Innovative dairy-free chocolate and ice-cream brand Booja-Booja was named Large Brand of the Year at the Free From Food Awards in London on 20 June.

Commenting on the win, Booja-Booja MD Matt Gilding said: “This prestigious award values our passion for creating amazingly delicious free-from products; a passion that we’ve been nurturing and expressing for more than 20 years. We understand the challenges of free-from production, we have a dedicated, free-from factory and we are rigorous in our testing and training. We are committed to making chocolates and ice creams that consumers will not only enjoy but can fully trust.

“This award recognises that we are not just part of the growing free-from sector but a leader in free-from production in the UK, and we are delighted to be honoured in this way by the industry experts at the Free From Food Awards.”

The accolade topped off the company’s most successful year at the Free From Food Awards, where it was also awarded two Gold, five Silver and three Bronze awards.

“Every year we see the same commitment from the industry to making safer, healthier and more delicious products for the food hypersensitive consumer”

The awards, held in central London, are the UK’s only industry awards for free-from food and drink and encourage innovation and the celebration of excellence in the sector.

Other winners on the night included Voakes Free From’s Traditional Scotch Egg, winning Free From Food Product of the Year; M&S Made Without Korean Style Chicken Sandwich scooping Retailer Product of the Year; and Campervan Brewery’s Extra Black – the first gluten-free nitro porter to go into a widget can –  taking home the award for Free From Drink Product of The Year.

“Government grants could be given for allergen testing solutions”

“Every year we see the same commitment from the industry to making safer, healthier and more delicious products for the food hypersensitive consumer, and 2025 is no exception,” says Awards’ CEO, Cressida Langlands. “But the sector now needs a champion, so let’s get behind the Allergy Tsar campaign, to ensure a better understanding of allergies and uniform approaches to manufacturing. Government grants could be given for allergen testing solutions such as those offered by Romer Labs and SGS.”

During the ceremony, Tanya Ednan Laperouse of the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation introduced the 2025 Free From Hero, Kitt Medical’s ‘it’s a defibrillator, but for allergies’. The wall-mounted kit is stocked with adrenaline pens and an accompanying platform that monitors expiry dates, triggers replacements and provides a CPD-accredited training course. It already operates in hundreds of locations across the country and, as of 18 June this year, has already saved 16 lives.

You can find all the results and winners on the Free From Awards website.