Sponsors

Sponsors of Outstanding Acheivement

Alliance East Anglia are proud to sponsor the Outstanding Achievement Award for the 2026 Norfolk & Suffolk Magazine Food and Drink Awards. The awards have been created to celebrate and promote businesses which have gone above and beyond in the food an drink sector in the Norfolk and Suffolk area. 

As a local business Alliance East Anglia are a principal catering equipment supplier for the hospitality and public sectors in the East Anglia region. Being based in Norwich means we are perfectly positioned to service and meet the demands of all businesses situated in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex and surrounding areas.

 At Alliance we believe in our three core principles of value, service, and expertise which is emulated in the way the East Anglia depot deals with all current and potential customers. The branch provides customers with the best products available to the market whilst our account managers are up to date with the latest legislation and sustainable products should customers have any questions or require assistance. 

We are a part of the wider Alliance National business network which is made up of a national distribution centre based in Crewe, 11 local depots to foster and service regional business and our online presence Alliance Online. 

For more information on our product lines, or to see how we can help you and your business, contact us on 01603 401 221, or email us at eastanglia@alliancelocal.co.uk.

Sponsors of Best Coffee Shop/Cafe

Since 1999, our family-run business has supported people across Norfolk and Suffolk to live well in later life. Through Castlemeadow Villages, including Woodgate Park, we provide thoughtfully designed retirement communities that promote independence, wellbeing, and a genuine sense of belonging. 

Woodgate Park represents a modern approach to later living, offering high-quality bungalow homes within a welcoming village environment, where residents can enjoy the balance of independence and reassurance. With support available when needed, individuals can continue living life on their own terms, in surroundings that are safe, sociable, and purposefully designed for comfort and connection.

 Phase 3 of Woodgate Park marks an exciting continuation of this vision, responding to strong demand for high-quality retirement living in the region. This next phase builds on the success of the existing community,extending the village to welcome more residents and further enhance its vibrant, community-focused environment. It reflects our ongoing commitment to investing in spaces that support both independence and peace of mind, while maintaining the same high standards of design, service, and resident experience. 

Across Woodgate Park, our focus remains on creating a place people are proud to call home—where neighbours become friends, wellbeing is prioritised, and every resident can enjoy later life with confidence, comfort, and a strong sense of community.

Sponsors Food/Drink Vendor of the Year

City College Norwich, working in collaboration with Easton College and Paston College, offers the widest range of courses across Norfolk. Providing A Levels, technical and vocational qualifications, T Levels, Apprenticeships, degrees, adult learning and commercial training, their campuses offer state-of-the-art facilities, fantastic employer links and outstanding progression opportunities, equipping learners to move into further education or high-quality employment. 

Each year the college group supports around 10,000 students, including 1,500 apprentices and 800 learners with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). They pride ourselves on being an inclusive college, led by experienced and specialist staff, supporting the needs of Norfolk and beyond. 

City College Norwich, located in Ipswich Road, has an outstanding campus with industry-standard facilities. Although the college has been established for over 127 years, a lot of the buildings have been built or newly refurbished in the past few years. This includes the award-winning Creative Arts Building, £9m Digi-Tech Factory, an Advanced Construction and Engineering Centre and the £4.4m Construction Skills Hub opened in 2025 by Skills Minister Jacqui Smith. 

City College Norwich is always looking to develop partnerships within the community, working with businesses and industry leaders to shape curriculum and support students with work placements and employment opportunities. 

City College Norwich was rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted during the latest inspection in October 2024, with the provision for learners with high needs rated ‘Outstanding’.

Sponsors of Chef of the Year

Sizewell C will deliver major longterm benefits to the East of England - strengthening the region’s economy, skills base, environment, and communities. A onceinageneration infrastructure project, the new nuclear power station under construction on the Suffolk coast will create thousands of skilled jobs, including at least 540 apprenticeships for people in Suffolk. The project already employs 2,000 workers, including 100 apprentices. 

Local businesses are also benefiting, with nearly £1bn in contracts awarded so far. This is boosting supply chains, driving innovation, and creating new opportunities for companies of all sizes across the East of England. In total, Sizewell C will invest at least £4.4bn in the region. 

Community wellbeing sits at the heart of the project. As part of a £250m package supporting the local community, the £23m Sizewell C Community Fund is delivering economic, social, and environmental improvements across East Suffolk - helping charities and grassroots organisations to thrive. 

Environmental enhancement is another key focus. The project funds the East Suffolk Trust, a new £78m grantgiving charity dedicated to longterm environmental projects, nature recovery, and communityled sustainability initiatives. Sizewell C is also restoring habitats, creating nature reserves, and driving rewilding efforts across the region. In total, the project will deliver a 19% net gain in biodiversity. 

As a cornerstone of Britain’s clean energy future, Sizewell C will generate reliable, lowcarbon electricity for six million homes for at least 60 years, reducing CO₂ emissions by nine million tonnes each year. Once operational, they will also support 900 longterm, highskilled jobs. 

Sponsors of Best Product/Producer

A leading regional business and education provider, Suffolk New College serves a college community of 6,500 people, including 700 staff working across our campuses, and just under 6,000 young people, adults and apprentices learning with the college. In a sector-leading initiative, we have 200 formal Industry Partners and outstanding employer networks. Our emerging Community Partner programme formalises our outstanding connections within the voluntary and community sector.

College on the Coast, the recently announced £28m investment by Sizewell C in a new campus college in Leiston, enables us to transform outcomes for local people in Leiston, as we continue to secure great career opportunities for local people on Sizewell C. 

Our new Suffolk New College Cornhill campus in central Ipswich will soon be up and running supporting adults with business skills and qualifications to unlock new career and business options. Many of our learners go on to create their own businesses and we offer training courses and apprenticeships which enable early stage businesses to grow. We are delighted to sponsor this category and celebrate success with some fantastic emerging businesses in Suffolk.

Sponsors of Pub/Bar of the Year

FIANNA is a sales and commercial advisory business focused on improving revenue, margin and operational performance across premium hospitality venues. 

We work closely with pubs, bars, restaurants and hospitality groups to identify commercial opportunities and implement practical solutions that deliver measurable results. 

Our support covers all aspects of the business, including supplier optimisation, increase profit, cost reduction, supplier management, marketing strategy, operational auditing, partnership and commercial growth, team development, staff retention and recruitment cost reduction. 

FIANNA combines hands on operational support with commercial insight, helping businesses strengthen performance, improve customer experience and build sustainable long term growth.

Supported by

Tom is the founder and leader of BREAD, launching the business in 2021 following the toughest 18 months the hospitality industry has ever endured. Having worked in hospitality for the past 25 years Tom is no stranger to the hard work and dedication required to be part of the re-build of this magnificent industry.

BREAD was formed with the simple aim to offer a full circle support arm to the hospitality industry. Whether you are looking for staffing solutions, social media marketing, consultancy or creative inspiration.

They collaborate with the best talent the east has to offer to assist your business.