Customers seek help from this Wearside firm which is flourishing during the pandemic

Washington-based Bridgewater Bacon is one of the first entries in the recently launched Sunderland Portfolio Awards and is a 2020 success story.

The nomination for the firm, which mainly supplies North East butchers, cafes, caterers, and bakers, said: “During the height of lockdown, sales on our retail website rose tenfold as we supplied hundreds of households across Wearside and the wider North East with meat that was in short supply in supermarkets due to the panic buying.

"Sales into our butchers and bakery clients also increased massively as they saw huge demand from the public.”

Managing director David Kiefer said: “People could not get out to the shops or they found that the shops had run out of meat.

"There were people who were frightened to go out because of the virus.”

He said some customers were in tears when they phoned to ask if Bridgewater Bacon could help them.

Mr Kiefer said success in the awards would mean ‘we would be able to look at ourselves and say ‘we are doing a good job.

"We have a lot of good customers, a lovely website and it would be nice to get some recognition for the business.”

Sunderland City Council is once again the headline sponsor of the Portfolio Awards.

Coun Graeme Miller, Leader of Sunderland City Council, said at the launch of the competition: “Celebrating success is absolutely vital – not only in recognising the achievements of our businesses, but to challenge and inspire others.

"It’s been a tough year, and we know that a great many companies have had a hard time. We must try to maintain focus, stay positive and showcase the incredible work of firms over the last year.”

We are also delighted to welcome on board the partner sponsors for this year’s awards and they are Utillity Alliance, Gentoo, the Autism Society, Station Taxis and Bradley Hall.

The search for the elite of town industry is back and it is the first Portfolio Awards since the coronavirus changed the world.

The first entry in the awards has already been submitted with Bridgewater Bacon following soon after.

But we need more and now it is over to you.

THE CATEGORIES.

Small Business of the Year (under 10 Employees).

Medium Business of the Year (11-50 employees).

Large Business of the Year ( over 50 employees).

Employer of the Year.

Apprentice of the Year.

Technology of the Year.

City Centre Business of the Year.

Creative Industries Award.

Sole Trader of the Year.

New Business of the Year.

Special Community Business Award.

Best Green Business Award.

Social Enterprise Award.

Best Training Provider Award.

Exporter of the Year.

Women in Business Award.

Leisure Business Award.

Lifetime Achievement Award.

Overall Business of the Year.

HOW TO ENTER.

There’s plenty of time to enter before the closing date for nominations and we will reveal them in due course. Then, the judges will then select a shortlist.

All finalists will get to attend the grand finale on Thursday, June 24 next year, at the Stadium of Light.

To nominate, email [email protected].

You can also find out more by visiting here.

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