2021 Winners

Retailers Retailer of the Year 2021 was awarded to Wagamama CEO Emma Woods.  Emma had big shoes to fill taking the reins at Wagamama, with her predecessors David Campbell and Jane Holbrook both former Retailers’ Retailer of the Year award winners. The CEO, who has a marketing background at Unilever, Pizza Express and Merlin, has confidently upheld the Pan-Asian brand’s positive momentum under its stewardship at The Restaurant Group, adapting under pressure to the havoc wrought by coronavirus.

Having closed the estate in a cost-effective way, Woods relaunched Wagamama with innovative Japanese-style sliding screens, which were both brand-appropriate and safety conscious. One of the few brands to open new sites during the past 12 months, the company’s latest financial results under Woods show her careful cost management and shrewd rent deals saw adjusted EBITDA increase.

Winners of the other 2021 award categories include:

Best Company
Nando’s

Emerging Concept 
Island Poke

Best Venue
The Ivy Asia, St Pauls

Lifetime Achievement
Bob Ivell

Best Concept
Dishoom

Deal of the Year
Côte Restaurants acquisition by Partners Group

Investor of the Year
The Restaurant Group

The Best Use of Technology
Pret A Manger for its Coffee Subscription

The Hero Award
Suzanne Baker, Stonegate Pub Company

Hero Award (Highly commended)
Adelle Taylor, Côte Restaurants

Evolution Award
BrewDog


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    Testimonials

    "One of the best events on the calendar"

    Glyn House Managing Director Caffè Nero

    "The evening brings together the finest operators in the leisure and hospitality sector and is a true celebration of excellence”

    Mark Derry Chief Executive Brasserie Bar Co

    "It's the night in the annual calendar that you definitely get in the diary"

    Simon Potts The Alchemist

    ‘It’s the highlight of the calendar, often referred to as the hospitality version of the Oscars

    Alex Reilley chairman Loungers

    Hugely validating… the cherry on the top to a great evening

    Jess Campbell, head of brand, Dishoom head of brand Dishoom

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    Karl Boyce, Director of Digital, McDonald’s director of digital McDonald’s

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    Laura Harper Hinton and Miles Kirby co-founders Caravan

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    Neil McLeod co-owner Albert’s Schloss

    This is where we meet our peers and legends of the industry. To be recognised in this room is pretty cool

    Oisin Rogers, co-founder, The Devonshire co-founder The Devonshire

    The highest accolade you can get

    Ollie Raison, co-founder, F1 Arcade co-founder F1 Arcade

    This is everything we’ve dreamed of

    Sarah McDermott marketing director BrewDog Bars