Suffolk Food Entrepreneur wins Award at the House of Commons

 

Last Thursday 6 November 2014, at a reception at the House of Commons packed with the some of the greatest names of the British food and drink scene, Sandy Ruddock, co-founder of Scarlett & Mustard was announced as winner of the Best Newcomer category of the first-ever Investec Food & Drink Entrepreneur of the Year.

 

Presented with a trophy by legendary entrepreneur himself Luke Johnson (Pizza Express, Patisserie Valerie, Feng Sushi), Ruddock declared herself overwhelmed and delighted to have won against fierce competition.

 

“We started in early 2012 quite by accident at our kitchen table with our unusual family dressing,” says Ruddock. “Since that day we have grown at a phenomenal pace, now supplying our range of 24 products – dressings, oils, marinades and curds - to over 500 UK retailers, including Selfridges, Harrods, Fortnum & Mason, Harvey Nichols, Booths, Waitrose and numerous smaller chains and independent shops. We are also exporting a number of products to the Middle East and Europe.”

 

Investec Food & Drink Entrepreneur of the Year www.investecfoodanddrinkentrerpeneuroftheyear.com, launched only in May, seeks to celebrate the person behind the brand and attracted an outstanding quality of entrant. The British food and drink scene is one of the most vibrant in the world, worth £92bn annually and employing over 400,000 people, with exports at more than £18bn and rising.

 

Many members of the glittering judging panel – Lord Bilimoria of Cobra Beer, Julian Metcalfe of Pret a Manger, Sahar Hashemi of Coffee Republic – were there to see the announcement of the category winners and overall winner, as well as Sam Parker of Business is GREAT Britain.

 

The judges said, “Sandy has displayed real determination in pushing forward her brand so successfully in just over two years in what is quite a crowded marketplace. She has achieved listings in many absolutely top notch outlets and already tackling the export market. Well done!”

 

James Stirling of Investec, said: “Investec is delighted to be sponsoring the Food & Drink Entrepreneur of the Year awards. Britain continues to foster world-beating innovation in this industry, with some of the most exciting new brands in recent years originating from these shores. The Food & Drink sector has always been a key focus of activity for Investec, having worked with so many successful entrepreneurs in this space over the years, and Sandy Ruddock is a truly worthy winner of the Best Newcomer category, chosen from a magnificent field.”

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