deliciouslyorkshire Awards deliver new business potential

Now in their eighth year, the deliciouslyorkshire Awards are much-coveted ““ just ask Andy Gardiner, owner of Beatson House Restaurant, South Yorkshire.

Andy won the Best Drink category last year for his Jamaica Ginger Cake Infusion, one of his ‘Boozy Infusions’ after dinner liqueurs. The product also took the honours in the Consumer Choice category.

“When we won the award there was initial publicity in the local and regional press which was, of course, great for consumer awareness,” says Andy, whose wife Anita is owner chef at Beatson House, Cawthorne.

“But just as important was the awareness among my target retailers in the Yorkshire region. It’s so much easier to get an appointment with a potential stockist when you can name drop the deliciouslyorkshire awards in your preamble.”

Boozy Infusions ““ which also includes Sticky Toffee Pudding and Black Forest Gateau ““ are stocked by farm shops, delis and wine merchants throughout Yorkshire.
Andy says: “We want to achieve sales in the national retail multiples and the awards have certainly smoothed the way towards that.

“Having a deliciouslyorkshire award gives instant credibility to our products and brand by being able to use POS and labelling with an ‘award-winning’ message.”

Andy also has a top tip for 2012 award entrants. “Use Facebook and Twitter ““ we used our accounts to publicise the fact that we had entered the awards and it was an opportunity to talk about new flavours and we got followers to ‘wish us luck’.

“Then of course there’s another bite of the cherry if you get through to the finals.”

This year’s award winners will be revealed at the prestigious deliciouslyorkshire annual awards dinner on 25 October at the National Railway Museum.