Sussex Food and Drink Awards - your chance to vote for your favourite

The top ten finalists have been announced 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 Food Shop of the Year sponsored by Sussex Food & Drink Network; Sussex Drink Producer of the Year sponsored by Natural PR; and Sussex Eating Experience of the Year sponsored by Natural Partnerships CIC.

The award organisers said: “Sussex is blessed with a wealth of amazing food and drink producers and over the last 13 years the Sussex Food and Drink Awards have helped enormously to support and boost local farmers, food and drink producers and the outlets that use and sell this superb local fare.”

A record 15,000 votes were received for the Sussex Food and Drink 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 for their favourite to win at www.sussexfoodawards.biz by January 17 2019.

William Goodwin said: “We are delighted to see that the quality in this competition remains consistently high with yet another impressive line up of finalists this year.

“The festive season is the perfect time of year for everyone to get out and about and sample the wonderful products from these amazing Sussex food and drink businesses and to vote for their favourites to win.

“The public vote is a vital part of the judging process in these unique awards. It only takes a minute or two and can really make all the difference.”

Entries remain open until January 17 2019 for Young Sussex Farmer of the Year category, sponsored by the South of England Agricultural Society in association with Farmers Weekly, as well as Sussex Newcomer of the Year, sponsored by SRC-Time and Sussex Young Chef of the Year, sponsored by Blakes Foods.

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 May 15 2019 at the Amex Stadium in Brighton, where the winners will be revealed and 400 guests will have a seven-course Sussex produce banquet, hosted by awards patron Sally Gunnell OBE and Danny Pike from BBC Sussex.

For more information and to vote for your favourites visit www.sussexfoodawards.biz.

Sussex Food and Drink Awards 2019 Finalists:

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

Alsop & Walker, Five Ashes, East Sussex

Beal’s Farm Charcuterie, North Chailey, East Sussex

Goodwood Home Farm, Goodwood, West Sussex

Jengers Craft Bakery, Billingshurst, West Sussex

Lorama Foods, Chichester, West Sussex

Noble and Stace Chocolatiers, Easebourne, West Sussex

Real Patisserie, Brighton & Hove

Sussex Ice Cream Company, Littlehampton, West Sussex

Perfectly Preserved, Worthing, West Sussex

Weald Smokery, Flimwell, East Sussex

Sussex Drink Producer of the Year, sponsored by Natural PR

Bedlam Brewery, Plumpton Green, East Sussex

Bignose & Beardy, Framfield, East Sussex

Bolney Wine Estate, Bolney, West Sussex

Brighton Gin, Brighton & Hove

Dark Star Brewing Company, Partridge Green, West Sussex

Hepworth & Co Brewers Ltd, Pulborough, West Sussex

Langham Brewery, Lodsworth, West Sussex

Ridgeview Estate Winery, Ditchling Common, East Sussex

Tom Cat Spirits, Crowborough, East Sussex

Wobblegate, Bolney, West Sussex

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

Cowdray Farm Shop, Easebourne, West Sussex

Crates Local Produce, Horsham, West Sussex

Eggs to Apples, Hurst Green, East Sussex

Jeremy’s Two, Cowfold, West Sussex

Lodsworth Larder, Lodsworth, West Sussex

Milland Village Stores and Cafe, Milland, West Sussex

New House Farm Shop, Horsham, West Sussex

Perryhill Orchards Farm Shop, Hartfield, East Sussex

Stansted Park Farm Shop, Stansted Park, West Sussex

The Fresh Fish Shop, Haywards Heath, West Sussex

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

A C Coughtrey Butchers, Pulborough, West Sussex

Archers of Westfield, Westfield, East Sussex

Barfields Butchers, Brighton & Hove

Cottenhams of Lindfield, Lindfield, West Sussex

Garlic Wood Farm (online), Shipley, West Sussex

Goodwood Home Farm, Goodwood, West Sussex

May’s Farmers and Butchers, Lewes, East Sussex

Michael Courtney Butchers, Midhurst, West Sussex

S K Hutchings Family Butchers and Graziers, Partridge Green, West Sussex

The Butcher and Deli, Rustington, West Sussex

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

Chichester Farmers Market, West Sussex

Florence Road Market, Brighton & Hove

Forest Row Village Market, East Sussex

Lewes Farmers Market, Cliffe Precinct, East Sussex

Pulborough Farmers Market, West Sussex

Shoreham Farmers Market, West Sussex

Steyning Farmers Market, West Sussex

Sussex Eating Experience of the Year, sponsored by Natural Partnerships CIC

etch., Brighton & Hove

Farmer, Butcher, Chef, Goodwood, West Sussex

Rathfinny Tasting Room, Alfriston, East Sussex

The Crabtree, Lower Beeding, West Sussex

The Dining Room, Worthing, West Sussex

The Earl of March, Lavant, West Sussex

The Milk Churn, Rudgwick, West Sussex

The Parsons Table, Arundel, West Sussex

The Richmond Arms, West Ashling, West Sussex

Wingrove House, Alfriston, East Sussex