Lovingly Artisan were the Farm Shop & Deli Retailer of the Year 2024 winners, and we are thrilled to have husband and wife team, Aidan Monks, and Catherine Connor, join our jProduct awards judging panel.  Lovingly Artisan is a creative sourdough bakery dedicated to crafting exceptional sourdough bread and artisan bakes using time-honoured techniques and the finest local ingredients. At the heart of Lovingly Artisan is the stoneground mill, just a stone’s throw away from where they bake a variety of 13 different sourdoughs in their wood-fired oven. They use ancient and modern grains grown locally, then milled intuitively for flavour and their nutritional value. Lovingly Artisan is often acknowledged for its boundary-pushing and innovative baking approaches, often pioneering and sometimes reintroducing old and historical methods that preserve flavour, enhance keeping qualities whilst influencing the textures and structures of what they call the humble loaf.

My name is Amber, I work alongside Anna Barton, one of the business owners here at Canalside Farm, as an Events & Marketing Assistant. I’ve spent nearly eight years here at Canalside Farm now. I love helping to create memorable experiences that celebrate great food and community. I’m deeply passionate about food quality, provenance, and sharing the story of where our food comes from. Working for a small, family-run business is something I truly value — it’s incredibly rewarding to organise events that bring people together to enjoy the farm and experience “field to fork” through our pick-your-own strawberries and pumpkins.

Ben has been part of Over Farm for around a decade, beginning his journey on the deli counter while simultaneously pursuing his passion for professional golf. Eventually, Ben embraced the family legacy and joined the business full-time, following in the footsteps of his parents. Since then, Over Farm has continued to evolve, expanding its offerings across retail, the farm park, events, and the wedding barn - all under Ben’s leadership. With family at the heart of the business, Ben works closely with his cousin, brother, and a dedicated team to deliver memorable experiences for their customers.

Carla Mills is a Buying Manager for Booths, with over 20 years’ experience in food retail With expertise in strategic sourcing and category development, she has extensive knowledge across fresh foods including bakery, dairy and fresh produce. Carla is passionate about bringing high quality products and brands to Booths customers, developing local and regional suppliers, and building strong and lasting supplier relationships.

Claire Mortimer is a co-founder of Fabulous Farm Shops, an extensive online directory featuring farm shops throughout England. The platform's goal is to list every farm shop in the country and has recently expanded efforts to include shops in Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. We are thrilled to have Claire return to the Farm Shop & Deli Product Awards judging panel.

Dan brings more than 15 years of professional writing experience to the British Baker editorial team. In addition to writing news articles and long-read features, he has helped enhance the digital content of the publication with his graphic design and video editing skills, contributing to its rise in readership and engagement across various channels.

David has spent more than thirty years in food manufacturing, working with all sizes of business from solo entrepreneurs to big food. He worked at executive level from procurement through manufacturing to distribution, as well as managing new product development and quality. He co-founded Cert B Corp Maia Growth Partners to help independent local food businesses access the skills, knowledge and expertise they need to build a sustainable and resilient brand.

Emily is the friendly manager at Canalside Farm Shop. Having spent over ten years running specialist food retail spaces, Emily loves everything about local produce, artisanal makers, and finding those special, high-quality goods that customers just can't resist. She brings a brilliant, down-to-earth perspective to the FSDS Product Awards panel and is all about finding and celebrating the finest food and drink the UK has to offer.

With over 30 years’ hospitality management experience Grahame entered the speciality & fine food sector when he and business partner Richard Fennell (now Commercial Director at The Gorgeous Food Company) opened their delicatessen in 2008. Whilst owning the deli, Grahame and Richard were asked by one of their suppliers if they could support them with some wholesale distribution, and the duo started wholesaling tea to cafes, coffee shops and other delicatessens. In 2013 they decided to sell the deli to concentrate on wholesale distribution and The Gorgeous Food Company was born. Ten years later with a range of over 1700 products, The Gorgeous Food Company is going from strength to strength supplying delicatessens, farm shops and independent food stores across the UK.

Hari is an Indian cook, author and the founder of the biggest Indian food digital platform in the UK. Her website and social platforms feature hundreds of easy to follow recipes, videos, articles and live weekly cooking sessions that attract a global audience. The Hari Ghotra community App is a real time location with a thriving community of food lovers who share pictures and ideas, it’s a place Hari communicates with her followers daily. She is also the food and beverage development manager for Virgin Atlantic leading creating menus on all inbound routes and managing over twenty catering units across the world.

Heerum Fleary is the founder of TickEat, established in 2015 after a career in airline catering. TickEat specialises in helping food and beverage brands enter the travel, leisure, and hospitality sectors, offering strategic partnerships for placement in airlines, trains, cruise ships, and hotels.

Jason Smith is a foodservice consultant for The Food Strategist and is a returning judge for the Farm Shop & Deli Product Awards.

Jill is a Home Economist with a wealth of experience in appliance design, recipe development, cookery and preserves judging and teaching food skills. Jill's career was very involved in the design of appliances ensuring functionality met the practical needs of users. Jill's dedication to fostering excellence in cookery and preserves judging led her to become one of the founders of the Association of Show and Competition Judges. The organisation ensures high standards are maintained in all areas of excellence judging across competitions. Jill trains Cookery Judges ensuring they become knowledgeable, and skilled judges. Jill has written five cookery books for the Women's Institute. By sharing her knowledge through teaching food skills, Jill equips individuals with the tools they need to embrace cooking as a practical skill.

Jo is a knowledgeable, respected and highly productive senior commercial marketing professional - dynamic, inquisitive, considerate and well-organised. She has three decades of experience in the food and drink industry from FTSE 100 organisations through to start-ups and scaling businesses working at executive level and has spent time working with and within the biggest UK supermarket. Jo champions local food and enjoys being a judge for both Taste of the West food group and The Great Taste Awards.

John has been involved in selecting, procuring and retailing great food and drink for 15 years with Booths. In this time John has experienced the arrival and emergence of some wonderful food and drink brands and is always keen to support and encourage new and exciting products to market. With a wealth of experience in food and drink awards judging, We are thrilled to have John return to our judging panel again this year. 

Jon is an experienced senior management professional with extensive FMCG expertise, spanning chilled food and drink, wholesale distribution, fresh produce and fine foods for major UK retailers. At Mudwalls Food Group, Jon plays a key role in driving growth and delivering quality, reflecting the company’s commitment to supplying the best in fresh produce and fine foods. We are delighted to have Jon join us on the judging panel this year.

Katie Joseph leads the fresh food buying team at Fortnum & Mason, with a focus on cheese, fish, luxury foods, and bakery. She has been with Fortnum’s for eight years, bringing a wealth of experience from previous roles at The Whisky Exchange - where she specialised in wines and spirits - and Selfridges, where she was involved in buying for wine and spirits, bakery, and dairy.

Diverse Fine Food Co-Founder & Director at Diverse Fine Food (@diversefinefood), New Zealander, Ironman, Sport Enthusiast, Food Judge, Seed Fund Mentor and always searching for amazing Artisan products! Mark has a background working for global manufacturers with well know global brands over the past 30 years. Mark is an experienced judge of several industry awards including Great Taste Awards, Nourish Awards and the Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards. He brings extensive experience from the food & beverage industry with the latest insights and eye for quality and innovation.

Mel lives and works across her family farms in Nottinghamshire and Norfolk. She is the Director of Allen Clark Farming Ltd, a company primarily focused on the cultivation of carrots, cereals, and sugar beet. Additionally, the farm is a member of the Fresh Growers cooperative, which is responsible for producing the world’s first carbon-neutral carrots. With a background in Home Economics, Mel initially trained and demonstrated microwave technology for Panasonic and Jones & Brother. She later managed a tea room and farm shop on the family’s farm park tourist attraction. Throughout her career, Mel has maintained a strong passion for food, particularly for sourcing products from local farmers and producers. Recently, she furthered her expertise by completing a cookery judging course and has had the opportunity to judge at various agricultural and village shows.

A seasoned industry and awards judge Nicki is the co-founder and Director of Diverse Fine Food. Nicki has spent over 15 years in the F&B industry as a food buyer and has a special interest in great branding, origin and ethics. Nicki is a has been a Dragon on the Farm, Shop & deli Show's Dragons Pantry for the past 9 years sharing her passion for new producers and insight to help new brands flourish. Nicki is an experienced judge of several industry awards including Great Taste Awards, Nourish Awards and the Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards. She brings extensive experience from the food & beverage industry with the latest insights and eye for innovation and great taste.

Nicky has been with Mudwalls since 2023. She has vast experience as a Local Food Sourcing Buyer, best described as hunter, gatherer, seeking out the best regional food/drink producers, in quest of the highest quality foods. Nicky builds close relationships with suppliers, producers, farmers across the SW/ Central England & Wales. Many small producers are family businesses, partnerships or small teams - Nicky relishes in getting to know them, in order to understand their businesses and challenges, helping them to grow and succeed. After 21 year career in aviation, Nicky set up her own Delicatessen focused on regional produce. This led Nicky to the role of Local Food Sourcing Manager for Gloucester Services for 4 years before leading the Direct Sourcing team at Midcounties Coop Regional Buying throughout the Pandemic.

With over 15 years of experience in the food and drink sector, Nikki Castley brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role as Commercial Manager at Cress Co. Her previous roles include nine years as part of the buying team for Dobbies Garden Centres. Since joining Cress Co in 2012, Nikki has been instrumental in implementing the company's growth and margin strategy while heading up the Buying and Purchasing teams. Under her leadership, the company’s product range and distribution coverage have expanded significantly. Enhancing The Cress Co brand and increasing its market awareness have been central to her role. The Cress Co holds the esteemed title of the No. 1 Distributor in the UK, as voted by the readers of Fine Food Digest, a testament to the dedication and hard work of the entire team. Nikki takes great pride in contributing to this achievement.

Rachel is a passionate and skilled home-baker, bringing her love for baking and a sharp eye for detail to the judging panel. Based in Nottinghamshire, she plays a key role in her husband‘s family Farm, managing the Farm office and their thriving storage business. Her baking journey began with making birthday cakes for friends and family, sparking a deep interest and allowing her to develop her skills and knowledge over time. Rachel recently earned her qualification as a cookery judge through the newly accredited Association of Show and Competition Judges, combining her expertise and enthusiasm for the art of baking. Beyond her love of baking, Rachel is deeply committed to her community. Among other things, she has been part of a team raising substantial funds for the Nottingham Hospitals Charity, she actively supports the Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance by fundraising through the Notts Air Ambulance Countryside Appeal (NAACA) group, and she is working closely with Nottinghamshire Young Farmers Clubs, with whom she met her now husband over 30 years ago.

Radley is one of the Directors of Award-Winning Moseley Farmers’ Market which he joined in 2019 as a passionate supporter. On weekdays, Radley is a TV Producer with the BBC and at weekends he helps to run Moseley Farmers Market. During 2025, Moseley Farmers Market celebrates 25 years of operation. Back in 2023 it picked up its 4th FRA ‘Best in UK’ Award, the only Farmers’ Market to have won four times. This monthly market has up to 60 stalls and has put Moseley Village firmly on the map, so much so that it was judged ‘Sunday Times Best Place to Live’ in 2015 and, with thousands of visitors throughout the year, the little ‘village in a city’ is now a destination of high reputation. Due to its Farmers Retail Association Accreditation, Moseley Farmers Market gurantees quality and locality of fresh produce. Radley proudly now sits on Farm Retail Association Council - bringing all his knowledge & expertise on making the Farmers Market platform better for all FMS’, including having access to the World Farmers’ Market Coalition. He is returning as a Judge for the Farm Shop & Deli Product Awards 2026, a role that he proudly enjoys.

Richard is the oldest son of the three Nicholson brothers who run the multi award winning Cannon Hall Farm visitor attraction in Yorkshire. The family farm has played host to Channel 5’s On the Farm TV shows for the past six years. He’s worked in many areas of the business including on the farm, the farm shop and butchery department. Richard is a keen home cook and online food blogger, broadcasting live on Facebook every week on the Cannon Hall Farm Shop Facebook page. He is enthusiastic about promoting the farm shop's quality beef, pork and lamb. A graduate in graphic design and photography, he now spends most of his time in the farm’s marketing department.

"I very much enjoy judging following my course in 2024 as it allows me to use my knowledge and skills. I like being involved with people and enjoy mentoring and bringing out their best skills. Experience also gained from NatWest. I enjoy cooking and particularly enjoy Lorraine Pascales receipes. My free time is mostly spent teaching 2 children to drive at present."

"Becoming a chef was a natural career for me as my main passion is food at whatever level; cooking at home, street food or fine dining it has to be right. My roles have reflected my love of food working with independent as well as national caterers in both operational and food development roles. Following Jamie Oliver’s focus on school food, I took the role of Food Director for Cucina Restaurants, managing a small number of highly skilled chefs through mobilisations of new clients and schools. When the business sold, I transferred for a period of time and began planning what’s next.. I had always said I would love to open either a cookery school or a deli, and my dream became a reality when we opened the doors to Kitchen Food Company in Summertown, Oxford, a delicatessen with an on-site bistro. Having always grown at home, this gave me the opportunity to grow more and use these items for the deli. Creating a full range of our own branded products on the shelves from the garden really is a dream come true. Working with small local suppliers as well as securing Daylesford Organic has helped us quickly become a popular choice on our Oxford High Street." 

We are thrilled to have Sam return to our judging panel again this year. 

Sangita and the team at Delilah Fine Foods in Nottingam, were winners of the title; Farm Shop & Deli Retailer of the Year 2025, and we are delighted to have Sangita join us on the Product Awards judging panel. Delilah Fine Foods is an independent fine food and wine merchant founded by Sangita in July 2005, when she opened the first deli in a small shop on Middle Pavement in Nottingham. The deli has since grown into a larger flagship located in a former HSBC bank on Victoria Street, offering a vast selection of artisan products, café-style seating, and a signature food bar.

Simon Hurley, Managing Director, P2P Food Solutions and Co-Founder of Cock & Bull, has written pieces for Fine Food Digest and Speciality Food Magazine and consults for several food brands including Tyrrells Crisps, Australian Wagyu, Silver and Green Olives, Piltons Cider and Granny Gothards Icecream. He also works with a number of local authorities looking at healthy alternatives for their school meals offering.

Vhari Russell is the founder of The Food Marketing Experts, a full-service agency specializing in food and drink. She has over 20 years of experience in marketing, PR, and social media. She has worked for companies such as Winterbotham Darby, developing products for the multiples, through to sales and account management for smaller more artisan brands, looking after accounts such as Harrods, Liberty, Waitrose, and Boots. Since setting up The Food Marketing Experts over 10 years ago, she and her team have worked to grow brands such as Warner's Gin and Seggiano. Vhari has a wealth of experience in developing brands and fully understands what needs to be done to support sales and continued growth. She is also the founder of Grub Club Events, a multi-award-winning networking group for the food and drink industry. It is a must for anyone in the industry and offers a great platform to come together over great food and drink.