About the Awards Categories

Our categories enable us to recognise a wide selection of products covering all occasions and acknowledging the often complex needs of the free from consumer: each year we evolve the categories based on our experiences from judging sessions, and below you can find our reflections on the 2022 categories, including trends and insights, plus judges’ comments and more. The judging sessions for these categories took place from February – April 2022.

Main Awards Categories - Drinks

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Gluten Free Beers

This year we welcomed 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 next year.

Low & No Alcohol

Our first year celebrating Low & No with this category specially 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 common allergens, and there is a requirement to list ingredients, which higher ABV drinks do not have to do. 

In 2023 we look forward to welcoming the many wine alternatives and botanical elixirs as well as sparkling fermented drinks, all of which have yet to achieve their full market-reach.

Sweet and/or Savoury Product Categories

Breakfast and Morning Goods

We welcomed a good selection of cereals, granolas & oats, plus baked goods & smoothies representing the array of foods now enjoyed at breakfast. 

Breakfast cereal entries, whilst not especially innovative, did cover all of the core needs, and entries offered really credible alternatives to the main category options especially catering for the younger audience. These are staple products and important basket items for the free from and allergic consumer so it’s important to us that the awards continue to recognise best in class breakfast cereals. Judging criteria for the majority of entries here will focus on quality (in particular inclusivity) and price. 

Within Breakfast cereals fortification is really welcomed, even in organic products.

We recognise the ‘staple’ nature of many breakfast cereals, and retailers are effectively addressing this need state. We would however love to welcome more smaller producers that offer something that is a little bit different or artisanal – there is definitely an appetite for this. We did enjoy a few keto & paleo products and although accommodating a niche market these were welcome additions.

Baked goods generated rather more excitement with both range and quality evolution. Entries here were however largely just gluten free. 

Options for ‘on the go’ were limited: 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! 

So Breakfast Foods will most definitely be returning next year.

Grocery

A very large category including many 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, and so it was pleasing to see entries ticking more free from boxes this year. 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, and in some instances there was no differential between the free from price and main category equivalent. 

Our Gold Medal winning cracker mix was a great example of considered innovation for this space – clear free from claims, nutrient dense, easy to prepare and the resulting product looked and tasted delicious. 

For 2023 we would be looking for more of the same, all those products that can be found in a cupboard or freezer that make up whole or parts of meals, accompanying meals, ingredients and more.

Milk Product Alternatives

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This was a really interesting category, in no small 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. 

Milk alternatives dominated this year with just about every option represented from soya and coconut to pistachio and potato. And within this occasion needs had been considered – whether that be a barista style, to serve with cereal or as a standalone drink. 

This category does, on the whole, balance the needs of both the free from & vegan consumers relatively well and is delivering some genuine innovation. 

Interestingly though the real highlights were a very good and accessible alternative to butter which for many will be a game changer and plant based oat kefir. 

For 2023 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!

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Savoury Product Categories

Breads

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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, and this year’s entries reflected this.  As free from bread ranges have evolved we sub-categorise entries by type and production methods and we plan to do the same for 2023.

This is a category where consumers want the everyday basket items – toasting and sandwich loafs along with rolls as well as products to meet a different occasion, specialty breads, bagels and more artisanal products. 

The supermarkets were well represented and the smaller independent brands brought something different to the category, making headway with national distribution and delivering on quality. For 2023, more of the same please!

Cheese and Cheese Alternatives

The growth of vegan and plant-based food is fuelling some exciting developments in the cheeses 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 which is great to see. And we welcomed many artisanal cheese alternatives, all well considered and technically challenging. 

For 2023 we are looking to acknowledge this by having two judging categories for Cheese & Cheese Alternative to recognise and encourage development at both ends of the spectrum, and in order to promote both amongst the free from and allergic communities.

Meal Components

This year the emphasis in this category was on traditional favourites; and we welcomed both centre of plate items and meal accompaniments.  Accessibility and inclusivity were both positive take-outs with main category options that have been developed to be free from key allergens OR free from products that would be acceptable for all. 

Insights suggest that most of us are eating at home as often as we did pre-pandemic and this is expected to increase as the cost of living rises and disposable income reduces. Those managing more severe food allergies and intolerances would also more often rather eat at home. 

The potential for this category is great! In 2023, we want to welcome those diverse culinary options which 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. There is a real opportunity here for main category products that are able to safely address the free from and allergic consumer. 

Pasta and Pizza

Pasta has long been a free from staple and pizza now is too.

Pasta entries this year included everything from staples to ‘date night’ options, showcasing the comprehensive range now available. This variety has in part become sustainable due to the rise of veganism. The quality is good and there has been significant price investment which again is a huge step forward, aiding inclusivity.

The Pizza entries were more varied than ever before  from a home delivery pizza that elevated the take-out game significantly to both free from and vegan options along with pizza bases. What a brands such as Kirsty’s and Dou_h & Co. are doing, and they were highly praised for this, is recognising that not all free from or allergic consumers want meat free and options here do remain rather more limited.

For 2023, there is the  opportunity for more premium pasta options, elevating a pasta dish from a mid-week staple to a special occasion supper. And we know there are many pizzas  out there, covering every requirement inclusive of top 14 free, milk free and vegan.

Prepared Meals

This was a little disappointing this year in terms of the variety of products entered although this is reflective of the challenging times and issues over commercial viability of the more ‘niche’ ready meals. Whilst a small entry the products were all of a good quality and on the whole the free from credentials were good.

Innovation was focused around vegan and plant based options and whilst in some instances these present a safe option for the free from and allergic consumer this is sadly not always the case. If plant based remains a focus for investment and innovation then there is an opportunity to review allergen guidelines and protocols to ensure as many of these as possible are made accessible to the free from and allergic consumers. 

This doesn’t however address those free from consumers who choose to retain meat in their diet. It would seem that the most obvious opportunity would be to evolve the offer for the free from and allergic consumer within existing mainstream products & ranges providing simple allergen call-outs on pack. 

We are keen to evolve this category for 2023 to include both prepared meals & meal kits (ready to cook meals, where the ingredients are raw and will be cooked from scratch but that come in 1-2 or 3-4 person packs). Whilst around long before covid they grew significantly in popularity during the pandemic & continue to do so.

Savoury Snacks

Entries were diverse both in terms of the nature of the product & the market they were addressing.  This year we welcomed some substantial snacking options including cassava cheese balls and a pasty. This is a great example of the new vs a traditional favourite, both of which are equally welcomed by the free from and allergic consumer.  

The category has without doubt grown and is now so much more than just crisps although there has been some genuine innovation here too which has really aided inclusivity, especially for allergic children and the party time occasion; however the enjoyment of these products is by no means restricted to children!

For 2023, it would be good to see more solutions for ‘on the go’ and packed lunches; there are very few multipack options available which presents a real frustration for parents. More genuinely healthy (or just healthier) products would be welcomed, judges all felt options remained limited – pretty much everything entered had some form of added sugar and most contained alternatives to olive oil.

Soup and Bowl Meals

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We welcomed a wide range of soups this year illustrating just how many are now available to the free from & allergic consumer. The majority being mainstream products that are addressing the free from and allergic consumer via their clear labelling. This is something that we would encourage more retailers and brands to do as it really does make a difference to the free from and allergic consumer. 

Food to go options are often very limited and  fresh soups are often a default option although these can present a real challenge for those managing multiple food allergies. It would be really good to see more single serve options. 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 are another great option for ‘grab & go  and an opportunity for existing products and ranges to become more inclusive. 

For next year we would welcome more options that address the ‘on the go’, single serve and ‘healthier refuelling’ missions – soups, hot bowl meals & salad bowls, the timing for these being ideal as we move into the spring & summer months.

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Sweet Product Categories

Confectionery

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A consistently popular category and another where the quality & breath of entries has come a long way. And we’re sure, from all that we have seen and given all the discussion around the table at judging, that this is set to continue. 

This category can very broadly be split into large scale retail and artisanal. This year the more artisanal entries were pretty much all raw so these were judged separately and we plan to do the same for 2023 but giving more focus to the raw offer.

In the last few years there has been much development in replicating main category brand leaders and the results of this focus were evident in the entries we received and this was really well received.  

There was also a nod to healthier options and this is something we’d like to see develop further along with 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). This should be great news for the free from and allergic consumer but this is not always the case 

given the PAL which continues to cause frustration. 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 audiences. 

For 2023 we would also like to reinforce that this category is not just about chocolate, sweet confections are also welcomed.

Dessert and Puddings

This year it was all about Ice Creams … well not all but over half of entries ticked this box but they offered a good variety of form, flavour & free from claims!  

Whilst the basics are covered in the big retailers we’d love to showcase and support the smaller producers out there as we feel it really could be their time to shine: retailers are not currently offering many really innovative,  crafted products – they simply don’t have the space.

Judges welcomed seeing vegan entries that are considering the free from & allergic consumer.

For 2023 we would love to see more main dessert options, and products making multiple free from claims, especially milk free & egg free, as judges welcomed seeing a few vegan products catering for the free from & allergic consumer by being free of both milk and egg.

Sweet Snacks

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Recognising that the snack occasion is now more than just bars, all entries in this category could be enjoyed between meals – some were just nice while others were naughty & nice! From exotic dried fruit to chocolate coated roasted chickpeas and chocolate cornflake clusters, our judges’ taste buds were certainly put through their paces. 

This category presented a diverse selection of entries, a good reflection of just what is now available and it was good to see more convenient packaging solutions which aided snacking on the go.

As in the confectionery category a great number of entries were welcomed free from adaptations of main category products and brand leaders so really aiding inclusivity. 

There are a growing number of options out there and we know what we have seen this year is a mere snapshot, so we have high hopes for this category in 2023. 

Tea Time Treats

Always a popular category and unlike the early days of the awards we only welcomed a couple of brownies, both of which offered something very different.

A varied entry from biscuits and cake bars to a doughnut and celebration cake. This year entries were rather light on the more traditional options but probably because these products are now firmly established within the free from space. That is however not to say that great quality classics would not be well received – quite the opposite!

We have found it fascinating to look back over the years at entries to this category, a great exercise to see just how the category has evolved. It was interesting to see how many great quality products are coming in and comparatively reasonable price points. 

On the biscuit front the classics are well catered for and unlike in the early days they really do mimic the main category alternatives exceptionally well both visually and from a quality perspective. It was pleasing to see some also making a milk free claim. We were however lacking any ‘soft bake’ cookies so possibly an opportunity for 2023.

It seems we are still trying to crack a good free from scone. We know shelf life is an issue for retail however this could be an opportunity for a smaller, independent to steal the show with a show stopping scone or even a free from afternoon tea box!

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General Product Categories

Almost Totally Free From

Best Product in Food Service

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This category aims to celebrate those providing food that meets the needs for all dietary requirements in the hospitality sector including food allergies. We aim to encourage more companies to innovate and develop products for food service.

We were so impressed with the quality of products entered this year and would love to see this category grow in 2023. Providing free from food for the Catering sector opens up a large and expanding market for both large and small food companies.  There are some exceptional free from products now available and by targeting the Catering sector  you will open your brand and products to a much greater audience.  

There is still a need for the gluten free staples as well as innovative savoury and sweet options that can be used by Food Service. 

There is an opportunity for small independent companies to showcase their products alongside the large catering companies to help step-change the food service offer for 2023!

Child and Teen-Friendly Food

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One of our favourite categories and unique in that much of the feedback comes directly from the market 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.

This category used to be overloaded with biscuits & sweet treats but this has changed and this year we welcomed a good mix of entries both savoury and sweet, covering a range of occasions although Breakfast and savoury options for lunches were rather lacking.  

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. Remember that our junior judges are our harshest judges of all! Their feedback is raw, real and often very amusing, providing our final judges with a very different perspective of a product. 

Given the success of the judging process we will be running with the same format for 2023, and will be looking for 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. 

Easter

Last year more Easter products than ever before entered the awards, recognising this, and acknowledging entrant feedback we took the decision to introduce a  standalone category for all things Easter and we weren’t disappointed.

The offer has evolved enormously in just a few years with eggs of all flavours, shapes and sizes with something to cater for all ages. Investment has been made to deliver such intricately moulded eggs, bunnies and chicks plus there are easter hunt kits too. 

And we know it’s hard to believe but not everyone likes chocolate so we’d love to see alternative Easter confections, cookies, cakes and baking kits. A divine Simnel cake was entered this year from the independent Glitterbug Bakery and we know there are many more independents out there providing awesome seasonal products so we’d love to welcome more next year. 

We announced the medal winners in this category in advance of the main Awards Presentation allowing entrants to share their medal success in the run-up to Easter and we will be doing the same for 2023. 

Gifting

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Entries were lighter this year as Christmas products are now entered into our Free From Christmas Awards, and we had a standalone category for Easter. This category therefore focused on all year round gifting and this will be the same for 2023. 

Whilst seasonal ranges that address the gifting occasion have evolved enormously the all year round offer remains rather more limited. 

Not surprisingly this category was dominated by chocolate which whilst never a bad thing we know from our own personal experience just what else is available. 

This category represents 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 whether that be product form or flavour or items from smaller independent brands – new and  artisanal are both attributes perceived to be more giftable.

We look forward to seeing many more products for all year round gifting for 2023. 

Innovation Award

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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. 

This year’s entries were innovative both in terms of replicating foods and drinks popular in the main category offer, and also of trying something new for free from. We saw some tricky feats pulled off well using new ingredients and different formats of the same ingredients, and some exciting packaging styles.  

This is always a really interesting category with some lively debate and is often one of our most celebrated categories. 

For 2023 we’d love to see more smaller brands entering alongside the larger brands and retailers. 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.

Nut and Peanut Free Product of the Year

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We welcomed a really diverse selection of entries, from a super seeded salad topper and alternatives to nut butters, to a protein bar, brownie & chocolate; all well considered products that had clearly placed inclusivity at the heart of their development. 

We can already say with confidence that the return of this category is most welcome amongst allergic consumers so will be returning for 2023. Our ambition would simply be more to welcome more of the same!

Speciality Foods

A small but delightful category, with judges moving from an artisan cheese to a chocolate spread within the one session. The story behind the product are really important elements here and really help our judges assess entries. 

We’d like to encourage speciality food products of all types here for 2023: anything considered a ‘speciality food’ –  e.g. gourmet foods, artisan products, ethnic items, and those which have protected designation of origin status.

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Additional Categories

Best Labelling for a Free From Product

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Compliant & effective labelling elevates a product and instils consumer confidence. It’s tough to get it right but when you do, the consumer sits up & takes note.

The aim of this category is twofold – to recognise and celebrate those that get it right AND also to help those on the journey. And for 2023 we will be returning to Labelling being a supplementary category so if you enter one or more products into one of our food or drink categories you have the option to also enter it here for a nominal fee. 

Best Packaging for a Free From Product

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Sustainable packaging is no longer a ‘want’, it is a ‘must have’ – but is not always easy to achieve for food products which may contain liquids, may need to be heated in-pack, and must be safe from cross-contamination with other foods.

The judges will be looking for the most innovative, exciting and sustainable packaging format for a free from food – in terms of production method, design and / or materials.

Digital Presence

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This accolade is given to an organisation that shows care for and deep understanding of their consumer from first click to table. For any brand, marketplace or organisation, a strong digital presence (website, social media) is essential. This award will again celebrate an engaging online presence and a strong, intuitive and positive user experience. 

Our judges will be looking to see how the free from consumer is engaged, how easy it is for a customer to buy free from products (either directly or from a third party), find out information or resources, and how the cross platform digital presence works together to inform, inspire and educate them in all things free from.

In 2023, we’d like to see digital innovations that make us think ‘wow!’  From a user experience POV we want to see brands instilling trust and confidence in their offer for FF consumers. 

Start Up of the Year

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Open to young companies, 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.

You enter this category as a company and you will be asked to supply details of up to two products you feel best showcase your brand. You will be required to provide the FFFA with samples of your nominated products.

2022 Sponsors Tesco offer a year’s mentoring to the winner of this category. The category is only open to companies who started trading within two years of the opening date of this year’s awards: not before 20th September 2019. 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.

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Additional Awards

Free From Hero Award

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For all and any of your free from heroes! Our annual hero is someone who has made a major contribution to freefrom, in no matter how grand or humble a role. An excellent caring freefrom school cook, a creative product developer working behind the scenes, a researcher into the obscurer branches of food allergy – all suggestions welcome. 

Free From Independent Brand of the Year

A category designed to celebrate the role of independent brands in the development of the freefrom sector, this award takes into account the products in a brand’s range: to qualify for this award, entrants will need to have entered a minimum of 3 products into the awards for a ‘Small Brand’, and 6 for a ‘Big Brand’. 

A really exciting and inclusive category that embraces all, from the smallest to the largest companies with awards for both:

• the Best Small Brand (a turnover of under £100,000 per annum)
• the Best Big Brand (a turnover of over £100,000 per annum)

Free From Product of the Year

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The Free From Food Awards Presentation culminates in two awards given to a food and a drink Product of the Year – the best of the best, winners of each category go head to head to be crowned with this prestigious title.  It is the award that ultimately everyone wants to win and inevitably receives the most amount of coverage and promotion during and after the event.

Free From Retailer of the Year

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Our well established award recognising the crucial role that the supermarkets play in the free from sector. We will be making two awards this year:

• Large Retailer of the Year (for big shop mission retailers)
• Convenience Retailer of the Year (for limited range retailers)

Large ROTY requires a minimum entry of 40 products into full price categories, of which the top scoring 30 will be considered for this award.
Convenience ROTY requires a minimum entry of 20 products into full price categories, of which the top scoring 15 will be considered for this award.