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MANCHESTER FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL AWARDS ANNOUNCES HEADLINE SPONSOR THERME MANCHESTER ALONGSIDE SHORTLISTS FOR THE 25 AWARDS
The 2025 Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards shortlist has been announced, and Therme Manchester, the UK’s first urban wellbeing resort under construction in TraffordCity, has been confirmed as the headline sponsor. The winners will be revealed at the MFDF Awards Dinner at New Century on Monday 26th January andthe region’s food and drink fans are invited to vote for the winners now via the MFDF website.
The MFDF Awards are the most prestigious and longest standing awards in the North West and celebrate the region’s exceptional hospitality industry, with 128 nominees this year across 16 categories.This year, the MFDF awards have announced Therme Manchester as the headline sponsor - a transformational large-scale wellbeing destination which will feature pools, saunas, waterslides, and wellbeing therapies set to complete construction in late 2028 and welcome 1.7 million guests in its first year. Therme Manchester will bring a world-class wellbeing resort like no other to the heart of the region for guests of all ages. With a groundbreaking approach to nutrition, hydration, food sustainability and supporting local producers, Therme Manchester’s team of Registered Nutritionists, chefs and sustainability experts are pioneering a new approach to food and beverage at scale. Therme Manchester’s partnership with MFDF marks the continuation of their commitment to the food and drink communities that make Greater Manchester so special.
Alexa Stratton-Powell, Awards Director of Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards, commented:
“We’re delighted to announce Therme Manchester as the headline sponsor for this year’s MFDF awards. The Awards have always reflected the ongoing excellence and innovation here in Greater Manchester. As we welcome Therme Manchester as a partner it’s an opportunity to celebrate the next chapter for our world-class city region and champion the talent and communities that make it extra special. This year’s list of nominees is a phenomenal example of this innovation with talent from all quarters of Greater Manchester to celebrate -from takeaways in Trafford to michelin star meals in Ancoats. The list should serve as a journey of discovery for food lovers around this great region. Please support all your hospitality heroes and vote for them on the awards website.”
Ben Dutson and Charlotte Harbour, joint Heads of Therme RPC, the food and wellbeing function of Therme Manchester commented:
“We’re incredibly proud to partner with the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards — one of the North West’s most significant celebrations of culinary talent. Supporting an event that champions creativity, community, and excellence in food and drink perfectly reflects Therme Manchester’s commitment to wellbeing and shared experiences. We’re looking forward to celebrating the people and places that make Manchester’s dining scene truly exceptional.”
The shortlisted nominations have been compiled by the MFDF Judging Panel, taking into account award submissions from the hospitality industry. The panel is made up of the region’s leading food and drink critics, writers, and experts. The awards are now open to public vote on the MFDF website.
As well as the public vote, a mystery shopping period will now commence where judges will visit nominated venues in some categories or an anonymous dining visit and will score venues based on their experiences.
The mystery shopping and public voting period will end at midnight on 12th January 2026 when the polls will be counted and combined with the judges’ scores and the winner of each category will be chosen.
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Posted on 31 October 2025
