Great Taste, the acknowledged benchmark for speciality food and drink, has today announced a record number of Welsh winners, with 10 products across Wales achieving the prestigious 3-star accolade in 2015, compared to 3 the previous year.
Judged in Wales for the first time this year by a whole host of experts, including Xanthe Clay, Charles Campion and many other chefs, buyers, restaurateurs and writers, the panel unanimously agreed that the following ten products in Wales delivered that indescribable ‘wow factor’ and with it the chance of becoming the Great Taste Supreme Champion 2015. Of the 10,000 Great Taste international entries, only 130 have been awarded Great Taste 3-star.
Welsh 3-star winners
- Vilberie Medium Dry Cider by Apple County Cider Company
- Haggis by A.J. Pugh Butchers
- Honey Marmalade by Coles Family Brewers
- L’Antico Nero 36 month cured ham by Districts of Italy
- Crystallised Edible Flower by Eat My Flowers
- Mascarpone & Caramelized Fig Ice Cream by Forte’s Ice Cream
- Shirgar Welsh Salted Butter by Gower View Foods Ltd
- Mrs O’s Carrot Cake by Mrs O’s Kitchen & Pop-up Tearoom
- Medium Dry Cider by Pant-Du Cyf
- Ty Tanglwyst Salted Butter by Ty Tanglwyst Dairy
Overall, an impressive 174 coveted Great Taste awards went to products from Wales this year, with 122 entries achieving 1-star, 42 getting 2-stars and 10 being deemed worthy of the 3-star accolade. This year’s competition witnessed a 25% upsurge in Welsh entries, rising from 99 companies entering 374 products in 2014 to 143 companies putting 491 products forward for consideration in 2015.
Deputy Minister for Farming and Food, Rebecca Evans, said,
“Having a record number of Welsh entrants and 3-star winners awarded at this year’s Great Taste is testament to the great strides we are making as a country in raising the profile and reputation of Welsh food and drink.
Having the awards judged on home soil for the first time has helped us showcase the best of the best - but more than that, it is has given our businesses the springboard for future success and enabled us to position Wales as a serious food destination. This will further help us work towards achieving our ambitious target to sustainably grow the food and drink sector by 30% to £7 billion by the year 2020.”
John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food and organiser’s of the industry’s longest running food awards, explains;
"The increase in Welsh 3-star winners this year has been a real pleasure to see, with the traditional foods such as artisan dairy products and cider making a strong showing. I’d like to encourage more food and drink producers in Wales to enter Great Taste in 2016 and beyond, helping to build the profile of Welsh produce to a worldwide audience which we know is eager to source from the list of Great Taste stars."
The announcement of the winner of Great Taste Supreme Champion, sponsored by Harrods, and the Golden Fork Awards will be made in London on the 7 September.
A full list of results can be viewed on the Great Taste Awards website.