Whether it’s seeing your horse romp to victory down the final furlong or your numbers come up in the lottery, we all love to pick a winner. But when it comes to the Sammies, there are a select few who literally do pick the winners. Event manager Caron Parry takes us through their important role.
The Sammies, the most prestigious event in the sandwich and food to go industry calendar, involves an intensive judging process. What do readers need to know about the judges and their respective backgrounds? We have 23 judges this year, representing diverse industry sectors. Each one is selected for their specific area of expertise, and we are delighted to introduce them in this edition’s feature ‘Meet the Judges’ and online at thesammies.co.uk. The event has a storied history. How have the judges’ roles changed? Are there more than ever before? We now have more judges involved in the judging process, and their roles have certainly evolved as we strive for continuous improvement. However, the integrity and
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transparency of the awards remain of utmost importance. Online judging now takes place for some of the awards and we invite all our finalists to present not only to each other but also to our members and, of course, the judges! Additionally, we now use ESA Retail to conduct mystery shopper visits for our independent retailer awards. The reports are available after the awards, and we hope this will help independent businesses identify their strengths and areas for improvement in the future. You have extensive awards experience. In terms of what the judges are looking for, has this evolved over time? Indeed, it has. We receive significantly more entries now than when I first started, and the quality and innovation are evident. The industry has also changed a lot. Consumers now have
much more choice, with new trends constantly emerging and an emphasis on healthier products. These are all factors that our judges must consider, and we are very grateful for the time they give us to ensure that the entire process is conducted fairly and rigorously. How have the awards evolved? I’m sure they look quite different from the early days! They certainly do. My first awards dinner was in 2015, so it was a steep learning curve. Coming from a hotel event management role, it was a significant change to be the client. However, my experience at The Celtic Manor Resort held me in good stead. It’s a priority for us to deliver a fantastic awards evening for our guests, and while the award presentations are crucial, the overall evening experience
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