The Caterer's 2018 Product Excellence Awards: shortlist announced

The Caterer is delighted to announce the shortlist for the 2018 Product Excellence Awards (PEAs), organised in association with global foodservice provider and headline sponsor, Delaware North.

The PEAs recognise excellence and innovation in food, drink and equipment products within the hospitality sector, and Lisa Jenkins, products and suppliers editor for The Caterer, said: "We had hundreds of superb entries this year and it gives us great pleasure to share these results and to recognise the extraordinary creativity, innovation, technological advances and sheer hard work that exists in this sector.

"It is also exciting to be announcing this shortlist in partnership with Delaware North, who are an example of a well-respected business who are seeking the very best products for their customers.

"Whatever type of business you have in hospitality, you rely on your product suppliers to excite and engage your customers. Consumers of food and drink continually expect new entertainment, quick service and ingenious flavour sensations."

The judging process saw hundreds of food and drink products tested by respected chefs, and equipment debated and discussed at length by industry specialists as well as consultants from across all sectors of hospitality.

Two annual winner of winners awards will also be presented; one to a food/drink product and one to an equipment product that scored most highly during the judging process.

This year the PEAs move to a new festive lunchtime slot, hosted by Delaware North at the London Stadium, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, in London. A three-course sit-down lunch with drinks reception and views and the pitch and track and an opportunity for finalists and guests to enjoy Delaware North's premium hospitality experience.

The PEAs provide an excellent opportunity for suppliers and manufacturers of all the shortlisted products to network with invited judges, operators and purchasers and for winners to celebrate their success.

The shortlist

Bakery
Creative Foods Europe: Beef, merlot, mushroom & béarnaise pie
Pidy: Ready to fill 8cm sweet shortcrust trendy shell
The Great British Biscotti: Red onion marmalade & walnut biscotti

Beers Wines & Spirits
Hartwall: original long drink
Lanchester Wines: (exclusively for Bestway Wholesale) Di Conte Pinot Grigio

Beverage making and dispense equipment
Eau de Vie: Connect system
R H Hall: New Covent Garden soup server
TEAPY; TEAPY T-4-1 "hold-in-one-hand" tea service
Zummo London: Zummo Z40 N fresh juice machine

Coffee
Caffeine Limited: London Calling Coffee
Kimbo: bio organic Nespresso compatible capsule
Roast & Ground Mugonero, Single Origin, Mugonero, Rwanda
BB Foodservice: essentially café gourmet espresso beans

Condiments
Belazu Ingredient Company: Fresh leaf vegan lovage pesto
Belazu Ingredient Company: Fig leaf extra virgin olive oil
Brakes: Apple, date & tamarind chutney

Crockery, cutlery, glassware and table top
Cole and Mason: Coloured foodservice mills
Dalebrook: Omni mug
Nisbets: HC335 olympia nomi blue tapas round tray
Utopia: Nude Stem Zero with Ion Shield wine glass

Dairy
Booker: Chef's Larder Tuxford & Tebbutt blue stilton
Booker: Crunch extra mature cheddar
Eurilait: Soignon mold ripened goat cheese log

Desserts
Bidfood: Premium selection triple chocolate calypso mousse
Brakes: Passion fruit bar
Brakes: Gluten-free vegan chocolate orange dessert
Brioche Pasquier: Tartelette au citron meringuée ‘Italienne'

Food preparation equipment
Carpigiani: 161 G SP compact gelato machine
Hendi: 10 tray food dehydrator profi line
Mitchell & Cooper: Crustastun

Frozen
Booker: Chef's Larder premium extra chunky gourmet chips
Creative Foods Europe: Chicken chachos
La Tua Pasta: Handmade tortelloni nduja & mascarpone

Fish & Seafood
Brakes: M&J Seafood bistro hand battered MSC cod fillets
Paramount 21: Katsu curry fishcake
Whitby Seafoods: MSC Whitby smoked haddock, cheddar and chive croquetas

Meat, Game and Poultry
Booker: Blackgate signature premium pork & leek sausages
Danish Crown UK: British free range smoked streaky bacon
Danish Crown UK: Cumberland sausage

Prime Cooking
Garland: Instinct griddle 3.0
Jestic: Alfa Pro Qubo pizza oven
Nisbets: CE208 Buffalo 1 zone induction hob 3kW
Rieber: New generation hybrid 200 multipurpose mobile oven

Refrigeration
Adande Aircell: Sarma
Classeq: Ice-o-matic elevation series cube ice maker, model CIM0535
Polar by Nisbets: CK640 polar blast chiller & freezer
Scotsman: DXN 207 ice and water dispenser

Snacking
Belazu Ingredient Company: Socca nut mix
Made for Drink: Chorizo thins
Pep & Lekkar: cumin & nigella seed snacks

Soft Drinks
Fentimans: Connoisseurs tonic water
Fentimans: Rose lemonade
Freedea: Lemonsoda zero

Special Diet:
Booker: Chef's Larder premium extra chunky gourmet chips (gluten free)
Paramount 21: luxury veggie burger
The Protein Ball Co: peanut butter protein balls

Tea and Hot Chocolate
TATA Global Beverages: Tetley decaffeinated
TATA Global Beverages: Tetley raspberry and pomegranate
Shibui Tea: English breakfast

Technology
CRAMS: comprehensive risk assessed method statements
Rational UK: training and recipe app
Rational UK: ConnectedCooking
VIVID: ALL/OFF kit

Warewashing
Electrolux Professional: green & clean rack type warewasher
Meiko: M-iClean H
Winterhalter: UFL utensil washer

Workwear and uniforms
CCS: Michelin GT1Pro magister footwear
Invigorate: WearerTech invigorate shoes

Each shortlisted finalist is given one inclusive ticket per shortlisted entry with extra tickets available at £150 per person or £1,400 per table of 10. Tickets are available here.

Delaware North UK, the US-owned hospitality and food management company, has a growing portfolio across nation-wide sports stadia and travel hubs in the UK including Arsenal's Emirates Stadium; Fulham Football Club, Charlton Athletic's The Valley stadium, Fulham's Craven Cottage and Derby's Pride Park stadium and Moor Park training ground.

In 2018 Delaware North also secured a 20-year partnership with Coventry's Ricoh Arena, to provide catering and hospitality services across the stadium, the Erickson Exhibition Hall and the Hilton By DoubleTree hotel.

To find out more about the Product Excellence Awards by visiting the website.
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