HENNEY’S Cider, near Worcester and Wye Valley Brewery, near Hereford, have both been shortlisted for the new Best Drinks Producer Award in this year's BBC Food and Farming Awards 2010.

The awards will be hosted by Radio 4's The Food Programme presenter, Sheila Dillon and will take place on Wednesday, November 24 at this year's BBC Good Food Show at Birmingham’s NEC.

Awards presenters will include chefs, James Martin and Raymond Blanc, Countryfile’s John Craven, Blur member turned cheese-maker Alex James and Oz Clarke, who will present this year's new award category for Best Drinks Producer.

Described by Jamie Oliver as “the Oscars of the food world”, the BBC Food & Farming Awards are now in their 11th year.

The awards, to be broadcast in a special edition of BBC Radio 4’s The Food Programme, on November 26, at 9am, celebrate the best of British food and all the finalists have been nominated by the public.

The categories are Best Food Market, Best Takeaway, Best Food Producer, Best Local Food Retailer, BBC Farmer of the Year; Best Dinner Man/Lady/Public Caterer, Best Retail Initiative, The Derek Cooper Award and the new award for Best Drinks Producer.

Judges chairman, chef, Angela Hartnett, said: “This year’s new drinks category is going to be an important way of recognising the dedication of a much neglected group of producers.

“Not only are drinks a crucial part of any meal, they can be the end product of someone determined to keep a tradition alive or guarantee the future of an orchard. That’s what these awards offer, a chance to celebrate something delicious that’s also part of our social fabric.”

The finalists for this year’s awards are:

BEST FOOD MARKET

St George’s Market, Belfast

Stoke Newington Farmers’ Market, London

Stroud Farmers’ Market, Gloucestershire

BEST TAKEAWAY

Kenniford Farm Hog Roast Van, near Exeter

Mr Dutchy’s Caribbean Takeaway, Northampton

BEST FOOD PRODUCER

Alex Gooch (baker), Hay-on-wye, Powys

Brenda Leddy, Stichill Jerseys (dairy), Kelso, Scottish Borders

Guy Tulberg, (The Tracklements Co.) Malmesbury, Wiltshire

BEST DRINKS PRODUCER

Henney’s Cider, near Worcester

Sipsmith, London Dry Gin, London

Wye Valley Brewery, near Hereford

BEST LOCAL FOOD RETAILER

Cranstons Food Hall, Penrith, Cumbria

Darts Farm Shop, near Exeter, Devon

Welsh Seafoods, Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire

BBC FARMER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Jonathan Birchall, Farm Manager for Pilkington Farms, Hitchin, Hertfordshire

Geoff Kidd, Marine Farm Manager, Scottish Sea Farms, Isle of Mull

Paul Mansfield, Nickle Farm, Canterbury, Kent

BEST DINNER MAN/LADY/PUBLIC CATERER

Bob Davies, Easingwold Secondary School, York

Rose Southern, Normanton Retirement Home, Shrewsbury

Ralf Strunz, Grove Children and Family Centre, Peckham, London

BEST RETAIL INITIATIVE

Sainsbury’s Carbon Footprint Initiative

The Hand Made Bakery, Slaithwaite

Fodder, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate

THE DEREK COOPER AWARD

Richard Lutwyche.

Middlesborough Environment City

The National Trust

More details at www.bbc.co.uk/foodawards