CGA has announced the winners of the 2019 Hero Awards, the annual celebration of the UK’s leading brands and people in the eating and drinking-out markets.
Leading the list of 16 winners are two Asian restaurant groups who both received two Awards. Indian restaurant group Dishoom takes both the Evolutionary Brand and Best Concept Awards, and Wagamama secures the Most Admired Brand and Consumer Choice Awards. A third Asian brand, Mowgli, receives the Breakthrough Brand Award.
Other big brands on the roll call of winners include Loungers, named Best Company, Zizzi, which takes the Power Brand Award, and The Alchemist, which wins the Brand XP Award. Five Guys secures the Best Service Award, while Greene King’s Farmhouse Inns group wins the Family-Friendly Brand category.
Smaller but fast-growing operators winning Awards include Caravan, named Best Entrepreneurial Company, and Farmer J, winner of the Challenger Brand Award. Completing the list of brand winners are the recipients of two of several new Awards for 2019: Market Halls, which wins Best Destination Opening for its launch in London’s Victoria, and BrewDog, winner of the new International Award.
The Hero Awards also honour two widely respected individuals: Stonegate’s Simon Longbottom, who receives the Industry Leader Award, and London Union’s Jonathan Downey, named Disruptor of the Year.
Hospitality veteran and Stonegate Pub Company founder Ian Payne was named an Industry Icon at CGA’s 2019 Hero & Icon Awards on Wednesday (20 November). The founders of Plan B, the initiative to support women in hospitality, meanwhile received the evening’s Special Award for contributions to the industry.
All the winners received their Awards at a celebratory dinner following CGA’s 2019 Peach 2020 Conference in London on Wednesday 20 November.
CGA vice president Peter Martin says: “Our Award winners are the best of the best—the most inspiring brands and leaders in an industry that is filled with dynamic concepts and brilliant people. It’s been a challenging year for the out-of-home eating and drinking sector, but you wouldn’t guess it from the performance of these superb winners. They share the kind of energy and commitment to consumers and innovation that will stand our industry in good stead as we move into 2020.”
The Award recipients are:
Industry ICON: IAN PAYNE
Special Award: PLAN B
Consumer Choice Presented by Coca-Cola European Partners WAGAMAMA
Family-Friendly Brand Presented by Casual Dining FARMHOUSE INNS
Best Service Presented by Diageo FIVE GUYS
Brand XP Presented by CPL Online THE ALCHEMIST
Power Brand Presented by Groupon ZIZZI
Challenger Brand FARMER J
Breakthrough Brand Presented by Bookatable by Michelin MOWGLI
Evolutionary Brand Presented by Reynolds DISHOOM
Best Concept Presented by Omnivore DISHOOM
Best Destination Opening Presented by Asahi MARKET HALLS, VICTORIA, LONDON
Most Admired Brand Presented by Fourth WAGAMAMA
Disruptor of the Year Presented by Caterer.com JONATHAN DOWNEY, LONDON UNION
Best Company Presented by Zonal LOUNGERS
Best Entrepreneurial Company Presented by RSM UK CARAVAN
International Award Presented by CGA BREWDOG
Industry Leader of the Year Presented by Coffer Corporate Leisure SIMON LONGBOTTOM, STONEGATE
