At the heart of the food and drink industry lies a simple truth: we’re better when we work together.
Whether it's bridging the gap between producers and communities, championing sustainability through joint ventures, or bringing bold ideas to life through unlikely partnerships—collaboration drives progress.
The Collaboration Awards shine a spotlight on the partnerships that are not only redefining what’s possible in our sector but are doing so with heart, creativity, and purpose.
Today, we’re thrilled to introduce the 2025 finalists. Each of these teams exemplifies what happens when people come together with a shared vision and a commitment to making a difference.
The Finalists
Student Project of the Year
- Wingfield Consultants x Norwich Business School
Wingfield Consultants collaborated with Norwich Business School students to create a digital marketing strategy aimed at enhancing the company’s online presence. The students delivered a comprehensive and professional plan, incorporating real-world tools like stakeholder mapping, Gantt charts, and risk management. Their innovative approach and dedication impressed the client and demonstrated the power of purposeful collaboration between business and education.
- Norwich Business School x Sucseed
As part of a Tastebuds initiative with Norwich Business School, a student team partnered with emerging seed brand Sucseed to deliver a comprehensive four-month strategic market analysis focused on product positioning and innovation in the UK health food sector. Their work included competitor benchmarking, consumer insights, and international market comparisons, identifying key growth opportunities in functional blends and highlighting a need for consumer education around seed usage. The collaboration provided Sucseed with actionable marketing recommendations and gave the diverse student team valuable real-world consultancy experience.
- Vida Vodka
Vida Vodka, a sustainable spirit made from surplus bread, was brought to life through a unique, Norfolk-based collaboration spanning brewing, distilling, branding, and entrepreneurship. Partners like Wildcraft Brewery, Flour & Bean, Brandland, UEA Student Enterprise, and others helped scale production, refine the alcohol-making process, and shape a purpose-driven brand identity rooted in circular economy principles. This values-led network turned a bold idea into a pioneering drinks brand—proving that with the right partners, waste can become a premium opportunity.
B2B Collaboration of the Year
- Chilli Willy's x Crumpetorium
Over Valentine’s weekend 2025, Crumpetorium and Chilli Willy’s joined forces for a heart-warming and wildly creative pop-up at First Draft Kitchen in Norwich, celebrating artisan crumpets with a gourmet twist. The event featured a pre-paid, pre-ordered menu of inventive crumpet-based dishes—like fried chicken with blue cheese drizzle and rhubarb-topped ginger crumpets—designed to reduce food waste, maximise flavour, and streamline service. Thanks to careful planning, strong communication, and a shared passion for food, all three small businesses saw a welcome boost in revenue and community connection during an otherwise quiet season.
- Brick Pizza x Norwich City Football Ground
Brick Pizza has teamed up with Norwich City Football Club to bring its beloved, handmade pizzas to fans at Carrow Road, uniting two iconic Norwich names in a celebration of local flavour and community spirit. Born from a shared passion for authenticity, quality, and the city they serve, the partnership enhances the matchday experience with fresh, wood-fired pizza now available in the South Stand, fan zone, and beyond for the 25/26 season. With co-branded pizza boxes and a growing presence at the stadium, this collaboration is about more than food—it’s about proudly representing Norwich on and off the pitch.
- Humber Doucy Brewery x Heart of Suffolk Distillery
Finbows Tap launched in April 2025 as a collaboration between two Suffolk-based family businesses—Humber Doucy Brewery and Heart of Suffolk Distillery—combining their complementary products and shared values to create a unique retail and taproom experience in rural Suffolk. By merging resources, streamlining operations, and showcasing other local drink producers, the partnership has increased efficiency, expanded market reach, and built a vibrant community hub. What began as mutual support between neighbours has evolved into a successful joint venture that champions local flavour, collaboration, and sustainability.
New Product Development Collaboration of the Year
- Eufloria x Heart of Suffolk Distillery
A drinks start-up called Eufloria, founded by Kerri and Amy, received invaluable free product development support from the Heart of Suffolk Distillery, helping them turn their health-focused drink vision into reality. Despite having no prior experience, they worked closely with distillery experts Ryan and Will, who provided guidance, equipment, and expertise to perfect their recipes and enable small-scale production. This generous collaboration has given the founders the confidence and resources to launch their unique product, highlighting the importance of community support in nurturing local innovation.
- Crumpetorium x Chilli Willy's
Over Valentine’s weekend 2025, Crumpetorium and Chilli Willy’s joined forces for a heart-warming and wildly creative pop-up at First Draft Kitchen in Norwich, celebrating artisan crumpets with a gourmet twist. The event featured a pre-paid, pre-ordered menu of inventive crumpet-based dishes—like fried chicken with blue cheese drizzle and rhubarb-topped ginger crumpets—designed to reduce food waste, maximise flavour, and streamline service. Thanks to careful planning, strong communication, and a shared passion for food, all three small businesses saw a welcome boost in revenue and community connection during an otherwise quiet season.
- Burn Valley Vineyard x Barsham Brewery
Burn Valley Vineyard and Barsham Brewery, two Norfolk-based producers, have teamed up to create a unique barrel-aged beer that blends the craftsmanship of winemaking and brewing. The collaboration saw Barsham’s Golden Close IPA aged in a used Bacchus wine barrel from Burn Valley, resulting in a one-of-a-kind brew with layered, wine-like complexity. Born from friendship and mutual respect, this experimental project highlights both producers’ commitment to creativity, sustainability, and supporting local.
Academic to Business Collaboration of the Year
- African Kitchen x Norwich University of the Arts
As part of the Tastebuds initiative, African Kitchen collaborated with final-year graphic design students from Norwich University of the Arts to reimagine its brand identity, blending Afrocentric heritage with contemporary design. The project delivered a full visual revamp—including logo, packaging, uniforms, and marketing assets—resulting in a refreshed and authentic brand poised for growth. This partnership provided real-world experience for students and marked a transformative milestone for African Kitchen, showcasing the power of culture-led, cross-sector collaboration.
- Korutek Engineering x University of East Anglia
Korutek Engineering’s evolving partnership with the University of East Anglia began as a consultancy project and has since grown into a multi-phase collaboration delivering strategic, operational, and employment outcomes. The partnership has produced impactful results—from validating new rental models and developing a tailored CRM strategy to hiring a student, Kritiv, who now plays a key role across the business. This long-term relationship exemplifies how academic-industry collaboration can drive real innovation, skills development, and meaningful business transformation.
- Humber Doucy Brewery x University of Suffolk
Humber Doucy partnered with the University of Suffolk and its Student Union to co-create a unique student-designed beer and kombucha that celebrate Suffolk, Ipswich, and university pride. The project gave third-year marketing students hands-on experience—from brewery visits and branding workshops to launching the product at MIX, the campus bar that reinvests profits into the community. This collaboration, built on shared values of creativity, community, and local pride, has proven so successful that it’s set to become an annual part of the university’s marketing curriculum.
Innovation Collaboration Project of the Year
- Simply Roasted Crisps x Fabcon Food Systems
Simply Roasted, developed by Mindful Snacker, is a disruptive innovation in healthy snacking—offering real-sliced crisps with 50% less fat, full flavour, and HFSS compliance, made possible through a patented, three-stage roasting process. This breakthrough was achieved through a powerful collaboration with Babington Consultancy and Fabcon Food Systems, combining food science expertise and bespoke engineering to create a scalable, energy-efficient production model. With over 4,000 listings, strong retail and institutional interest, and a pipeline of new vegetable crisps, Simply Roasted is redefining the snack category through sustainability, innovation, and bold collaboration.
- Beantastic Hummus x John Innes Centre
The John Innes Centre and BeanTastic Hummus have partnered to create the UK’s first functional hummus using a novel, iron-enriched pea powder developed by future JIC spinout HiFe Plants, aiming to address widespread iron deficiency through nutritious, plant-based food. This innovative collaboration combines cutting-edge agricultural science with clean-label food manufacturing to offer a tasty alternative for people unable to tolerate traditional iron supplements. Positioned at the forefront of functional food development, this project exemplifies the innovation and impact emerging from the Norwich Research Park.
- Snack Creations x Norwich Business School
This Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) between Snack Creations and the University of East Anglia (UEA) successfully developed a cutting-edge new product development toolkit, embedding data-driven innovation and scientific methods into the company’s processes. The project led to a cultural shift away from trial-and-error approaches, boosting efficiency and accelerating product development, with outcomes including 15% projected revenue growth, three new contracts, and an “Outstanding” rating from Innovate UK. Building on this success, the collaboration continues through a £300,000 Innovate UK-funded AI and machine learning project, positioning Snack Creations as a leader in healthy snacking and digital transformation.
Join us in Celebrating!
The winners will be announced at the Tastebuds Food and Drink Collaboration Awards on the evening of 8th July, and we can’t wait to celebrate the incredible work of these changemakers.
Until then, help us shine a light on these partnerships—share their stories, support their work, and be inspired to collaborate more boldly in your own projects.
