James Cogan has been announced as a finalist for the Employee of the Year Award at the 2026 Staffordshire Chambers Business Awards, sponsored by Ornua Foods.

When Best of British Beer’s General Manager resigned at short notice in early 2025, James was a warehouse team leader with no management experience. What followed says everything about his character. He stepped in immediately to oversee a record-breaking £300,000 order for Moonpig, coordinating 120 pallets across a two-week window and delivering without a single error.

That performance was no one-off. James has since become Moonpig’s account manager, growing the relationship from around £700,000 to £1.4 million in 12 months, with Best of British Beer now holding key supplier status across all Moonpig beer gifting. In his own time he trained as a certified beer sommelier, has twice driven to breweries at dawn to meet packing deadlines, and is now central to the company’s three-year strategy, enabling the founding directors to step back to a four-day week.

Stuart Elford, Chief Executive of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “James is the kind of employee every business hopes for but rarely finds. When the moment came, with no experience, no preparation and no safety net, he stepped up and delivered a record-breaking order without a single mistake. He has not stopped since. Growing a key account from £700,000 to £1.4 million, training as a beer sommelier in his own time, driving to breweries at dawn when needed. He is a thoroughly deserving finalist.”

The winners will be revealed at a gala awards ceremony at Uttoxeter Racecourse on Thursday 9 July 2026, followed by The After Party, a late-night celebration for finalists, winners and partners.

To find out more about the 2026 Staffordshire Chambers Business Awards, visit staffordshirechambers.co.uk/awards.