Food Forum India (FFI) 2010 last night recognised the Indian food industry’s top achievers in a glittering ceremony of the Coca-Cola Golden Spoon awards at the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Centre, Mumbai. While Big Bazaar was one of the biggest winners on the night, the audience was mesmerised with scintilating performances by renowned singer Shibani Kashyap and stand up comedian Ash Chandler.
Big Bazaar’s award as the ‘Most Admired F&G Retailer of the Year: Large Formats’ was recognition for the company’s tremendous growth in a challenging financial environment from 110 stores in 2008-09 to 125 today. Big Bazaar narrowly beat out a competitive field of nominees for the award, which included Spencer’s Hyper, Easyday Market, Hypercity, Star Bazaar, More MegaStore and Spar.
Walmart’s India Retail venture with Bharti Retail’s Easyday with 56 stores won them the Coca Cola Golden Spoon Award for the ‘Most Admired Food & Grocery Retailer of the Year: Small and Medium Formats’.
Pantaloon Retail claimed the ‘Most Admired F&G Retailer of the Year: Private Label’ on the back of news that its Future Group division is set to register a turnover of Rs.440 crores for the sale of food and packaged food through its private label. Other nominees in the category were Reliance Retail, Spencer’s Retail, Aditya Birla Retail, Max Hypermarket and Trent.
The ‘Most Admired F&B Retailer of the Year: Cafes, Juice Bars & Parlours’ category was one of the most competitive of the night. Cafe Coffee Day was voted the winner by industry members ahead of Barista, Costa Coffee, Baskin Robbins and Jus Booster Juice.
The award for India’s best premium restaurant went to Indigo (‘Most Admired F&B Retailer of the Year: Premium Restaurant) while Dominos Pizza won the award for ‘Most Admired F&B Retailer of the Year: QSR Foreign Origin’ among stiff competition from KFC, McDonalds, Subway and Pizza Hut.
The evening began with a bang as renowned singer Shibani Kashyap belted out some popular Bollywood hits and blues. Stand-up comedian Ash Chandler also helped ease the tension at the awards with a laugh-a-minute stand-up routine.
The Coca-Cola Golden Spoon Awards recognise excellence in food retailing and honour the brave innovative spirit of leaders in the dynamic Indian food retail and service industry. Food retailers are leading a change that has redefined consumption habits in India, resulting in a change in food tastes, preferences, awareness, consciousness and choices over the past few years.
The Food Forum India is an annual two-day conference, exhibition and awards ceremony for members of the Indian food industry. It is the largest congregation of international and Indian food retailers, manufacturers, organisations and minds in the food business. It will discuss topics relevant to a vast array of food business segments, such as food retail, food design, food technology and processing, food logistics and support, food services and IT.
— IndiaRetailing Bureau
