euro prize

Marijntje (in the middle) collects the trophy

We won a prize. We think it's the first prize we've one for being a good European (as opposed to British) company, so we are naturally getting excited and doing a whoopee dance.

Specifically, the prize was the European Business Award for Growth Strategy. After winning the regional and national heats at the end of last year, we were up against some big guns like EDF Energy and O2 this time around. We did very well to win.

Niels and Marijntje from our Dutch office went to pick up the award. Here's a picture of Niels trying to break it during the train ride home.

most influential company 2006

We were voted Most Influential Company in the Best Of 2006 lists on the howies website. We're flattered. We're not the best company in the world but it's nice that people are interested in what we're doing. And howies, you ain't too bad yourselves.

nice prize

We won two prizes. This time it was at the National Business Awards, where we won Growth Strategy of the Year and Business Innovation of the Year (for our kids drinks). These awards are a pretty big deal, hence the fact that we're chuffed, mainly because it means we did the right things at the right time.

In a break with tradition, there will be no pictures of people arseing about in black tie/posh frocks. Instead, here is the official picture of Richard (on the right) picking up the prize from a man called Steve (left).

good things come in threes

Mike (left) gets the prize

It's been a good few weeks. First the Food Industry award, then the Marketing Week prize, and now the judges special prize at the Food Manufacture Excellence Awards.

This prize was again for the backroom bit of our business. We know it's a bit boring when we go on about it, but being recognised for the way we actually make and distribute our drinks is something special. It means we're beating bigger, richer companies, who have a whole load more people and experience to help them. As Mike (our proud Operations Manager) says  "Our supply chain is recognised by the industry as being one of the best in the business, from the sourcing of our ingredients through to the manufacturing and supply process."

our Operations team, on a slope

And our favourite quote of the evening? When the man on the stage said "Innocent Drinks are a role model to the whole manufacturing industry". Tears were shed.

Matt left the trousers at home but kept the fashionistas happy with this stunning bow tie

a very special award

Last week we won Best New Product of the Year at the Marketing Week Effectiveness Awards. The prize was to recognise our new range of kids smoothies, so we were pretty chuffed.

Here's Jo (in white) collecting the award. Jo's in charge of our kids' drinks, so this was her big night. Doesn't she look smashing? (Well, she would do if we could focus the camera.)

and the winners are...

We won a prize. We were competing against some very big companies like Unilever and Nestle to win the Sir Ian MacLaurin Award for Supply Chain Excellence at the 2006 IGD Food Industry Awards and we did it.

It was awarded to "the company that has had a quantifiable impact on the supply chain, demonstrating a major step-change over and above everyday trading requirements, with innovative, sustainable initiatives." What this means is that we make the right amount of smoothies, deliver them on time to the right place, pretty much 100% of the time, without screwing up. It's probably the toughest thing about making fresh drinks - making sure that we make the right amount and that they get into your hands with no discernible hiccups. The fact that we've been recognised for doing it well is something that makes us proud.

And it makes us especially proud of our Operations team, who make all of this possible. They work their backsides off and this was just reward.

They were a little tender on Thursday.

the ladies (and Jon)


the gents