13 August 2008
 

Curraghchase Free Range Pork from Kilcornan, Co. Limerick is celebrating after winning a prestigious Great Taste Award. Curraghchase Free Range Pork has been presented with a much-desired (one star / two star / three star) Gold Great Taste Award for Sausages, White Pudding and Streaky Rashers.

 

The Great Taste Awards, which is organised by the Guild of Fine Food and often referred to as the Oscars of the food industry, is this year celebrating its 15^th anniversary.  A Great Taste Award is the authoritative, independent standard for Britain’s fine food sector: more and more consumers recognise the gold & black logo as the benchmark for independently proven fine food.  However, winning a coveted Great Taste Award is much more than recognition for excellence; it is one of the most powerful tools to help grow business in the specialty food sector.

 

The awards generate huge business for those who achieve the gold standard. In just three weeks last September, the excitement created by the 2007 results increased sales to the tune of £640,000 in 524 Guild members’ stores. Over the past five years, they have generated over £2.6 million additional sales and 19,900 new listings. Last year’s Supreme Champion winner was a free-range pork pie from Walter Smith’s butchers in Birmingham. Before Walter Smith’s won the Supreme Champion award, pork pies made up less than 1% of their sales but they now represent over 10% and their pies are now sold through Selfridges.

 

The Great Taste Awards judging standards, devised by the Guild of Fine Food, are the most rigorous in the UK. Every entry is blind tasted by teams of experts. By the time it earns gold, it will have been assessed by at least three different teams. All the judges’ comments are made available to producers. If no gold is awarded, they need to know how and why.  This year’s judges include Alex James, farmer, journalist and bass player with Blur, Mark Hix, the chef’s chef, Charles Campion from Evening Standard & The Independent, Tom Parker-Bowles of UKTV Food’s Market Kitchen and national food journalist Fiona Sims.

 

Bob Farrand of the Guild of Fine Food, said: “These awards have been running for 15 years now and are a recognised mark of excellence that consumers can trust and rely on.

 

“The winning products have been through a thorough judging process and we are able to assure consumers that the Great Taste Award logo, which all award winners can use, signifies genuine, proven fine food.  It’s not just a supermarket premium marketing slogan that bears almost no relation to the quality of the food in the packet.

 

“The Great Taste Awards reflect what is happening in the fine food halls, delicatessens and farm shops throughout the UK and during judging we tasted some fantastic gourmet delicacies from all over the world.”