Hull-based firm Home Harvest Salads has won The Business Innovation of the Year Award at the 2007 National Business Awards North East of England regional programme.
Presented with the accolade this week at a glittering ceremony and gala dinner at Manchester's Palace Hotel, the company beat off stiff competition from Barlow Group, Northern Gas Networks/United Utilities and The Gateshead Housing Corporation. Harvest Salads now advances to the November finals of The National Business Awards.
The award was given for the firm’s Living Salads product - trays of growing baby leaves to be freshly harvested at home - that is grown under glass and then supplied to all major UK supermarkets and farm shops.
The National Business Awards, sponsored by Orange, recognise and reward excellence, innovation and success. Uniquely open to organisations of all sizes and from any industry sector - public or private - the best of British businesses are able to showcase their achievements and benchmark their successes against firms and bodies of all types.
Harvest Salads’s triumph is attributed to its launch of the Living Salads product to the retail market; a product line which now boasts an 80 per cent market share. Although simple, the initiative has proved to be a milestone for the salad production industry. As bagged salad companies continue to develop new methods of packaging to protect product freshness, Living Salads provides consumers with a still-growing product, rich with fresh vitamins and minerals.
Living Salads are trays of living baby leaf salad that the consumer simply cuts fresh at home when required. After two years of research and development by husband-and-wife team Anna and Andrew Johnson, the product was launched into Sainsbury’s in April 2005.
Since its launch Living Salads has gained listings in all major UK retailers.
Anna Johnson said winning this award is “a superb achievement, for all those involved with the product. Since its launch a number of companies have tried to copy our product and developing new products will be critical for the development of the business, to stay ahead.”
She added: “We have strengthened our team with the addition of Jo Topper who has taken on the role new product development.
“And in the last three weeks we have launched three new products, Living Lambs Leaf, Living Watercress and Mini Living Rocket. We have a number of new concepts and products in development as a result of customer feedback from shows,” said Johnson.
Suzy Edward, partner director, Orange Business Services said: “The winners of the National Business Awards demonstrate a drive, passion and optimism for business. We are proud to be associated with such successful British business talent and congratulate Living Salads and all of the other winners on achieving this fantastic accolade.”
A full list of this year's winners and finalists can be found by visiting www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk/regionals.
No comments yet