Attracting over 500 entries, for the 8th year running Oakland International sponsored the Retailer of the Year Award and this year’s newly launched Convenience Retailer of the Year Award. The annual Free From Food Awards reflect the enormous growth in the free from market, with gluten-free, milk-free and allergen-free now a familiar sight on retailer shelves. With an amazing selection of new free from products represented, Free From Food Award judges include food manufacturers, chefs, cookery writers, dietitians, nutritionists and free from bloggers.

By just one point Tesco took the ‘Free From Retailer of the Year’ award crown with the first ever ‘Convenience Retailer of the Year’ award going to The Co-op at this year’s Free From Foods Awards 2022 celebration party.

Oakland International Co-Founder, Sallie Attwell, commented: “We are delighted to again support the Free From Food Awards. As a total supply chain business we have seen the free from food sector build and grow across all service platforms due to consumer demand.

“Our congratulations to Tesco, Co-op and to all Free From Food Award category winners.”

Oakland International is a D2C/B2C/B2B specialist and operates 24-hours/7 days a week offering contract packing, storage, picking, food distribution and a brand development support for ambient, chilled and frozen food to the retail, convenience, discount, wholesale and food service markets in the UK, Ireland and via their partner in Spain.

Awards CEO Cressida Langlands commented: “We were so pleased this year to be able to run the judging sessions without covid restraints and delighted to see such an amazing selection of exciting new free from products despite ingredients shortages, delays in supply chains and other global woes!

“So much expertise, time, energy and investment goes into producing free from food and drinks, and there is a special passion-fuelled story behind every one of these products. We’re also thrilled to see keto, paleo, vegan and speciality foods manufacturers increasingly catering for the free from and allergic consumer.”

The full list of winners can be found on the awards website www.freefromfoodawards.co.uk