Online retailer Ocado has announced the return of its nationwide campaign to find “the next big thing in British food and drink”.

Online supermarket Ocado is calling for small food and drink producers to battle it out to be crowned Britain’s Next Top Supplier.

The business will win a listing with Ocado and will receive a £20,000 marketing package to promote their product.

Now in its third year, Britain’s Next Top Supplier will see entrants pitch their product to Ocado buyers. The competition is aimed at producers who want to grow their business “but need a helping hand and some expert guidance on how to get in front of a major retailer”, according to Ocado.

Hannah Rhodes of Hiver Beer, a former winner, has since been able to expand from a small-scale start-up into a successful business. Ocado said her sales grew five times faster than the rest of its beer category in 2016.

Stuart Rose, Ocado chairman, said: “There are some truly fantastic producers in the UK and this competition could change their lives overnight, as winning would give even the smallest business the opportunity to distribute their product to Ocado customers across the nation.”

Rose Price, head buyer at Ocado and a judge in the competition, said: “I’ll be looking for a passionate supplier with some entrepreneurial flair and the willingness to work with us to make our partnership a success.”               

Entrants should visit the Ocado website for more information. To qualify, suppliers can only enter a food or drink product not currently stocked at Asda, Waitrose, Morrisons, Tesco or Sainsbury’s.