Free From Awards Categories
The categories for the Free From Awards are entry-led, and therefore subject to change year on year.
We only categorise entries to make life easier for consumers, in order to narrow down their search; below are some possible categories we might use, and that have been used in the past.
Breakfast and Morning Goods
The most important meal of the day. Maybe this is why we have traditionally always opened our judging with this category.
As Breakfast options have evolved so has the category, and we welcome everything from cereals, granolas & oats to the once elusive baked goods & smoothies.
We recognise the ‘staple’ nature of many breakfast products but it is our ambition that this category showcases products beyond this, elevating the breakfast occasion and looking to some of the smaller producers. Options for breakfast ‘on the go’ would be welcomed as this is the reality many of us are dealing with; whether that be due to work, travel or just the school run.
Grocery
This cover-all category includes staple products that are otherwise taken for granted and whose existence aids flexibility for the free from cook.
Ambient sauces, stir fry pouches, pasta/noodles and condiments can all fulfil the needs of the free from and allergic consumer when looking for a quick & speedy meal with minimal effort.
All products that can be found in a cupboard or freezer that make up whole or parts of meals, accompanying meals, ingredients, mixes, dehydrated or tinned goods, stocks and so much more! There is innovation and excitement to be found here, in a category that covers so many bases.
Milk Product Alternatives
A category where the explosion in plant based and vegan has vastly increased the offer with brands, on the whole, effectively addressing both the free from and vegan audience.
Will entries of milk alternatives offer anything new this year? We’ve had just about every option represented in recent years from soya and coconut to pistachio and potato. And within this, occasion need has been a consideration whether that be a barista style, to serve with cereal or as a standalone drink.
BUT this category is more than milk alternatives, it’s open to yoghurts, kefirs, butters & spread, sour cream, mascarpone, condensed milk, curds, buttermilk, clotted cream, creme fraiche, whipped cream and more!
Breads
For many, bread is the single most important free from product, forming part of so many meal occasions. From the everyday basket items of toasting and sandwich loaves to rolls, wraps, bagels, ‘weekend’ and speciality breads, manufacturers of all sizes have something valuable to bring to the category.
Cheese Alternatives
The demand for vegan and plant based food fuels exciting developments in the milk free cheese sector at all levels, and the divide is great between products for national retail and hand crafted, artisanal options.
Quality cheeses developed for main category fulfil the staple weekly shop needs, whereas artisanal cheese alternatives are there for special occasions and cheese boards, and then there is the increase in interest in melting and cooking cheeses.
Meal Solutions
Recognising the array of occasions and solutions now in market, our categories cover a wide range of products.
Due to the rise in cost of living, and the reduction in disposable income, most of us are currently eating at home more often, especially those managing more severe food allergies and intolerances.
Centre of Plate Items
We look forward to welcoming an array of options here from best selling breaded poultry and sausages to pies, vegetarian alternatives and maybe some more diverse culinary options. A great category for mainstream products that safely accommodate and include the free from and allergic consumer.
Sides & Light Meals
This category is open to dressed vegetable sides, potato products and meal accompaniments as well as salads and soups many of which are serving the free from & allergic consumer with fewer allergens and clearer labelling.
Prepared Meals
The potential for this category is huge this year with the retail sector seeing a growing demand for premium meal solutions as consumers seek to recreate the dining out experiences at home.
From weekday staples to weekend suppers, from traditional favourites to Indian curries, from meat and fish based meals to vegetarian and vegan alternatives; the category is broad but the need entries are meeting is simple – a convenient meal solution that can be popped straight into the microwave or oven to be ready for the latest TV drama snuggles on the sofa, or enjoying around the table with friends and a good bottle of wine.
Grab & Go – Sandwiches, Salads & Meal Pots
The shopper mission here is clear: a grab & go option that addresses breakfast on route to the office or something to look forward to at lunchtime when working in the office or at home.
Sandwiches, breakfast baps & wraps from forecourts, retailers and coffee shops, plus smaller pot meals, porridges, soups, salads & sushi would all be well placed here as would individual bags of crisps and maybe even a sweet bite!
Snacking
The snacking category has boomed in recent years partly due to the increase of ‘on the go’, and the innovations in the category itself to incorporate healthier eating, meal replacements and light bites for in between meals. Pre-school or after school treats should be entered in the Child & Teen category.
Savoury Snacking
In this category we encourage a diverse range of entries. We welcome anything that could be enjoyed as a savoury snack, in formats including single bags, multipacks and sharing/large bags. Products such as crisps, pretzels, tortilla chips, as well as nut butters & hot snacks such as a sausage roll or pasty would all be great entries for this category.
Sweet Snacking
Recognising that the snack occasion is now more than just bars, all entries into this category should be something you could enjoy between meals , pre/post gym or a cheeky evening nibble. From exotic dried fruit to chocolate coated roasted chickpeas and chocolate cornflake clusters, let’s put our judges’ taste buds through their paces.
Healthier Snacking
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 as well as nutritionally-positive cravings!
Confectionery
A consistently popular category whose chocolate entries can broadly be split into large scale retail and artisanal. The artisanal entries (such as raw chocolates) are judged separately in a sub-category. We welcome replications of main category brand leaders, nods to healthier options and the use of more natural ingredients, and this category is not just about chocolate, sweet confections are also welcomed.
Desserts and Puddings
We welcome the basics (often covered by the big retailers) as well as innovative, crafted products by smaller producers. Products making multiple free from claims, especially vegan products catering for the free from & allergic consumer by being both milk and egg free, increase the inclusivity for often the most anticipated yet tricky meal to cater for! Traditional cobblers and crumbles, ice creams, trifles and mousse, as well as puddings and baked desserts are all perfect for entry here.
Tea Time: Biscuits & Cookies
From the biscuit classics that mimic their main category counterparts to handcrafted cookies and everything in between. Our judges put entries through their paces but the biggest question: to dunk or not to dunk?
Tea Time: Cakes & Bakes
Everything from traditional cakes to tray bakes, slices, doughnuts, scones. If it isn’t a biscuit and you could enjoy it with a cup of tea then this is the category. Celebration cakes should be entered into our Gifting & Celebration category.
Almost Totally Free From
This is the ultimate award for manufacturers who have gone above and beyond, creating foods that are free of 15 allergens: these are the top 14 UK-listed major allergens plus 1 extra: peas and chickpeas, a major problem for a growing number of UK allergy reactors.
Entries must be free from 14 allergens, with no precautionary allergen labelling (PAL) for these 14, but entrants can choose which 14 they exclude.
This is always an interesting category, with perspectives being challenged by those living with multiple allergies, and raises real awareness of how big a difference some of the entries here make. It isn’t always about the most innovative, it could be products that provide access to something that had previously been off limits, or those that have gone that extra mile to ensure more free from and allergic consumers are able to safely enjoy their product.
Child & Teen
One of our favourite categories, and unique in that most of the feedback comes directly from the customers that entries are addressing, children and teenagers, which allows for genuine and honest feedback!
This category is not judged blind as this allows us to get feedback on the full product experience and enriches the insights.
The judging sessions for this category involve groups of younger judges with a focus on the occasion so we can better position each of the entries to the judges. So from breakfast and packed lunches to post school or gym snacks & supper time, if you have a product that is designed for, or highly relevant to, the child or teen audience then this could be the category for you.
Speciality
A small but perfectly formed category that puts small, independent producers in the spotlight. A great platform for smaller brands to widen their reach and for the free from consumer to make a discovery! We are looking here for unique and high-value food items, typically made in smaller quantities, often hand-made or with an artisanal element, and from high-quality ingredients.
Uniquely among the categories, we do not require entries into this category to be available nationwide, thus recognising quality regional foods.
Keto
For any free from product making a keto claim, or formulated to be suitable for the ketogenic diet with or without a keto claim being made. 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. Meals, snacks, condiments and drink entries are all welcome.
Nutritional Supplements
A supplement is a product that is used to supplement a diet and to support or maintain, enhance and improve the healthy functioning of the human body, for example with sources of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, fibre, phytonutrients and adaptogens. Supplement products that have a palatability and preparation element, such as shakes, mixes, blends, powders and concentrates are a great fit. Supplements that have no palatability or preparation dimension, such as tablets and pills, are not a good fit since we cannot assess their formulation or efficacy.
Gifting & Celebration
An evolution of our Christmas Awards’ Gifting category which recognises the wider celebratory occasions that we have throughout the year, and open to all-year-round gifting products, celebratory cakes and party foods.
Drinks Categories
Gluten Free Beers
We welcome both gluten free and gluten removed beers, including lagers, IPAs and golden ales, dark beers and, reflecting the market as a whole, many ‘small’ beers, table beers and low-alcohol beers. Some come from small craft-breweries, whilst others are brewed for national retail.
The gluten free beer market has developed vastly in the last few years – 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 gluten free wheat & fruit beers and sours and we look forward to welcoming more, new styles into the awards.
Low & No Alcohol
Some of the most exciting and innovative developments in the free from drinks space are in Low & No.
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.
Traditional products like fermented tea which sit easily alongside wine and champagne have been rediscovered. We welcome spirits, wine alternatives, botanical elixirs, sparkling fermented drinks and more.
Miscellaneous Drinks
A vegan label is important for many in the allergy world as it’s the only way of telling that milk and egg have not been used during production of wines and Prosecco. Other entries here can include free from spirits and botanical mixers whose complex flavours are always appreciated by judges.
We also welcome an assortment of free from, premium drinks that offer unique health & lifestyle benefits, and would stand up well next to traditional cocktails, spirits, wines and mainstream soft drinks. Functional, nutritional and botanical drinks are experiencing fast growth in the sector, are often top 14 allergen free and also offer gentle mood-enhancement without any of the effects of alcohol. Energy and sports drinks can help elevate cognition and mood, and often display clean ingredient lists and good nutritional profiles using alternative sources of caffeine.