Lynx Purchasing celebrated its successful partnerships with a broad range of hospitality industry suppliers, with its Supplier Performance Evaluation and Recognition Awards – or SPEAR Awards – for 2024.
The Award ceremony was held during the annual Lynx Purchasing Supplier Conference, hosted this year at Chicheley Hall Hotel, near Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire.
The 2024 conference had a Roman theme. Presenting the SPEAR Awards, Lynx Purchasing Managing Director Rachel Dobson, Sales Director Howard Pearson, and Financial Director Jo Hunt, recognised the passion which its supplier partners show, like gladiators into the arena, to deliver great value for Lynx customers.
With the nominations and winners voted for by the Lynx Purchasing team, the SPEAR Awards 2024 categories and winners were:
Best Newcomer 2024: Winner Mike Menzies, LWC
Nominations: Nitasha Pall, Vegetarian Express and Richard Mathea, Jungs
Rising Star 2024: Winner Danielle Cragg/Max Draper, Novati
Nominations: Ben Murdoch, Matthew Clark and Wilf Smallridge, Ecolab Pest
Best Individual Performance 2024: Winner John Patrick Clarke, Nisbets
Nominations: Rachel Madarasi, Complete and Bradley Eames, Bunzl
Best Added-Value Supplier 2024: Winner Jonathan Dawson, Miko Coffee
Nominations: Nick Blackburn, Olleco and Richard Garner, All Purpose
Partner of The Year 2024: Regional Winner Kamal Dhariwal, Kale & Damson
Nominations: Andy Swanson, Sybron and Ben Cluny, Class One
Partner of The Year 2024: National Winner Gill Hardcastle, Brakes
Nominations: Shane Harley, Direct Seafoods and Vicky Masters, Dole
No Lynx Purchasing Supplier Conference would be complete without a physical challenge, and in keeping with the theme of the day, the delegates were spilt into teams and set the task of designing, building and racing Roman chariots.
Rachel said: “As always, the challenge brought out the competitive spirit in both the Lynx team and our suppliers, and there was plenty of ingenuity and determination from all the teams. It was another successful day, and with the hospitality sector still facing its own challenges, a reminder of how teamwork is the key to delivering the support that operators need.”