Marren’s Malcolm Skinner honoured as FEA Outstanding Contribution Award winner

Marren’s managing director Malcolm Skinner was crowned the winner of the Foodservice Equipment Association’s (FEA) Outstanding Contribution to the Foodservice Industry Award 2025, sponsored by The Caterer.

The microwave specialist’s leader was presented the trophy at the culmination of FEA’s industry conference last night (13 November), held in the De Vere Cotswold Water Park hotel near Cirencester.

Skinner was praised by industry colleagues for being fair and full of integrity, as well as having a strong work ethic. He was lauded for being supportive outside of work, too, with one friend saying: “He’ll always do what he can to help anyone in their hour of need.”

Having worked in the catering equipment sector for 50 years, Skinner started his career at manufacturer E&R Moffat as apprentice electrician, moving on to join Jack Hogan Sales as a service engineer.

He then established his own engineering company, CES, before joining Marren 15 years ago as operations director. Skinner stepped up to become MD in 2022 following the sad passing of his predecessor Bob Clifford, ensuring that the business continued smoothly, protecting both its continuity and Clifford’s legacy.

Under Skinner’s leadership, the company has continued to grow significantly, diversifying into new areas, and today exceeds an annual turnover of £10m.

Mentoring is important to him, and he was recognised for helping others to reach their full potential and giving them opportunities to succeed.

Over the years he has supported the catering equipment sector as a whole, too, being heavily involved with FEA and CEDA as chair of FEA’s service providers group and a member of the association’s Catering Engineers Standards and Registration Board Group. He was elected to the FEA council in 2020 and was instrumental in the push to start up FEA’s Service Engineer Training Days.

Upon collecting the award, Skinner said his motto is “look after the people that look after you”.

“I’ve not worked in any other industry. I’d like to think that I’ve given something back because it’s given me and my family a good life,” he added.

“I’ve always tried to do the right thing, regardless of whether people like it or not. But I can stand here and be quite proud that I’ve done my best.”

The first honours of the night were the FEA’s Chair’s Awards, which recognise individuals and organisations whose service has enhanced the foodservice equipment industry. The winners comprised: Julian Edwards, chair, Foodservice Consultants Society International UK and Ireland; Paula Sherlock, MD, Signature Foodservice Equipment and Paul Anderson, MD, Meiko UK.

At the conference’s informal dinner on 12 November, industry fundraisers were rewarded with the FEA Charitable Endeavour Awards. Gail’s bakery’s property team scooped the Company Category for taking on the ‘Trailwalker’ challenge, walking 100km across the South Downs in three days. They raised £3,700 for the Gurkha Welfare Trust.

The Team Category was won by the ‘Sensational Six’, comprising Claire Moss, Max Barnes, James Olbert, Joe Stockwell and Suzi Forster, who jumped into tuk tuks to navigate 620km of Sri Lanka’s most demanding terrain, raising £26,000 for the Children’s Adventure Farm Trust.

Finally, Brita Professional’s business account manager Chris Fay picked up the Individual Category accolade for his 126.5-mile swim in aid of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation charity, which raised more than £18,000.

Guests at the informal dinner donated a total of £3,700 for nominated charity, Military vs Cancer.