Industry peers vote New West Foods Australian Foodservice Distributor of the Year
More than 400 foodservice industry professionals gathered at the stunning Lakeside Pavilion, Albert Park on Tuesday 1 September to celebrate the FoodService Association Australia (FSAA) National Awards of Excellence.
The prestigious title of Australian Foodservice Distributor of the Year was awarded to Western Australia’s New West Foods in a win that has secured its position as the premier distributor of foodservice products both in WA and across Australia.
The Distributor of the Year title and every category award is decided by industry peers, meaning that manufacturers, suppliers and businesses vote accordingly based on their own experiences with distributors.
However, the Foodservice Innovation Award and both Scholarships are assessed separately by a panel of industry professionals.
"A peer vote cannot be won on presentation," FSAA Chief Executive Officer Minnie Constan said. "The people casting the votes are the manufacturers, suppliers and operators who deal with these businesses every week. They reward service, consistency, and how a company responds when something goes wrong. That is the benchmark this industry has set for itself."
FSAA National Awards: Other Categories
- Australian Food Supplier of the Year: Anchor Food Professionals
- Australian Beverage Supplier of the Year: Bega Foodservice
- Australian Packaging Supplier: Huhtamaki Tailored Packaging
- Australian Commercial Equipment Supplier of the Year: Unox Australia (for the fourth consecutive year)
- Australian Foodservice Innovation of the Year: RATIONAL Australia for the RATIONAL iHexagon (an intelligent commercial oven that combines steam, convection heat, and microwave energy across all six racks to cook food up to 30% to 40% faster.)
Eleven state and territory Foodservice Distributor of the Year awards were presented across metropolitan and regional operations, from Two Providores in NSW Metro and Red Funnel in NSW Regional inc. ACT, through to Doppio Foods in Tasmania and Pearl Coast Distributors in Western Australian Regional.
Kerry Smith, Chairperson and Independent Chair of Premier Fresh Australia, was inducted into the FSAA Hall of Fame. Meanwhile, Dr. Karen Abbey - Director of Nutrition & Catering Consultancy (NACC), Founder & CEO of the Nutrition and Catering Institute (NACi), and Founder of the Nutrition and Catering Global Hub, received the Chairperson’s Honour Award.
Darren Grosser of Galipo Food Co won the Marketing Scholarship, delivered in partnership with the Restaurant & Foodservice Show. Available exclusively to FSAA company members, it equips marketers with the ecommerce and digital marketing skills the sector now depends on for growth.
Daniel Nilsson of IPC won the Business Management Scholarship, valued at over $20,000 and the first of its kind in Australian foodservice. Offered each year to FSAA company members and their teams, it covers a management program run over six days at Melbourne Business School, one of Australia’s leading institutions for executive education. The program is created for people already running teams, budgets or business units, and it is awarded on merit.
"Both scholarships are an investment in the people who will lead this industry next," Ms Constan said. "Our members already support the growth of their teams. What we add is structured learning, a fresh perspective and the confidence to take on broader responsibilities, and it has shaped a number of careers. We also thank our Platinum Partners and our Awards Partners. Without their support, we could not deliver the programs this industry relies on.”
The full list of winners:
FSAA, 8th September 2026
