First ever organic beauty product award at the Soil Association Organic Industry Awards 2006

First ever organic beauty product award at the Soil Association Organic Industry Awards 2006

Over 500 delegates attended the Soil Association Organic Trade Conference 2006. Six hugely popular seminars were held over two days.^[1]

Informed and inspiring speakers sparked lively debate among the audience, on a wide range of hot organic topics from textiles and health & beauty products to baby food and catering.

Lizzie Vann, managing director of the Organix Company, which promotes healthy food for children, dished the dirt on the Dirty Dozen (the twelve worst additives found in our food). And Neil Chadwick, owner of Soil Association licensed General Clothing Stores Ltd, looked at the future of organic fashion.

Seven Organic Industry Awards were given out at the event including the first ever certified organic beauty product award, won by Cornwall based Spiezia for their organic lemongrass and marigold soap. And the newly launched Best Restaurant award, won by The Austwick Traddock for their total commitment to the organic movement, situated in the picturesque Yorkshire Dales.

The winners of the other five other categories were:

Best Large Store
Oliver’s Wholefoods & Natural Remedies (London) for their devotion to the organic sector. The shop is community orientated often hosting open evenings and talks.

Best Small Store
Pillars of Hercules (Fife), a remote, grass roots company which has fought against the odds.

Business Person of the Year
Bill Henry, managing director of Community Foods (London), an organic pioneer, who has made big roads into the organic sector with massive personal input.

Best Delivery / Internet Service
The Well Hung Meat Company (Devon) for their an attractive, easy to use website.

Best Consumer Education Campaign
The Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative (Somerset), who have demonstrated year on year commitment and have been dedicated throughout desperate times in the dairy industry.

The awards were presented at the 13th Natural & Organic Products Annual Industry Awards after an organic dinner, provided by Soil Association licensee Passion Organic, at Hammersmith Palais, London, Sunday 9 April.

Helen Taylor, business development director at the Soil Association says:
“The show and the seminars were a tremendous success, demonstrating the popularity of not only organic food but the organic health & beauty and textiles markets.
In 2005 and so far in 2006 the Soil Association has experienced a fantastic growth in food processing, retail, and health & beauty departments, with many new businesses signing up for certification. A very positive reflection of the buoyant increase in interest in organic products”.

Nicknamed the ‘Silent Hero’ by the Soil Association judges, Bill Henry managing director of Community Foods and winner of the Business Person of the Year award says:
“I was surprised but extremely pleased to be the recipient of this award. I have always been hugely passionate about organic food, not just because it tastes better but because of the benefits to the environment and the growers. To me, organic farming offers everything - safe food, great taste and consideration for the environment. It is the only truly sustainable option in the long term for everyone.”

Ends

Why go Organic? Visit: http://www.whyorganic.org/