
Recognition for the Best New Foodservice Innovation Product went to the Brew City Range by McCain Foods (pictured below), while the Retail Product of the Year prize was awarded to Crown foods for its No Duck Chinese Selection.
The annual competition received entries from across the frozen food industry, with the overall winners being selected from categories including Best New Christmas, Special Occasion, Party Product and Vegetarian/Vegan/Meat Free Product.
“Despite an incredibly difficult year, it’s heartening to see the pioneering spirit our sector is renowned for remain strong,” said Richard Harrow, BFFF chief executive. “The impressive innovation happening across frozen is incredibly encouraging, especially considering the important role the sector has to play as we look towards a future of increased value for the consumer and decreased food waste for us all.”
He added: “2020 was a year like no other, and like many events, the product awards had to adapt to the ‘new normal,’ and the logistics of carrying out the judging phase of the process was a challenge. But where there’s a will, there’s a way, and thanks to the dedication and creativity of the BFFF team the judging went ahead without a hitch. Huge congratulations to all our winners!”
A complete list of all Gold Award recipients, from which top prize winners were chosen, follows:
Retail Sector
• Best New Centre Plate / Main Course – Fish and Seafood: Aldi Specially Selected Canoe Cut Sea Bass
• Best New Centre Plate / Main Course – Meat: Iceland Foods Ltd Gammon Joint with Marmalade
• Best New Christmas / Special Occasion / Party Product: Crown Foods Ltd No Duck Chinese Selection (seen below)
• Best New Dessert/Ice cream/Confectionery Product: Aldi Specially Selected Raspberry and White Chocolate Pavlova Stack
• Best New Pizza / Savoury Bread Product: Aldi Carlos Chicken Tikka
• Best New Side of Plate / Ingredient Product: Aldi Specially Selected Jalfrezi Potato Rosti Baskets
• Best Vegetarian / Vegan / Meat Free Product: Aldi Gianni’s American Vegan Style Ice Cream – Caramel Coconut
Foodservice Sector
• Best New Starter / Appetiser /Buffet Product: Whitby Seafoods Bubble Bobble Red Agentinian Shrimp
• Best New Side of Plate / Ingredient Product: Brakes Futura Burrata
• Best New Centre Plate / Main Course – Fish: Whitby Seafoods Southern Fried Pollock Burger 1.4kg
• Best New Centre Plate / Main Course – Meat: Mud Foods Limited Steak & Ale Pie
• Best New Vegetarian / Vegan / Non-Meat Product: Bidfood Premium Selection Chocolate & Clementine Torte (see photo at top)
• Best New Bakery Product: Brakes 6 inch Unbaked British Pulled Pork and Bramley Apple Lattice Sausage Roll
• Best New Christmas / Seasonal Product: Bidfood Premium Selection Chocolate & Salted Caramel Christmas Present
• Best New Dessert / Ice Cream / Confectionery Product: Bidfood Blackcurrant & Clotted Cream Ice Cream
