Brakes retains ‘Foodservice Operator Of The Year’ for the third year running along with ‘product of the year’ and 7 category wins in the Quality Food Awards

A raft of products, from brands such as La Boulangerie and the Brakes own brand range, aimed at helping customers navigate a pandemic-impacted market has seen Brakes winning 7 awards at the Q Awards, more than half of those available. The UK’s leading foodservice wholesaler also took home the coveted Foodservice Operator of the Year title and Foodservice Product of the Year, for its Pumpkin Mac & Cheese Bites. In addition to the category wins, 5 products were Highly Commended and a further 5 Commended

Stuart Smith, Brakes’ Merchandising Director, dedicated the success to the company’s customer focus: “We have been 100% focussed on developing products that bring clear benefits to our customers, whether that’s saving them time in the kitchen, enabling them to create stand-out menus, or helping them to interpret and get ahead of emerging consumer tastes and trends.

“That clear focus has meant that products are already destined for success as they are designed around our deep knowledge of our customers and the consumers they serve. We’re proud of our NPD team, the most proactive in the industry, and it is testament to their passion, love of food and deep expertise, that we’ve won 7 out of the 13 categories available. I know the entire Brakes team will be delighted to have been voted Wholesaler of the Year, which we believe reflects our customer first service proposition which places customers at the heart of everything we do.”

The latest Q awards follow hot on the heels of the Cash and Carry Management Own Brand Awards, judged by the Craft Guild of Chefs, which saw Brakes take home 10 awards, including three ‘Best of the Best’ Awards.

The 17 successful products in the Q Awards are: