We are delighted to reveal the shortlist for this year’s UK Quality Food and Drink Awards. The esteemed panel of judges, including recipe developers, chefs, buyers, and other industry professionals, put each entry through a rigorous judging process, so being shortlisted for a Q is a significant achievement. 

View the full shortlist here: https://uk.qualityfoodawards.com/qualityfoodawards2026new/en/page/2026-shortlist 


The Judging Process

This year, judging took place over two weeks at 1 Wimpole Street, London. One by one, each product was brought into the judging room and meticulously reviewed by the panel, taking a multitude of factors into consideration. At first, judges reviewed the product individually, recording their personal feedback based on their initial impressions using the key judging criteria.

Following individual reflection, judges then discussed the entry as a collective and debated the merits of each product with reference to the below key criteria:

1. Taste
2. Texture
3. Flavour
4. Aroma
5. Ingredients list
6. Provenance
7. Product appearance
8. Packaging
9. Price point/value for money
10. Innovation/aims in the marketplace

To be shortlisted for, or awarded, a Quality Food and Drink Award, a product must excel in every one of these areas. The thorough nature of the process ensures every product is accurately and carefully considered, therefore all the shortlisted products genuinely stood out within their category.


The Product Categories

The UK Quality Food and Drink Awards product categories are divided across six main groups, and the shortlist for all categories except drinks, which is still open for entries, can be viewed by following the links below. The Christmas category winners will be announced separately very soon.

This year also includes the exciting introduction of our new Health & Nutrition and Baby & Toddler categories, allowing us to recognise an even broader range of products and innovative brands across the food and drink industry.

• All Year Round categories shortlist: https://uk.qualityfoodawards.com/qualityfoodawards2026new/en/page/2026-shortlist-all-year-round
• Christmas categories: https://uk.qualityfoodawards.com/qualityfoodawards2026new/en/page/2026-shortlist-christmas
• Foodservice categories: https://uk.qualityfoodawards.com/qualityfoodawards2026new/en/page/2026-shortlist-foodservice
• Health & Nutrition categories: https://uk.qualityfoodawards.com/qualityfoodawards2026new/en/page/2026-shortlist-health-nutrition
• Baby & Toddler categories: https://uk.qualityfoodawards.com/qualityfoodawards2026new/en/page/2026-shortlist-baby-toddler
• Entries still open for our Drinks categories: https://uk.qualityfoodawards.com/qualityfoodawards2026new/en/page/2026-drinks-categories 


More Shortlists Coming Net Week

The excitement doesn’t stop here! We’ll be revealing the shortlists for two of our biggest special awards next week:

• Innovation of the Year, sponsored by thefoodpeople
• Small Producer of the Year, sponsored by Whole Foods UK

And if you haven’t entered yet, there’s still time to get involved in our Drinks Categories, which remain open for entries.

About the UK Quality Food Awards

Now in its 48th year, the UK Quality Food and Drink Awards have become a mark of excellence for food and drink products in the retail, wholesale and foodservice sector.

The UK Quality Food and Drink Awards are under the emap brand. They run over 90 industry awards and conferences each year and 100 magazine, conference and award websites.

If you’re interested in becoming a Sponsor or Partner of this year’s UK Quality Food Awards, please get in touch here.

Awards event

This year's awards event will be held at Hilton London Bankside on Tuesday 10 November 2026, where the winners will be announced. Stay tuned for a huge announcement next week regarding the event! Tickets will be available shortly.

Good luck to this year's finalists, we can't wait to celebrate with you!