Soil Association Certification is joining forces with leading online retailer Ocado to deliver the UK’s only organic awards, the BOOMs (Best of Organic Market).
Back for the fourth year, the BOOMs are expanding to celebrate excellence across organic farming, beauty & wellbeing, fashion & textiles and food & drink, reflecting the range of organic-certified businesses working to restore nature, health and a safe climate.
Ocado, which stocks the largest range of organic products in the UK is partnering as headline sponsor of the awards offering an exclusive benefits package to the winner of the WOW (‘Winner of Winners’) award.
Ocado Buying Director, Rose Price, said: “Organic has always been an important part of the Ocado range, so we’re thrilled to be partnering with Soil Association Certification for the 2021 BOOM awards. Our customers can find the largest online range of organic products in the UK, so we’re excited to find and celebrate new and existing suppliers.
“The ‘Winner of Winners’ will be offered a listing on Ocado* if they are not already a supplier plus, a package of exclusive benefits including marketing and social support. We’re looking forward to championing their organic products with our highly engaged customers.”
Entry to the BOOMs is open to all certified organic businesses on 1st December. For 2021, entry is free for any small Soil Association-certified businesses**, in recognition of these challenging times and with generous support from Headline Sponsor Ocado, Associate sponsor Yeo Valley and all Category Sponsors (Alara Wholefoods, English Tea Shop Organic, Omsco, Rachel’s Organic, RB Organic, Riverford Organic Farmers & Robin Appel Ltd.).
Clare McDermott, Business Development Director for Soil Association Certification, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Ocado to deliver the BOOM Awards in 2021. Ocado is a huge supporter of organic and stocks the largest range of organic food and drinks across UK supermarkets, so it’s fantastic to have the team on board.
“2020 has seen organic brands, retailers and businesses highlight the crucial importance of producing food in a way that works with nature to protect soil, encourage wildlife and help tackle the climate crisis – all while demonstrating amazing innovation, even in the face of huge disruptions and challenges.”
2020 has seen the acceleration of a decade of growth in the UK organic market, with new Nielsen market data revealing that the organic market has reached its highest growth level in over 10 years, with buoyant growth of 9.5% for the past 12 months[1]. This includes strong growth throughout the Covid-19 crisis and the market is now on track to reach £2.6bn by end of 2020, exceeding expectations[2], and indicating that £50m per week will have been spent on organic during 2020.
The BOOM Awards are an opportunity for organic businesses to showcase their products and initiatives, celebrate success, generate media coverage and increase sales and listings.
2019 finalist for Best of Organic Pantry, Jacob Thundil OBE, Founder, Cocofina, said: “The BOOM Awards combined with Organic September has been our best-ever marketing campaign. We received requests from over 200 stores for samples, resulting in many products getting sold out and Cocofina gaining over 26 new listings. I am pleased to continue growing in an uncertain trading environment.”
Judging will take place in Spring 2021, with the awards ceremony taking place in Summer.
For more information please visit https://www.soilassociation.org/boomawards.
* The ‘Winner of Winners’ listing is subject to having the required accreditations to satisfy Food Tech and mutual agreement of commercial terms.
** Certified organic sales under £250K and limited to two free entries per business
[1] Nielsen Scantrack Total Coverage Food & Drink Sales 52 & 4w/e 3rd October 2020
2 Originally predicted £2.5bn target in Soil Association Certification Organic Market Report 2020