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The Natural & Organic Awards, the industry’s benchmark for excellence, quality and innovation, took place on the evening of Sunday 5 April 2009 at Pillar Hall, Olympia with a fantastic after party at Kensington Roof Gardens. The annual awards, backed by Natural Products magazine and the Soil Association, saw international brands join start-up enterprises at the highlight of the industry calendar. 

Winners of the Soil Association Organic Awards 2009 were announced by Jo Fairley – co-founder of Green & Blacks and author of The Beauty Bible – at the Natural & Organic Products Annual Industry Awards [5 April]. [1] In a change to previous years, the public were involved in making the final choice for the organic retail award by voting for their favourite organic retailer online.

Jo Fairley commented on the awards,
“I was extremely impressed by the high quality of entrants. We hear so much about consumers looking for value but there are also many enlightened shoppers who are looking for products and retailers with values. These winners are a great place for people to start.”

Molly Conisbee, Soil Association director of communications, said,
“The awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the best in organic products. Although many consumers are tightening their belts it’s exciting that organic health & beauty and textile products are increasing sales at such a rapid pace and that there are many organic businesses bucking the recessionary trend.”

Five Soil Association Organic Awards were presented to businesses that have helped set the standard for innovation, quality and commitment within the organic industry. [2]

Winner of the Best Organic Textile Product:

Continental Clothing. T-shirts from their EarthPositive brand
The Earthpositive product range was conceived in 2007 with the objective of producing attractive and commercially viable organic cotton casual wear that would maximize positive and minimize negative environmental, social and economic impacts along the supply and value chain. EarthPositive is ethically made, 100% organic and manufactured solely using sustainable energy generated from wind power.

Winner of the Best Organic Retail Award:

Riverford Organic Vegetables
Riverford grows organic vegetables and packs and delivers them direct to around 70,000 households from their five ‘sister’ farms around the UK. Their aim is to make organic fruit and vegetables accessible and affordable to all. They deliver free to customers’ doors by the shortest possible route and have extended their product range to help customers reduce shopping trips.

Winner of the Best Organic Baby product:

Maclaren Absorbing Dusting Powder
The Maclaren Absorbing Dusting Powder is made using talc-free natural mineral and plant ingredients to take care of baby’s tender skin, soothing and preventing irritation. Lavender and antiseptic Tea Tree essential oils are blended with Cornstarch and Kaolin, the perfect natural absorbent.

Winner of the Best Organic Facial Skincare Product:

Lucy Russell Organics Rose Toner
Lucy Russell Organics creates hand-made organic skin care using the most delicate and beneficial essential oils available. The Rose Toner is a simple but exquisite blend of pure organic rosewater and rare organic Persian rose essential oil chosen for their incredible benefits to the skin. The Rose Toner has been designed to soothe and refresh even the most sensitive skin and is particularly beneficial for dry, ageing and irritated skin types. Packaged in a deep blue glass bottle with a fine mist spray it is a perfect addition to any skincare routine.

Winner of the Best Organic Bodycare Product:

Essential Care Coconut Candy Scrub
“Possibly the tastiest product we’ve ever made!” say Essential Care’s mother-daughter team Margaret & Abi Weeds. This is an exquisite 100% organic body scrub with gently exfoliating sugar cane crystals – rich in glycolic acid to revitalise the skin – delicately blended with deliciously fragrant virgin coconut oil and cocoa butter to leave skin moisturised and silky smooth. The latest addition to Essential Care’s hand-made bodycare range.”

Other winners included;

BEST ORGANIC BODYCARE PRODUCT
Essential Care, Coconut Candy Scrub

BEST NEW FOOD PRODUCT
Juice Master – Juice in a Bar 

BEST NEW NON-FOOD PRODUCT
All Dog Bakery – Holistic Dog Biscuits

BEST NEW VMS PRODUCT
Nature’s Aid – Echineeze

BEST NEW NATURAL BEAUTY PRODUCT
Finders International – Dead Sea Spa Magik Salt Sensation

BEST NEW PACKAGING DESIGN
Spiezia Organic Ltd 

BEST INDEPENDENT RETAILER
Beanbag Natural Health Ltd, Witney

NAHS RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Natures Choice, Enniskillen 

BEST NEW ORGANIC FOOD PRODUCT
Bacheldre Watermill – Organic Baking Kit