Genuinely writing that as a headline for our blog doesn’t quite feel real yet!
Receiving an email from Matthew Lawson, Chairman of NFBP in November 2021 to say we were one of three finalists in the New Forest Marque award for Food & Drink, for the New Forest Business Partnerships’ Brilliance in Business Awards, almost reduced me to tears – partly in shock, partly with such pride and that that what we set out to do (in supporting as many local businesses as possible, spreading the story and delivering Foodie experiences to holiday makers & locals alike) when launching the Forest Foodie was now being widely recognized.
In December 2021 we were then invited along to the Brilliance in Business Awards at Brockenhurst College. Super excited, tarted up (it was black tie!) and off we went to our first big event. It was fabulous to see so many friends we have made along the way, suppliers, and fellow finalists – many who we too work with.
It was a truly wonderful evening with canapés, fizz and finally the long awaited results of the award winners.
It was a true honour to have been awarded The New Forest Marque Award for Food & Drink.
There were 14 different awards on the night, and 40 very worthy finalists. At the end of the awards a ‘Business of the Year’ was then announced - a winner from all of the finalists, sponsored by the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership. That award, somehow, was awarded to us. Truly humbling, unbelievable, and one very, very proud moment.
After only 16 months of trading, 2 lockdowns, a good period of time with no holiday makers visiting the New Forest at all, we have grown, adapted and evolved and these awards truly mean the world to us.
We are immensely excited for 2022. We have lots of growth plans including a new commercial kitchen going in which will mean we will have a far greater capacity to deliver more picnics and fresh hampers and we hope to grow our team too.
Thank you to everyone who has believed in us on our journey so far. Happy New Year and here’s to an even better 2022.
Flora