The Quality Food & Drink Awards (QFDA) has announced the relaunch of its drinks categories for 2026, establishing a dedicated platform to recognise excellence across beer and cider, wines, spirits and aperitifs, no/lo, ready to drink and speciality drinks. The relaunched categories reflect the continued evolution of the UK drinks market, with a view to recognising established favourites alongside emerging formats such as orange and skin contact wines, agave spirits, contemporary aperitifs and alcohol-free alternatives.

Now in its 48th year and with a refreshed identity for 2026, the Quality Food & Drink Awards continues to set the benchmark for excellence across retail and foodservice, recognising the products, brands and businesses shaping how the UK eats and drinks. Entries are open across four main areas: Beer & Cider, Wines, Spirits & Aperitifs, and Low/No, Ready to Drink & Speciality Drinks.

The categories cover a broad range of products, also including gin, rum, whisky, tequila, fortified wines, and RTD cocktails. This increased variety reflects the continued evolution of the drinks market with dedicated recognition for both renowned favourites and new formats.

The 2026 drinks judging panel will be chaired by Sarah Jane Evans MW, an award-winning wine writer, journalist and consultant. Sarah Jane is a widely experienced wine judge who brings extensive international expertise in wine, taste and flavour to the judging process. She is a former Co-Chair of the Decanter World Wine Awards.

Products will be assessed against criteria including taste, aroma, ingredients, provenance, appearance, packaging, value for money and innovation. The judging process is designed to recognise drinks that demonstrate outstanding quality while also offering genuine appeal within a competitive retail market.

Atma Hyett, Brand Director, Quality Food & Drink Awards, said: “The drinks industry is home to an incredible amount of creativity, expertise and innovation, from established producers refining much loved products to emerging brands creating entirely new drinking occasions.

“Our drinks categories provide a dedicated platform to recognise this quality, helping outstanding products build credibility, increase their visibility and stand out to retailers, buyers and consumers. We’re looking forward to discovering the producers and products shaping what the UK will be drinking next.”

Sarah Jane Evans, Owner of Sarah Jane Evans MW said: “These Awards have a long history – I remember featuring them when I was Associate Editor at BBC Good Food magazine. So it’s especially good to know that the Drinks category is being relaunched this year, and I am delighted to join them as Chair to lead the process. There has been a huge amount of change in the worlds of wines, beers and spirits – not forgetting the no/lo category. It will be great to champion the best.

As a Master of Wine I judge wines all over the world, ‘blind’ – that’s to say without sight of the label and without being influenced. That’s why I am looking forward to these Awards, as we judge not just the liquid, but the entire packaging proposition: provenance, innovation, shelf appeal, sustainability factors, and price point/value. This is what sets these Awards apart. It’s a two-stage process. We assess the entries as experts in our different specialisms, but then we consider them as a buyer or a consumer would.”

The Quality Food & Drink Awards 2026 drinks categories are open for entries now. Entries submitted before Friday 21st August can benefit from a reduced entry fee, with all entries closing at midnight on Friday 4th September.

To explore the full list of drinks categories and submit an entry, click here.