​Entries are now open and we’re encouraging businesses across Northern Ireland’s food and drink sector to put themselves in the running.

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The Rising Star Award recognises and celebrates the outstanding achievements and emerging leadership of young professionals within Northern Ireland’s food and drink industry. 

Judges will look for clear evidence of impact, innovation and leadership potential, demonstrated through measurable results, feedback from others and a positive influence on the wider organisation and sector.

The deadline for completed applications is Monday 12th January 2026 at 6pm.

We wish your rising star the best of luck.

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The Rising Star Award sets out to both recognise and inspire the future leaders and change makers within the Northern Ireland Food and Drinks Industry.

The candidate should meet the following criteria:

The young professional should be aged 30 or under as of 8th February 2026.

The young professional should demonstrate strong leadership qualities and the ability to inspire and motivate others in the food and drink industry.

The young professional should have made a significant impact on the food and drink industry.

The young professional should demonstrate the potential to become a future leader and influence in the food and drink industry.

The individual should be nominated by an employer or industry representative.

QUESTIONS TO ANSWER

Question 1: How do you identify future leadership qualities, those who will have the ability to inspire and motivate others within the food and drink industry? (40 marks)

We would like to hear how your nomination meets the below criteria:

Job Excellence (10 marks), Innovative Contributions and Exemplary Performance (10 marks), Customer and Team Centric (10 marks), Professional Development (10 marks) 

Question 2: How would their colleagues and/or customers/suppliers describe this person when they are not in the room? (10 marks)

Enter Now