The Easter offer has evolved enormously in just a few years with chocolate products of all flavours, shapes and sizes with something to cater for all ages. Investment has been made to deliver intricately moulded eggs, and Easter hunt kits to echo mainstream offer. Not everyone likes chocolate so we also welcome alternative Easter confections, cookies, cakes and baking kits.

We judge the Easter category on the 2nd February, with the medallists announced on 9th February (in advance of the main Awards Presentation) allowing entrants to share their medal success in the run-up to Easter 2023.

For cereals, granolas & oats, plus baked goods & smoothies representing the array of foods now enjoyed at breakfast.

• Breakfast cereal entries which offer credible alternatives to the main category options. Many see these as ‘staple items’ and important basket items for the free from and allergic consumer. Judging criteria for the majority of entries here will focus on quality (in particular inclusivity), price, fortification (even in organic products). We welcome smaller producers offering something a little bit different or artisanal – there is definitely an appetite for this – including products which accommodate a niche (and growing) market such as paleo.
• Baked goods generate excitement with both range and quality evolution: we’re looking forward to seeing baked goods catering to more than just the gluten-free consumers this year!
• Breakfast on the go is the reality many of us are dealing with on a regular basis; whether that be due to work, travel or just the school run! All products suitable for an early morning meal on the run are welcome here.

Products especially catering for the younger audience can be entered into Child & Teen Friendly Foods

A category for all those staple products that are otherwise taken for granted: there is innovation and excitement to be found here! 

Innovation is challenging in a category that covers so many bases, so we welcome entries addressing both need, innovation and ticking as many free from boxes as possible. 

For example, ambient sauces making multiple free from claims and the addition of stir fry pouches are making the category more relevant to the needs of the free from consumer and aiding inclusivity. 

All your products that can be found in a cupboard or freezer that make up whole or parts of meals, accompanying meals, ingredients and more can be entered here.

This is a growing category, in part due to the explosion in plant based and vegan options. On the whole these manage to effectively address both the free from and vegan audience, and are delivering genuine innovation. 

Milk alternatives made from soya, hemp and coconut to pistachio and potato, incorporating blends for baristas, to serve with cereals or as a standalone drink. 

We look forward to innovations in yoghurts and kefirs, and more milk free alternatives to sour cream, mascarpone, condensed milk, curds, buttermilk, clotted cream, creme fraiche, ghee, whipped cream and more!

This is the category that few households can be without – for some it is the single most important product and can form a part of every meal occasion: from everyday basket items – toasting and sandwich loafs, rolls, speciality breads, bagels and more artisanal products. 

As free from bread ranges evolve, we sub-categorise entries by type and production methods.

We welcome larger brands, supermarkets and smaller independent brands, all bringing something different to the category, making headway with national distribution and delivering on quality.

The growth of vegan and plant-based food is fuelling some exciting developments in the cheese sector at all levels from national retail brands to artisanal producers.

The divide is great between the products for national retail and hand crafted, artisanal options.

The entries developed for mainstream retail have evolved both in quality & form, addressing more occasion needs. And we welcome many artisanal cheese alternatives, all well considered and technically challenging. 

We will have two judging categories here to recognise and encourage development at both ends of the spectrum, and to promote both equally amongst the free from and allergic communities.

A consistently popular category split into chocolate and confectionery, and mainstream and premium, where the quality & breadth of entries has come a long way.  Very broadly we divide entries into large scale retail and artisanal. All raw or artisanal entries are judged separately to give more focus to the raw offer. This category welcomes sweets (confectionery) and chocolate.

In the last few years there has been much development in replicating main category brand leaders which is really well received by free from consumers.  We welcome healthier options and the use of more natural ingredients. 

Plant based is one of the latest trends dominating the confectionery industry and although the pandemic slowed global chocolate innovation, it’s reported that the UK was responsible for almost one in five new vegan chocolate launches in the year to April ‘21. We’d really like to see this being a positive story for the free from and allergic consumer with brands taking the time and making the effort to address both the free from consumer and the vegan consumer. 

Whilst basic desserts and puddings are covered in the big retailers, we love to showcase and support the smaller producers out there: retailers are not currently offering many really innovative,  crafted products – they simply don’t have the space.

Ice Creams offering a good variety of form, flavour & free from claims!  

Vegan entries that are considering the free from & allergic consumer.

More main dessert options, and products making multiple free from claims, especially milk free & egg free.

Always a popular category with a varied entry from biscuits and cake bars to doughnuts and celebration cakes. More traditional options and great quality classics that are now firmly established within the free from space would be well received .

Biscuits are well catered for and do mimic the main category alternatives exceptionally well both visually and from a quality perspective. 

Welcoming soft bake cookies, scones, or perhaps an afternoon tea box?

For food with the potential to supply the hospitality sector - if you make an exceptional free from product that you could supply into this sector, or could scale up appropriately, you will open your brand and products to a much greater audience and an expanding market for large and small companies.  

There is a need in food service for more free from products from the basic gluten free staples all the way through to innovative savoury and sweet options suitable for those with multiple food allergies. 

Encouraging more companies to innovate and develop products for food service, this is opportunity for small independent companies to showcase their products alongside the large catering companies to help step-change the food service offer!

One of our favourite categories and unique in that much of the feedback comes directly from the customers entries are addressing – children and teens - which allows for genuine and honest feedback. This category is not judged blind as this allows us to get feedback on the full end-to-end consumer experience and enriches the insights.

Children, especially those managing often multiple food allergies, are very food aware, nutritionally conscious and they often have surprisingly sophisticated tastes so any entry here has to be the full package. The feedback from our junior judges is raw, real and often very amusing, providing our final judges with a very different perspective of a product. 

We welcome entries that appeal to all ages from post toddler to late teens and cover all occasions relevant to this audience, from birthday parties and packed lunches to meal solutions and post-gym snacks. 

One of our most celebrated categories because innovation is crucial to the continuing success of any organisation and within the free from world innovation is disproportionately important, with new or significantly altered products potentially making a huge difference to the lives of the free from and allergic consumer. 

We welcome foods and drinks replicating popular main category products, and those trying something new for free from, using new ingredients, different formats of the same ingredients, and exciting packaging styles.   

A really interesting category with some lively debate and remembering that innovation in the context of this award is broad, it could be a new concept for the free from market, a category leading quality evolution, an innovative use of ingredients or manufacturing techniques, unusual recipes, new ways to deliver health or flavour.

We have the capacity to recognise different sized companies here, with awards to:

• micro companies with a turnover of between £0-£300,000
• small companies with a turnover of between £301,000- £3,000,000
• large companies with a turnover of between <£3,000,001 

Nut and peanut allergic consumers are desperate for safe products yet manufacturers are reluctant to make nut and peanut free claims, so we celebrate the extra precautions taken by manufacturers to produce safe nut and peanut free foods and inspire confidence in nut and peanut allergy reactors.

 This category is for companies:

• manufacturing foods with no may contain statements for traces of nuts and peanuts 
• confident that their allergen control processes are such that they have no need for ‘may contain’ statements of any kind
• confident their products are suitable for those with nut and peanut allergies

For speciality food products of all types, whether made for a smaller market & delicatessens, or wider audiences via the Speciality sections of larger shops, retailers and online markets. This category is for anything considered a ‘speciality food’ - e.g. gourmet foods, artisan products, ethnic items, and those which have protected designation of origin status. Open to all producers of speciality goods.  

We have the capacity to recognise different sized companies here, with awards to:

• micro companies with a turnover of between £0-£300,000
• small companies with a turnover of between £301,000- £3,000,000
• large companies with a turnover of between <£3,000,001 

For any type of product making a keto claim or formulated to be suitable for the ketogenic diet, with or without a keto claim being made.

Meals, snacks, condiments and drink entries are all welcome. This dedicated category ensures that keto products will be considered alongside other keto products only and by a judging panel familiar with keto. Note that we will not subject entered products to blood glucose response testing but will ask for explanation of how the product is designed to be suitable for a ketogenic diet. 

Entries must be free from at least one of the 14 major allergens, as all entries to FFFA must be.

The potential for this category is great! We look forward to welcoming all the diverse culinary options we know are out there. Free from & allergic consumers will continue to want chicken Kiev and sausages, but they’re also looking for innovation and to spread their wings a little. We will also be taking into consideration the explosion in free from Meat Alternative products now on the market.

Welcoming traditional favourites, especially desirable are main category options that have been developed to be free from key allergens OR free from products that are accessible to and inclusive of all. There is a real opportunity here for main category products that are able to safely address the free from and allergic consumer. 

For accompaniments such as vegetable sides or products that form part of your main meal; as well as smaller meals such as salads, soups and sandwiches in order to capture the food-to-go offer.

There are many soups now available to the free from & allergic consumer, the majority being mainstream products that are addressing the free from and allergic consumer via clear labelling. 

Food to go options including single serve options and those for ‘healthier refuelling’ missions. Given the occasion i.e. ‘grab & go’ , clear labelling is even more important as consumers do not have the time to interrogate labels.

Bowl Meals /Salads are another great option for ‘grab & go’ and an opportunity for existing products and ranges to become more inclusive.

• Vegan
• Vegetarian
• Fish and Chicken
• Beef, Lamb and Pork

This category carries a reduced fee of £55 + VAT per entry (no discount available) because entrants will be supplying our judges with their selected meal plans to sample at home as part of their user experience.

For those looking for ready-made meals delivered to their door as part of a convenience, health or medical solution, there are a number of companies who fulfil this in a way attractive and suitable for those free from and allergic consumers.

This category carries a reduced fee of £55 + VAT per entry (no discount available) because we will be asking entrants to supply samples direct to a selection of our judges.

We’re delighted to include meal kits for 2023! These are ready to cook meals, with supplied raw & ambient ingredients to be cooked from scratch. Whilst around long before covid, these grew in popularity during the pandemic & continue to do so. This category distinguishes between 'retail ready' kits for purchase in store or via an online shop, and 'direct to consumer' kits for purchase via an owned website. The questions in the entry form will reflect these differences.

This category is open to both:

• full meal kits that include everything you need to make the meal
• partial meal kits where you may have to buy fresh products such as meat and vegetables

Judging:

• Retail ready full or partial meal kits: these will be judged as a standalone product.
• Direct to consumer full or partial meal kits: judges will consider the online user experience and the kit entered.

All entries will be judged in home by a selection of judges.

Pasta has long been a free from household staple and pizza is hot on its heels!

Pasta entries can include everything from staples to ‘date night’ options, showcasing the comprehensive range now available. The quality is good and there has been significant price investment which again is a huge step forward, aiding inclusivity. We look forward to welcoming all those pasta options, including premium varieties for special occasions.

Pizza entries can include shop bought and home delivery pizzas / pizza bases that are elevating the take-out game - all those products covering every requirement, inclusive of top 14 free, milk free and vegan.

In this category we look for diversity in both the nature of the product & the market it addresses. The category has grown and is much more than just crisps (although innovation here has aided inclusivity).  The free from consumer embraces both new vs traditional favourites.

We welcome anything that could be enjoyed as a savoury snack, in formats including single bags, multipacks and sharing/large bags. Products such as savoury nut butters & bars, pretzels & tortilla chips, as well as hot snacks would be welcome!

Crackers and oatcake-style products go into Grocery.

All entries in this category should be enjoyed between meals, pre / post gym, and could include sharing bags, resealable portions or single serve convenient packaging solutions which aid snacking on the go.Entries could be free from adaptations of main category products and brand leaders such as cornflake and puffed rice products, sweet nut butters, energy balls and bars, thereby aiding inclusivity.

Recognising all those 'better for you' snacking options on the market for the free from and allergic consumer who is looking beyond the immediate fix to a HFSS-compliant free from snack, one that will satisfy taste buds and nutritionally-positive cravings!

This category welcomes both savoury and sweet snack entries.

We regularly welcome a diverse range of lagers, IPAs and golden ales, several dark beers and, reflecting the market as a whole, many low-alcohol beers. Some come from small craft-breweries, whilst others are made for national retail.

The gluten free beer market has developed – with many brewers offering at least one gluten free beer, and an increasing number making their entire range gluten free.

There is appetite for more variety, including wheat beer and sours and we look forward to welcoming new styles into the awards this year.

A broad and exciting category, in which we welcome many different & unusual drinks that offer unique health and lifestyle benefits, whether they’re nutritional, botanical, functional, or just contain lower quantities of alcohol.

• Vegan wine and Prosecco: a vegan label is the only way of telling that milk and egg have not been used during production.
• Spirits and botanical mixers whose complex flavours are always appreciated by judges. 
• Premium drinks that would stand up well next to traditional cocktails, spirits, wines and mainstream soft drinks.
• Functional drinks - for energy, sports and more which help elevate cognition and mood, or simply chill you out. 
• Energy drinks see the trend continue for low sugar, clean lists of ingredients and good nutritional profiles.  
• Quality mixers that both enhance the flavours of spirits or stand alone as delicious drinks in their own right. 

The inclusivity that these drinks offer is often underestimated and they have unique positives for the allergy and free-from market. Not only are they often free of common allergens so families and whole groups of friends can enjoy the same drinks, but they are required to list ingredients, which higher ABV drinks do not have to do.

Celebrating Low & No with this category for drinks that usually contain alcohol. Some of the most exciting and innovative developments in the drinks space are in Low & No.

Traditional products like fermented tea have been rediscovered, which sit easily alongside wine and champagne. Products have alcohol removed in unique ways that still maintain flavour, using methods that limit the quantity of alcohol produced, and range from hand-crafted artisanal drinks to those manufactured for national retail. 

Products are often free from the top 14 allergens, and there is a requirement to list ingredients, which higher ABV drinks do not have to do. We look forward to welcoming wine alternatives and botanical elixirs as well as sparkling fermented drinks, all of which have yet to achieve their full market-reach.

This category celebrates an engaging online presence and a strong, intuitive and positive user experience. For any brand, marketplace or organisation, a strong digital presence (website, social media) is essential - for the free from or allergic consumer it is doubly important. From a user experience POV we want to see brands instilling trust and confidence in their offer for FF consumers:

• How is the free from consumer engaged?
• How easy is it to buy free from products (either directly or from a third party)?
• Are information or resources easy to find?
• How does the cross platform digital presence work to inform, inspire and educate? 

Open to young companies on request, this category is designed to encourage and make a real difference to a start up food manufacturer poised to accelerate their free from growth ambition.

The category is only open to companies who started trading after January 3rd 2021.

Proof of trading start date will be required upon entering – this can be a Companies House date of incorporation certificate or confirmation from your accountant.

This category focuses on all year round gifting including birthdays, Valentine’s and other seasonal occasions; a great opportunity for both mainstream retailers and brands as well as smaller independents who may only be selling online. The consumer mindset when searching for gifts can be very different, many actively seek something new in product form or flavour, or items from smaller independent brands – new and artisan are both attributes perceived to be more giftable. 

Presentation counts when gifting so we recognise quality and free from credentials as well as the visual appeal of the product and the packaging.

From tins of biscuits, gift packs of beer and pork scratchings and selection boxes of confections to artisan cheese and hampers. There are no hard or fast rules, all products in your range that you envisage will be given as gifts, are ideal entries for this category.

The judging process for this category will be slightly different in that once all entries have been tasted blind, scored and discussed the process will be repeated but this time with the packaging.