CGA has unveiled the shortlists for its 2018 Peach Hero & Icon Awards, honouring dozens of outstanding operators across the out-of-home eating and drinking markets.
The shortlists feature around 50 different brands and companies, plus six individuals, in 14 categories that cover the broad spectrum of restaurants, pubs, bars and cafés. Businesses with multiple nominations include Dishoom, Wagamama, Caravan, Leon, Cote and JD Wetherspoon.
Emerging concepts bidding for the Newcomer award, demonstrating the continuing flow of innovation in the sector, include Albion & East, Blacklock, Farmer J, Flight Club, The Florist and Vagabond, while contenders for Breakthrough Brand include ambitious operations such as Grind, Pizza Pilgrims, Mowgli, Sticks’n’Sushi, Temper and The Ivy Collection.
Top bosses vying for the Industry Leader accolade this year are London Union’s Jonathan Downey, New World Trading’s Chris Hill, Wagamama’s Jane Holbrook, Ed Martin from ETM, Whitbread’s Alison Brittain and Dishoom founders Kavi and Shamil Thakrar.
Together, the shortlists present a who’s who of operators setting the standards for others to follow in this vibrant industry. All 14 Hero Awards winners will receive their trophies at a special dinner to follow this year’s Peach 2020 Conference at The Brewery in London on Wednesday 21 November. The invitation-only conference and presentation dinner is the industry’s top networking event of the year and will be attended by around 300 company directors and owner-operators.
As well as the Hero Awards, the evening will see the presentation of CGA’s Peach Icon Awards, given to individuals who have left a major mark on the out-of-home eating and drinking sectors. There are no shortlists for these Awards.
Awards founder and host for the evening Peter Martin says: “These shortlists are packed with the brands and people who continue to push our industry forward despite the myriad of challenges it faces, and we salute them all. Competition for our awards is as tough as ever this year, as is the market itself, demonstrating the creativity, diversity and dynamism to be found in the out-of-home food and drink market. We are looking forward to celebrating with the winners and all shortlisted operators at our Conference and Awards on 21 November.”
INDUSTRY HERO AWARDS
Selected by industry peers
Newcomer: For still fledgeling companies and concepts that have made an impact from the start and are tipped for greatness
- Blacklock
- Farmer J
- Flight Club
- Kricket
- The Florist
- Vagabond
Last year’s winner: Swingers
Presented by: Treasury Wine Estates
Breakthrough Brand: For emerging brands moving from a small chain to the mainstream and showing the potential to grow even further
- Grind
- Mowgli
- Pizza Pilgrims
- Sticks’n’Sushi
- Temper
- The Ivy Collection
Last year’s winner: Flat Iron
Presented by: Bookatable by Michelin
Evolutionary Brand: For established concepts and companies which have refreshed and evolved their offer to stay competitive, relevant and growing
- Brewdog
- Brewhouse & Kitchen
- Caravan
- Coco di Mama
- Las Iguanas
- Leon
Last year’s winner: Pho
Presented by: Reynolds
Best Destination Opening: For exciting, show-stopping new openings of past 24 months
- 20 Stories, Manchester
- Brigadiers, City of London
- Canova Hall, Brixton
- Caravan Fitzrovia
- Dishoom, Edinburgh
- Swingers West End
- The Florist, Liverpool
Last year’s winner: The Ned
Presented by: Asahi UK
Most Admired Brand or Company: For the industry’s most respected concepts and companies as voted for, unprompted, by the sector’s leading operators
- Dishoom
- Nando’s
- New World Trading Co
- Pret a Manger
- The Ivy Collection
- Wagamama
Last year’s winner: Wagamama
Presented by: Fourth
Best Concept: The concepts with stand out offers in an ultra-competitive market
- Albert’s Schloss
- Caravan
- Dishoom
- Flat Iron
- Franco Manca
- Loungers
Last year’s winner: Dishoom
Presented by: Omnivore
Best Entrepreneurial Company (sub 50 sites): The best small and medium-sized businesses with fewer than 50 locations
- The Alchemist
- Giggling Squid
- Hawksmoor
- Honest Burgers
- Oakman Inns
- Pho
Last year’s winner: New World Trading Co
Presented by: RSM
Best Company (50 sites plus): Honouring the bigger businesses which are now beyond 50 sites
- Fuller’s
- Leon
- Loungers
- Nando’s
- Stonegate
- Wagamama
Last year’s winner: Wagamama
Presented by: Zonal
Industry Leader: The industry’s leading lights who have enjoyed a stellar twelve months at the helm
- Alison Brittain
- Chris Hill
- Ed Martin
- Jane Holbrook
- Jonathan Downey
- Kavi & Shamil Thakrar
Last year’s winner: Jeremy Roberts
Presented by: Coffer Corporate Leisure
CONSUMER HERO AWARDS
Selected via consumer feedback from the CGA BrandTrack survey:
Consumer Choice: For the best big brand across the key metrics of satisfaction, revisit and recommendation
- Cote
- Loch Fyne
- Miller & Carter
- Nando’s
- Toby Carvery
- Wagamama
Last year’s winner: Cote
Presented by: Coca-Cola European Partners
Best Quality Brand: For the brands voted best for passion, food quality and freshness
- Cote
- Leon
- Loch Fyne
- Miller & Carter
- Wagamama
- Wahaca
Last year’s winner: Miller & Carter
Presented by: Casual Dining
Best Drinks Offer: For the brands considered best for drinks – both alcoholic and non-alcoholic – by their customers
- Alchemist
- Botanist
- Brewdog
- Farmhouse Inns
- JD Wetherspoon
- Miller & Carter
Last year’s winner: Alchemist
Presented by: Diageo
Brand XP Award: For the brands that keep their customers coming back for great experiences
- Byron
- Las Iguanas
- Revolution
- The Botanist
- Turtle Bay
- Wahaca
Last year’s winner: Wahaca
Presented by: CPL Online
Power Brand: For the leading brands of the sector ranked by usage, satisfaction, reliability and trust – and an industry vote
- Costa
- PizzaExpress
- Greggs
- JD Wetherspoon
- Nando’s
- Toby Carvery
Last year’s winner: Nando’s
Presented by: NatWest
To inquire about attending please submit your request here: www.cga.co.uk/whats-on/peach-2020/
CGA is grateful to our sponsors of this year’s Peach 2020:
Sponsorships opportunities are still available, contact craig.jackson@cga.co.uk for details.
