PAPA INDUSTRY AWARDS
A stellar evening in early November saw the highlight of the calendar, with the winners of the Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food Industry Awards revealed.
The Royal Lancaster, London played host to the 35th annual PAPA Awards Dinner on 7 November 2024. The event once again showcased the depth of quality, talent and ingenuity in the UK industry. The entries in all the categories were of an exceptionally high standard, with the product categories in particular proving a challenge for the judges. For instance, there were over 40 pizzas to judge in the Manufactured Pizza Product category! There were awards for many of the big names, with M&S, Aldi, Tesco, Lidl, Morrisons, Ask Italian, Iceland, Co-op and Domino's all on hand to take home a trophy. Especially pleasing was the presence of so many Independent Gold Award winners. La Locanda and Village Pizza Kitchen retained the Platinum Award in their respective categories, while Leaven Pizza emerged as a new name on the roll of honour. There was a double-win for Fratelli Beretta in the Italian Style Food Award. Meanwhile, in the Pizza Restaurant Chain category, Rudy's Pizza proved that size is not a barrier to success. With Leprino Foods being rewarded for their positive environmental activities and Westpak Group Ltd recognised for business development, hard work was also a winner.
And it was hard work which was a cornerstone in building the successful career of Enzo Santomauro from Casa Julia, the recipient of the PAPA Industry Award. A genuinely surprised and emotional Enzo collected his trophy and the heartfelt appreciation of the guests in attendance. A touching conclusion to the evening's presentations. Earlier, outgoing PAPA Chairman Richard Harrow introduced his successor, Sunny Chhina. We thank Richard for his leadership and wish Sunny similar success as he takes up the reins. Looking back on the night, Jim Winship, PAPA director, said: “The PAPA Awards are the yardstick for our industry. With so many different companies winning tonight, it shows that innovation and competition are driving a thriving sector. It is a thrill to reward the efforts of so many.” Jim concluded: “I must also thank hosts Theo Randall and Andrew Ryan, who did a terrific job presenting the awards.” Once the formalities were concluded, ’DJ to the Stars’, Tony Perry, kept the guests dancing through to the small hours as they celebrated. There were more than a few sore heads the following morning!
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