With a deadline of March 3, Britain’s food and drink producers are being encouraged to get their application forms in, as Waitrose starts its annual search for the best in British food production and expertise.

The Awards consist of six product categories, with each winner receiving a £5,000 prize. The Supreme Champion wins a total of £10,000. Finalists will also automatically qualify for The Financial Mail on Sunday’s Business Award, allowing them a chance to win a further £5,000 prize to invest in their business.

There are two further categories - aimed at celebrating Britain’s wealth of food expertise and quality production. BBC Good Food Magazine is looking for the Best Independent Food Shop, and this year also sees the launch of an additional award - the best Young Farmer Producer Award, in association with Farmers Guardian. There is a £5,000 award for each of these two categories.

Aiming to source products from areas where the supermarket trades, Waitrose’s definition of local is taken from the rules set out by the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE). Products in the Locally Produced Range are stocked in branches within a 30-mile radius of the producers themselves.

Graham Cassie, Waitrose regional food buyer, says: “The awards celebrate real food, great recipes and traditional methods. We are looking for the producers who give their food a genuine local and regional distinctiveness. There is such a wealth of great food farmed and produced in Britain. The Awards are aimed at reconnecting customers with this, highlighting the excellent quality foods available and honouring the hard work and innovation of Britain’s small producers.”

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