Ocado launches search for ‘Britain’s Next Top Supplier’
Online supermarket Ocado is calling for small UK food and drink producers to enter a competition to be crowned Britain’s Next Top Supplier.
The winner’s product will be stocked at Ocado and the producer will also receive a £20,000 marketing package to promote their goods.
Now in its third year, the competition will involve entrants pitching their product to Ocado buyers.
A previous winner, Hannah Rhodes of Hiver Beer, has since been able to expand from a small scale start-up into a successful business after Hiver’s sales grew five times faster the rest of Ocado’s beer category in 2016.
Rose Price, judge and head buyer at Ocado, said: “The winning product will have great customer appeal and offer them something they can’t find anywhere else, but it isn’t just about having a brilliant product. I’ll also be looking for a passionate supplier with some entrepreneurial flair and the willingness to work with us to make our partnership a success.”
To qualify, suppliers can only offer a food or drink product not currently stocked at Asda, Waitrose, Morrisons, Tesco or Sainsbury’s. The competition closes on 17 April.
