2022 Sponsorship
Raising the profile of your company with the people who really matter
The Free From Food Awards are unique and the values that make them so are something we are proud of and passionate about protecting.
We have an ever-growing and extensive network within the industry and amongst consumers, bringing unrivalled expertise that many of our entrants and sponsors benefit from.
Sponsorship opportunities are currently available for the 2022 Free From Food Awards and for the 2021 Free From Christmas Awards click here.
Sponsorship Benefits
We are able to offer a range of sponsorship opportunities from category options to more tailored packages as we recognise objectives and budgets will vary. We want to get to know you and your aims, working together to create unique opportunities that best fit your brief.
It’s very much a collaboration, and one that we value. Our sponsors bring variety and help us collectively recognise the wider nature of the industry in which we work.
We are able to offer a simple 3 part payment plan to accommodate budget phasing and cash flow.
Social Media
- We are uniquely placed to engage with both industry and consumer audiences via owned digital and social channels
- Sponsors will feature in social media posts across our platforms which have a combined following in excess of 12,000
- There are opportunities to create a bespoke content plan in support of your sponsorship
- Sponsors also have the opportunity to feature in our regular email newsletters and awards updates
Join us at the Presentation
- Complimentary tickets to the Awards, joining over 300 freefrom industry players in celebrating along with the winners as they are revealed as part of the now legendary Winners Buffet
- Opportunity to present the award for the sponsored category and be photographed with the winners. Photographs/videos will then be available for your use
Your company or Brand logo will feature:
- On the FFFA website in multiple locations with links to your website
- At the Awards presentation
- At any consumer or trade events the FFFA attend during the Awards year.
2022 Sponsorship
· Winner’s Buffet 2022·
The Awards’ legendary Winner’s Buffet made up of all of that year’s winning products – the high point of the evening when guests get to taste THE best in free from
Special Awards
· Retailer of the Year ·
Sponsored for 2022 by Oakland International
An exciting category designed to recognise the significant role that the supermarkets play in the freefrom sector. This category requires a minimum entry of 25 products into full price categories of which the top scoring 20 will be considered for this award.
· Free From Hero Award·
We are seeking someone who has made a major contribution to freefrom, in no matter how humble a role. An excellent caring freefrom school cook, a cafe owner who really caters freefrom – all suggestions welcome
· Independent Brand of the Year ·
A new category designed to celebrate the role of independent brands in the development of the freefrom sector. There will be awards for both the Best Small Brand (with 3 or fewer employees) and the Best Big Brand. 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’.
· Nut Free Product of the Year ·
‘Nut Free’ is one of the claims manufacturers are least willing to make, creating a real problem area for people with nut allergies. This category seeks to celebrate those that are taking extra precautions to produce nut free foods, and are inspiring confidence in nut allergy reactors.
· Labelling for a Free From Product ·
The labelling of freefrom food – what to include, what to leave out, whether or not to use PAL/may contain warnings – is a minefield. This award is given to a product whose label is not only clear and compliant but benchmarks excellence in helping the FF consumer identify safe food.
· Packaging for a Free From Product ·
The judges will be looking for the most innovative, exciting and sustainable packaging format for a freefrom food, which could be in terms of production method, design and/or materials.
· Foods Manufactured for Food Service ·
Our category devoted to foods manufactured for food service – all those meals, snacks and drinks supplied to hotels, cafes, restaurants and other locations.
· Digital Presence for a FreeFrom Brand ·
Sponsored for 2022 by DigitalJen
This award celebrates a really strong online presence including a positive digital user experience: a website and social media to which a freefrom consumer is drawn, that they feel they can trust and that they can use to access information and/or safe products. Our judges will be looking to see how the freefrom consumer is engaged, how easy it is for a customer to buy freefrom products (either directly or from a third party) and how the digital presence informs and educates them in all things freefrom.
Main Awards
Innovation Award
No matter how large or small you are you can have great ideas. New concepts, innovative use of ingredients or manufacturing techniques, unusual recipes, new ways to deliver health or flavour. We want to know about them.
- For companies with a turnover of less than £100,000
- For companies with a turnover of more than £100,000
Almost Totally Free From
To accommodate people with allergies to some of the ingredients outside the list of UK-recognised top 14 allergens (such as pea – now widely used as an alternative) we have added peas/chickpeas to our list of allergens. Entries must still be free of 14 allergens, but entrants can choose which 14 they exclude. For instance a peanut puff, which excludes 14 of our 15 listed allergens will now be eligible for this category.
Start-Up Product of the Year
This category is only open to products manufactured by entrants who have been in business for less than two years (eg they must have started trading no earlier than 21st September 2018). The award will be made based on the quality of the product and not on any other aspect of the company’s business. We are delighted Tesco will be offering mentoring to the winner.
Speciality Foods
Open to all producers of speciality goods.
- For companies with a turnover of less than £100,000
- For companies with a turnover of more than £100,000
Morning Goods
Always a very well-populated category, Morning Goods includes all of those delicious products which set you up for the day.
- Breakfast cereals: cereals, porridge pots
- Breakfast baked goods: croissants, muffins, crumpets, bars
This is one of our ‘multiple product’ categories and offers the sponsor significantly more exposure and coverage than the single product awards.
Milks
This category includes milk alternatives, spreads/butters, and yoghurt.
- Lactose-reduced cow’s milk, goat, sheep, buffalo & camel products
- Plant based products
Cheeses
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Animal Milk Cheeses: lactose reduced cow’s milk, goat, sheep, buffalo & camel
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Plant Based Cheeses
Breads
The most ‘staple’ of the staple products. Whole loaves, sliced breads, rolls, speciality breads, pitta breads, naans, sandwich thins etc.
Grocery
Any store cupboard item, ambient, dried, or frozen, excluding pasta and pizza bases but including bread and cake mixes.
- Home baking
- Condiments and sauces
- Savoury biscuits, rice cakes, crackers, oatcakes
- Meal kits
- Cooking ingredients
- Tins, cans and packets
A very large and absolutely crucial category in freefrom. Offers the sponsor more exposure and coverage than the single product awards.
Pasta and Pizza
A vital part of any diet, freefrom or otherwise! Always a very popular category in freefrom.
- Dried and fresh, filled and traditional
- Ready to eat pizzas and pizza bases
Sweet Snacks
Includes snack bars, energy balls, and more!
Savoury Snacks
Crisps, snacks and nuts – single bags, multipacks and sharing/large bags, plus anything else you like as a savoury snack.
Drinks
Includes all the drinks you’d ever see at a party or bar. GF beer, spirits, cocktails, ciders, wines, mixers, syrups, kombuchas, elixirs and seltzers that are free-from, vegan, alcohol-free, or sugar-free mean that everyone can enjoy a drink, irrespective of allergies or dietary restrictions.
- A Shot of Class – for liqueurs, whiskeys, gins, vodkas, proseccos, cocktail mixes, wines
- Gluten Free Beer & Cider – a category for all types of GF beer and cider. Beer must be GF and can be made with or without barley/wheat/rye/oats. Products are judged according to type, and can be AF or low alcohol.
- Mixing it Up – for soft drinks and mixers
Prepared Meals
- Vegan & Vegetarian
- Chicken, Beef, Lamb, Pork and Fish
Soup and Bowl Meals
Can include soups, salads, stews and all other similar products
Meal Components
Including sides and centre of plate items
- vegetable
- meat
- other
Child and Teen Friendly Food
From an early age, freefrom children are very food aware, nutritionally conscious and have surprisingly sophisticated tastes.
We are looking for entries that will appeal to age groups from post toddler to late teens.
Tea Time
Combining the very traditional cake, crumpet and biscuit categories, offering the sponsor more exposure and coverage than the single product awards.
High quality, bespoke tea time entries should go into the Speciality Foods category, and Christmas products must be entered into the Free From Christmas Awards
Dessert and Puddings
A very successful category bringing together every kind of dessert and pudding from Sticky toffee pudding to coconut cream. Christmas products must be entered into the Free From Christmas Awards.
Confectionery – Chocolate and Sweets
We are looking for everything from corner shop sweetie jars to everyday chocolate and candy bars to gift confectionery, as well as low sugar/sugar free confectionery, and seasonal products for Easter and Valentine’s Day – but please enter Christmas products into the Free From Christmas Awards.
Gifting
Entries into ‘Gifting’ are all those free from foods you’d be proud to give to your allergic and coeliac friends and family – and also be delighted to receive!
