We are finalists for Food and Drink StartUp of the Year at the UK StartUp Awards 2024.
Yes, that’s right, Veafy is a candidate in the category of Food and Drink StartUp of the Year at the UK StartUp Awards.
This highly-acclaimed gong will be awarded to one innovative, emerging business in each of the ten UK regions, with us vying to be named best of the Midlands! (Spoiler alert: we already are)
The UK StartUp Awards was launched to recognise the booming start-up scene across the UK which has accelerated over the last few years with over 900,000 new businesses founded in the UK in 2023, a 12% increase from the year before.
As you may expect, we are absolutely delighted to have made the final shortlist, and to have a chance for our African inspired, vegan friendly flavours to compete with some of the best up-and-coming enterprises for the title of Food and Drink StartUp of the Year 2024.
Over 900 businesses have been shortlisted for this year’s UK StartUp Awards and the contribution of these firms – all of which were started in the last three years – is significant, having created nearly 6,000 new jobs since they were established and generating annual sales of £480 million.
Veafy is an innovative foodtech startup delivering African-inspired, plant-based cuisine to households nationwide, and was founded by Tendai Taruvinga in 2020. The business has been nominated for the Food and Drink StartUp of the Year Award in the Midlands.
Tendai, founder of Veafy, said: “To have made the shortlist for the UK StartUp Awards is a momentous achievement for us, and is reflective of the progress we are making with our purpose-driven mission to bring our African-inspired, planet-friendly food to a global audience.
Since launching in 2020, we have sold thousands of our African-inspired, artisan ready meals to food lovers all across the UK, both through our website and at fairs and exhibitions across the country, signifying the simmering demand for the unique and authentic flavours of continental Africa.
- Learn more about the origins of the Veafy brand
- Recap the moment we were named as Young Innovators Awards winners
- How excited are you of us becoming UK StartUp Awards finalist? Send us your views here
Featuring in the Food and Drink StartUp of the Year 2024 category for the Midlands is of great significance to not only me — as someone who grew up in the Midlands — but to Veafy as an emerging enterprise, and it is a great honour to be a candidate for this prestigious award.
Throughout the Midlands the food and drink scene continues to flourish, so we relish this fantastic opportunity to proudly represent the culinary excellence which our region is celebrated for.”
Supported nationally by ScoreApp, GS1 UK, Starling Bank, OVHcloud, GiftRound, Airwallex, the programme will celebrate the achievements of the amazing individuals who have turned an idea into an opportunity and taken the risk to launch a new product or service.
The cohort of finalists will be considered for the regional prizes by a panel of seasoned judges with experience founding or supporting entrepreneurial ventures. The winners from each region will then be invited to the first UK final taking place at Ideas Fest, the Glastonbury for Business festival in Tring, Hertfordshire on 12th September 2024.
Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE, the creator of the UK StartUp Awards, said:
“Start-up businesses are the lifeblood of any economy, being responsible for new jobs, innovation and wealth creation across the UK. All the finalists this year represent the best of those entrepreneurs who have spotted an opportunity and through their sheer hard work, talent and perseverance, have created amazing new businesses that are creating real impact in their sectors. Building on the success of previous years, we are now looking to identify the ‘best of the best’ with all the finalists who win their category in their region going on to represent their region at the first ever UK National StartUp Awards final later this year”.
The UK StartUp Awards was created in collaboration with the team behind the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, one of the most successful awards programmes in the UK. The UK StartUp Awards are running for the third year after launching in 2022.
This year’s regional UK StartUp Awards finalists can be found online at https://startupawards.uk/
