Around 150 resourcing professionals, recruiters and suppliers working in the £70bn turnover UK food and drinks industry attended last night’s inaugural YourFoodJob.com People Awards, run in association with Recruiter.

Speaking at the ceremony at Manchester’s Lowry Hotel, YourFoodJob.com director Michael Staniland said: “This is the only talent management ceremony dedicated to celebrating the exceptional work carried out by the finest resourcing practitioners of the food and drinks industry.”

Tony Allen, general manager, YourFoodJob.com, told Recruiter that the awards were unique in the food and drinks industry because they were the only ones that “celebrate people”, adding “it is people that make the sector”.

Meanwhile, Anna Fleetwood, head of recruitment communications at Feather Brooksbank – winners of the Grand Prix award for its brand development work with supermarket chain Morrisons – told Recruiter that getting the accolade was a lovely surprise, saying that “it reflected all the hard work by ourselves and the client to change our position in the market”.

The awards were sponsored by Blackbridge, The Brewery, Focus Management Consultants, just-food, Market Intelligence, and Telegraph Media Group.

See the full list of awards winners below:

• Best employer brand development: andsome – EAT
• Most innovative recruitment initiative: Pink Squid – YO!
• Most effective equality and inclusiveness programme: Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation Trust
• Excellence in learning and development: People 1st
• Outstanding employee engagement strategy: Zest Recruitment Solutions
• Excellence through technology: andsome for Eat & Raymond Blanc Cookery School
• Best graduate recruitment campaign: Pink Squid – Kraft Foods
• Team of the year: Fresca Group (Mack Multiples)
• Best careers website: Thirty Three – Heinz
• Most desirable employer (voted for by candidates): Allied Bakeries
• Grand Prix: Feather Brooksbank – Morrisons