Fruition Group wins the Waitrose Way award for Championing British
This year’s awards were held at the Leckford Farm Shop at the Leckford Estate, the Waitrose farm in Hampshire, and the winners were presented with a sustainably-sourced from Cambridgeshire, British Ash award by Waitrose Commercial Director, Mark Williamson.
Suppliers were invited to enter the awards under the categories of Treading Lightly, Championing British, Living Well and Supporting Responsible and Treating People Fairly – which are the four core principles of the supermarket’s CSR policy, ‘The Waitrose way’.
Pictured from left to right; Steve Maxwell, Rick Connor & Mark Williamson.
The ‘Waitrose Way Awards’ celebrate suppliers’ outstanding initiatives to enhance the sustainability of their businesses and, ultimately, the food that ends up on consumers’ plates. This is the third year that these awards have taken place and winners were selected from over 150 entries.
Fruition were awarded the Championing British (Own Label) award for their focus on British Apples, Pears and Stonefruit throughout the last year, which was the 25th season that Fruition’s growers had work in partnership with Waitrose.
Quentin Clark, Head of Sustainability and Ethical Sourcing at Waitrose said: “This award reflects the commitment to English apple and Pears that Fruition has shown during the last year with fantastic results in the Brilliantly British TV campaign, with the Fruition team going above and beyond in working with our branch partners at both Fresh Produce Expo’s and on Farm training, for the commitment in helping Waitrose win awards at both Chelsea and Hampton Court shows and for ensuring growers remained sustainable with the support of the Weather Blemished Apple bag that enables Ugly fruit to be purchased by customers”.
The Brilliantly British campaign helped drive sales of English apples in Waitrose to new levels, and was a combined effort from all my team and growers” said Rik Connor, Fruition Business unit Manager.
“Waitrose also won Best Bramley Apple retailer from the Bramley Apple Campaign, with Worldwide Fruit being awarded ‘Best Place to Work’ at this year’s FPC Refresh Awards with both Waitrose being a finalist for the ‘Apple marketing campaign’ and Rik for ‘Manager of the Year’, so has been a fantastic couple of months for Waitrose and our company” said Steve Maxwell.
The Waitrose Brilliantly British Apple Campaign was run Nationwide in September 2013, driving sales and awareness of products from Suffolk – Jeremey Linsell, Gloucestershire – Jake and Rupert Simpson and Kent with the Fruition Waitrose grower group.
As lead top fruit supplier, Fruition nominated Waitrose for the award. Rik Connor, Waitrose Business Unit Manager for Fruition was delighted that Waitrose won the deserved award for their commitment to British Top Fruit, and would like to congratulate Waitrose.
For more information:
Steve Maxwell
Worldwide Fruit
Tel: +44 01775 717000
or
Rik Connor
Worldwide Fruit
Tel: +44 01227 285500
www.worldwidefruit.co.uk