Great Taste Book 2024-25 by Guild of Fine Food

DISCOVER A WHOLE WORLD

GREAT TASTE BOOK

OF AWARD-WINNING

FOOD & DRINK

Over the course of four months in 2024, an independent 500-strong panel of judges worked their way through 13,672 entries from across the globe to select 5,590 fantastic foods and delicious drinks to recommend to you.

This edition of Great Taste Book showcases a selection of those recommendations across the 1-, 2- and 3-stars awarded this year. Organised by the Guild of Fine Food, Great Taste champions excellence across a broad range of products and ingredients.

To help you navigate these award-winning products listed in these pages, we have arranged them into categories, listed here on the right. Each entry includes a website or social media handle, so you can locate local stockists or nd out where to buy online. If you’re looking for those local stockists, make sure you check out our online directory of independent retailers: . o.u dire or

Along with product information, this book will introduce you to some of the winners of Great Taste’s national and international trophies, the Golden Forks, and the coveted Supreme Champion of 2024. We’ll also invite you to take a look at the awards – and the producers and retailers we champion – through the eyes of the new Great Taste Podcast.

We hope this issue of Great Taste Book will guide you in your discovery of some truly great tasting products, and provide an insight into what it takes to make the very best food and drink.

Editor: Michael Lane. Deputy Editor: Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox. Art Director: Mark Windsor. Photography: Richard Faulks (Features) & Tim Johnston (Products). Layout: Richard Charnley. Features Writer: Claire Bullen

Jenna Morice, Claire Powell, Chloë Warren-Wood

THE STORIES BEHIND THE STARS

GREAT TASTE opened the doors wider than ever this year, with the launch of the Great Taste Podcast. Taking listeners behind the scenes of the world’s largest and most trusted food and drink accreditation scheme, the podcast set out to make people more aware of the amazing work and e ort that goes into creating good food and drink, and why well-produced food is so important, not only for our health, but also for our communities, our economy, our land and, of course, our taste buds.

Eagerly following the judging process of the 13,672 entries received from 3,495 companies hailing from a whopping 115 countries this year, the podcast team visited the judging venues in Dorset and London. They witnessed some of the 500 industry experts that make up the Great Taste judging panel blind-taste, sometimes award stars and write feedback for each and every entry. From critics, chefs and recipe creators, to buyers, retailers, journalists, broadcasters and experts in the eld, the judges share their experiences throughout the podcast.

1-STAR

A product that delivers fantastic ﬂavour 2 . % of entries achieved this rating.

2-STAR

Above and beyond delicious in 202 , 10% of entries achieved this impressive rating.

3-STAR

E traordinarily tasty foods only 1. % products were awarded 3-stars in 202 . Don t leave the shop without it.

THE GOLDEN FORKS

The podcast series culminates at the Golden Forks, a celebration of the very best producers from around the world. Products achieving 3-stars were rejudged to determine the trophy winner from each country. The highest scoring product in Great Taste is awarded the prestigious title of Supreme Champion, which this year went to MelicretaLeontarakis for its exquisite Cretan Thyme Honey.

Guild of Fine Food (Sam Pelly)

MEET THE MAKERS

Venturing further a eld, the podcast journeyed up and down the UK to meet Great Taste award-winners, to hear directly about how winning an award can impact a company and to learn more about the people who make it their business to produce some of the tastiest food and drink in the world.

Looking in on a Basque cheesecake baker in London, mead brewers from Wales, hot sauce producers in Nottingham, a butcher in Northern Ireland and a chocolatier from Scotland to name but a few, the Great Taste Podcast team spent time with producers of all shapes and sizes to nd out what inspires and drives them to create excellent products.

SOUGHT OUT BY RETAILERS AND FOOD LOVERS

Along the way, the Great Taste Podcast stopped by a number of independent retailers all seeking to champion and stock their shelves with the very best food and drink available. Now recognised as a stamp of excellence, retailers around the world look to Great Taste for recommendations. What’s more, food lovers seeking out the very best food and drink now recognise and look for Great Taste stars when making purchasing choices.

I’ve got customers who will go around the shop looking for Great Taste stickers, fill their baskets with those and there will be nothing that hasn’t got a Great Taste sticker in their basket.

Danny Fisher, Greensmiths and Gladwell’s

Most people are not in it for monetary benefit. It’s people’s life stories, it’s people’s family histories.

Amy Poon, Poon’s Pantry

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts - greattastepodcast.com. The Great Taste Podcast is an original podcast from RATCHET in partnership with the Guild of Fine Food.

Great Taste is organised by the Guild of Fine Food: check out gff.co.uk for more activities supporting small producers and independent retailers.

Guild of Fine Food (Sam Pelly)

DAIRY DELIGHT

Located on the edge of the New Forest, Lyburn Farm isn’t exactly in a cheesemaking heartland, but it has developed a range, including the muchlauded Stoney Cross, that is up there with the best of British cheeses.

It’s not the cheesemaker who decides what a cheese will be. It’s the cheese that teaches the cheesemaker who it is.

At least that’s what Mike Smales, who co-owns Lyburn Farmhouse Cheesemakers, tends to believe. Although the dairy’s much-awarded Stoney Cross is o en likened to a Tomme de Savoie – and regularly confused with Caerphilly or Cornish Yarg – the cheese is singular and irreplicable, an entity all its own.

“There wasn’t any inspiration [behind its creation]. We just ddled around in the cheese room for a year until we’d got something that ticked the box,” says Mike, who developed Stoney Cross alongside former head cheesemaker Paul Thomas. “It’s not meant to be a Tomme de Savoie. Those guys have been making Tomme de Savoie for quite a long time, and they’re slowly learning how to do it. Just like we’ve slowly learnt how to do Stoney Cross.”

Although the Smales family has worked at Lyburn Farm – located on the edge of the New Forest – for some 50 years, cheese wasn’t originally in the picture. Instead, they produced milk from a herd of 200 dairy cows, and also grew pumpkins and other vegetables. But eventually, “I took the view that there’s no future in selling milk to supermarkets,” Mike says. “So we started ddling about making a little bit of cheese, only in a very small way, for a year. We bought out a second-hand Portakabin and then moved forward with

what is essentially a gouda-style recipe.”

That rst cheese was Lyburn Gold, which – as a semi- rm, washed-curd cheese – is closer in style to a young gouda than a classic West Country cheddar. Still, the local audience craved something cheddaradjacent, so Smales decided to age Lyburn Gold for nine months (when it becomes the crystalline and nutty Winchester) or up to 18 months (when it graduates to Old Winchester).

Developed roughly 15 years ago, Stoney Cross is the youngest of Lyburn’s cheeses, and a departure from the rest of its range (although, like the others, it is made exclusively from the farm’s own pasteurised milk). And while its origins may have been unfailingly pragmatic – the dairy needed a faster-ripening cheese to improve cash ow – it still carries a whi of the romantic.

Inside these mould-ripened truckles, handsome in their grey coats, the paste is creamy, almost buttery, sweet and earthy all at once. Mike describes it as wonderfully moreish, capable of holding its own on a cheese board, but better savoured on its own than grated into a sandwich.

“Stoney Cross is just a re ection of the terroir and the milk and the cows that surrounds us,” he says. “I don’t know what would happen if somebody else tried to make it in Yorkshire – it might turn out quite di erently. It is what it is.” lyburnfarm.co.uk

We just fiddled around in the cheese room for a year until we’d got something that ticked the box.

WHAT IS A BEVERAGE SAUCE?

Our beverage sauce adds taste, colour, and visual appeal! Mix it into milkshakes or frappes for a rich mango punch, or use it in an ISI gun to whip up flavoured cream!

WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT?

It tastes great! (Pun absolutely intended.)

Packed with 50% fruit, our Great Taste award-winning sauce offers a 10ml dosage rate, while the market average is 15ml. So, each bottle goes the extra mile, saving you time, money, and probably a few eye-rolls from jealous onlookers!

GARLIC & CORIANDER NAAN ★ AAGRAH FOODS aagrahfoods.com

Having delighted diners in its Yorkshire restaurants for nearly 0 years, Aagrah has brought a restaurant- uality naan to the retail channel. Handmade and ﬂame-baked in a tandoor style oven, this light and ﬂuffy naan is not only the classic curry accompaniment, it is also great as a pizza base or a wrap for kebabs and shawarmas. Simply sprinkle with water and heat in the oven for 1-2 minutes, turning halfway.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Poppadom chutney ★ Lahori Tikka Mi ★ Seekh ebab Mi ★ Peshwari Tikka Mi ★

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING ★★★

EMMA’S FANCY WEE PIECE instagram.com/emmasfancyweepiece

Learning that her sticky toffee pudding had been awarded a -star and hearing the judges comments brought self-taught baker Emma to tears. She crafts her lu urious puddings with high uality local ingredients in Lossiemouth in the north east of Scotland, and sells them to order. To enjoy this dessert at its best, warm it through and serve it with ice cream.

SPINACH FETA PIE ★

HUSH HUSH CHEFS hushhushchefs.co.uk

Hush Hush Chefs crispy ﬁlo pastry is the perfect foil for a savoury spinach and creamy feta ﬁlling. No single pie is the same each one is made to order by the company s Londonbased team of artisan bakers, embodying the essence of handmade uality. The pie is super easy to prepare and serve simply heat it up and pass it off as your own.

FIND STOCKISTS

RICOTTA & PEAR CHEESECAKE ★★ LA DOLCE VITA PASTICCERIA facebook.com/pasticciereladolcevita

This creamy, crumbly ricotta & pear cheesecake instantly transports the tastebuds to the Amalfi coast. Despite being authentically Amalfitan in style, this e uisite Italian dessert is produced by pastry chef Manuela Falcone in Nantwich, Cheshire, and sold at local markets. The flourless recipe makes the cake suitable for those who are gluten intolerant.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Rum Babà ★ Sicilian Cannoli ★

SPINACH PIE WITH FETA ★ LADY AND THE BEAR ladyandthebear.co.uk

Filippos Filippou bakes these Greek-style pies daily, making crispy filo pastry from scratch from wholemeal and bread flour, and combining aromatic herbs, spices, spinach and PDO feta cheese for the flavoursome filling. Enjoy it cold or hot, with a dollop of Greek yoghurt, or visit Lady and the Bear’s multi-art space in Edinburgh for the full culture and food experience.

FIND STOCKISTS

AUBERGINES & COURGETTES PARMIGIANA STYLE ★ DELITA mydelita.com

Delita’s rendition of the classic Italian baked Aubergines Parmigiana has a Neapolitan twist, showcasing creamy ﬁor di latte cows milk mozzarella, alongside fresh Italian aubergines and courgettes.

GINGER ALLSPICE TRAYBAKE ★ JUBYLEE BAKES CIO jubyleebakes.org.uk

Every JubyLee bake is individually and joyfully prepared in its West Sussex kitchen by young adults with learning disabilities, autism or Down Syndrome. This moist, treacly traybake is generously spiced with ginger, allspice and stem ginger pieces.

The Source Trade Show Exeter

4-5 February 2025

LEMON MACARON ★★★

MACARONS FRANCK DEVILLE franckdeville.fr

Created by Franck Deville, a French chef and renowned macaron artisan, these delicate lemon macarons are bursting with citrus notes that evoke the freshness of Sicilian orchards. Serve them at a summer garden party or as a teatime treat, paired with a hot green tea or a chilled glass of sparkling lemonade to balance their tangy sweetness.

FRUIT CAKE ★★★

MALTON RELISH

maltonrelish.co.uk

This is traditional English fruit cake as it should be, bursting with fruit and alcohol-imbued cherries, plus the warming addition of crystallised ginger. The recipe is unique to Malton Relish and was created during lockdown by the North Yorkshire deli’s owner, Sophie Legard. This luscious cake can be sliced and served with a cup of tea year-round or iced and decorated for Christmas.

FIND STOCKISTS

SMOKED HADDOCK

LASAGNE ★

BAKER STREET WHEAT & RYE BREAD ★ ST PIERRE GROUPE

lovebakerstreet.com

SEAFOOD SUPPERS BY NIALL SABONGI klaw.ie

Irish seafood chef Niall Sabongi has designed this Smoked Haddock Lasagne to be cooked in an air fryer –bringing restaurant- uality ﬂavours to time-poor consumers. All ingredients are sourced fresh from local growers and ﬁshers close to law s location on the east coast of Ireland, in the heart of Dublin Bay. The restaurant s team of chefs deploys traditional methods to smoke the sustainablysourced haddock with a blend of Irish woods.

Baker Street entrusts a team of specialist bakers in Germany to ensure the authenticity of its wheat rye bread Mischbrot . The sourdough starter and blend of rye and wheat flour result in a loaf with a deep, earthy flavour and light te ture. It makes great buttered toast with the added bonus that it is low in fat and a good source of fibre.

FIND STOCKISTS

SQUASH, SWEET POTATO & CHEDDAR TART ★

STICKY FINGERS FOOD i er ood. o.u

Created by Sticky Fingers Foods’ long-standing head chef, Natalia, this is a tart for all seasons. It can be gently warmed through in the oven in winter or served chilled in summer. Either way, with its melt-in-the-mouth flaky butter pastry, cheesy tang and generous amount of filling, it is serious comfort food. For the ultimate flavour e perience, serve the tart with a pot of chimichurri on the side.

er rea a e a ard (2024): Chimichurri Sauce ★ Salsiccia Ragu ★

FIND STOCKISTS

SIMNEL CAKE ★★

JUST DELICIOUS u de i iou . o.u

Generous quantities of dried fruit go into this traditional Easter cake, made by Donna Clark in North Yorkshire. After baking it is topped with golden marzipan and hand-wrapped by Donna’s daughter Alice, for that personal touch.

CHINESE PORK BUN ★ ONG ONG BUNS o o u . om

Pan-Asian bakery Ong Ong Buns has created its own version of the Hong Kong classic char siu pork. The pork is wrapped in ﬂuffy milk bread and for added cuteness, the bun is shaped like a cat paw.

ScotHot

Glasgow

26-27 February 2025

HAZELNUT LATTE MACARON ★★ PERFECT PEAKS PATISSERIE instagram.com/perfect_peaks_patisserie

Almond coffee shells are sandwiched together with caramel coffee ganache and topped with hazelnut praline to make these meringue-based confections. Try one “Derbyshire style” with a cup of tea, or with a glass of Champagne for the full French experience.

BANANA, MISO CARAMEL & ROASTED PEANUT CAKE ★★★ MADE BY ADELE madebyadele.com

Designed by former product developer Adele Hing, this cake is a real show-stopper, making it the perfect centrepiece for a celebration, event or wedding. Brown sugar banana sponge is layered with miso caramel and roasted peanut Swiss meringue buttercream, and every element is made by hand from natural ingredients, in Adele’s micro bakery in Richmond, South West London –ensuring that it tastes as good as it looks.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Coconut, yuzu & white chocolate cake ★★ Earl Grey, Bergamot & vanilla cake ★★ Passionfruit, Vanilla & White Chocolate Cake ★

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING ★ THE COO SHED thecooshed.co.uk

South Corton Farm in rural Ayrshire might be best known for its fresh milk, but the cakes it produces in its small on-site bakery are attracting their share of attention too. The Coo Shed’s sticky toffee pudding is perennially popular. It is sold in two-portion packs or individual pots and should be served hot with ice cream, cream or custard for the ultimate comfort dessert.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Fresh Whole Milk ★★

FIND STOCKISTS

PRESSURE TO PICK - ITALIAN PILSNER ★★

OUR BREWERY BY GET’ER BREWED ourbrewerygeb.com

This Italian Pilsner is one of six beers from Our Brewery by Get’er Brewed to have been awarded this year. Brewed under the watch of Michael Bateson, it is a crisp, dry-hopped beer that expresses a delicate ﬂoral aroma. Highly drinkable and super refreshing, it has become a go-to for many Pilsner lovers. ur Brewery by Get er Brewed is a small family run brewery in Randalstown, Co Antrim.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): The Crunch Brown Ale ★★ Modern Love Pale Ale ★ Any Major Dude - Session IPA ★ Light p Gold - West Coast IPA ★ Prime Time f Your Life - Belgian Triple ★ rankie Eileen s Gin ★

FIND STOCKISTS

HOPADELIC ★

BY THE HORNS BREWING CO. bythehorns.co.uk

Inspired by New World hops from the American Northwest, the Surrey brewery has brewed a session IPA that layers waves of tropical fruit and citrus notes with light bitterness on a crisp, extra pale malt base.

HOW’S THE SERENITY? ★★★ GUN BREWERY gunbrewery.co.uk

SQUEEZER ★ BY THE HORNS BREWING CO. bythehorns.co.uk

Despite being one of the brewery s ﬁrst forays into the New England IPA style, this pale ale does not disappoint, with its juicy opaque body and soft, textured mouthfeel punctuated by lashings of mango, papaya and passionfruit notes.

An abundance of juicy tropical fruit on the nose leads to a satisfying sherbet, pine-tinged and hoppy mouthful in this pillowy soft, New England style pale ale brewed on an organic farm in the Sussex Weald.

(VEGAN + GLUTEN FREE) PISTA MILK ★ BISKUT BAR biskutbar.com

Best enjoyed with a cup of masala tea, this Indian pistachio milk biscuit relies on a bespoke mix of pistachio, almond and sorghum ﬂours to create a ﬂavoursome dough that is punctuated with candied mixed fruit peel and nuts.

HEMP HEARTS WITH A MILD NUTTY FLAVOUR ★ FOX COVERT FARM foxcovertfarm.ie

On its farm in Ireland, the Bracken family grows hemp seeds and processes them into ‘hearts’ that can be added to smoothies, porridge and baking to deliver a superfood kick of protein, omega 3 and 6, and essential minerals.

BREAKIN’BREAD PUMPKIN, SUNFLOWER & CHIA SEED CRISPBREAD ★★

BREAKIN’BREAD breakinbread.co.uk

Courtesy of Angie, a Swede now settled in London, these gluten-free crispbreads hold their own even when pitted against gluten-containing products. It deﬁnitely helps that they are packed full of seeds and slow-roasted in small batches for a moreish, toasty crunch. Pair these beautifully thin crispbreads with cheese or dips, use them as a base for canapés or enjoy them as snack in their own right.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Breakin’Bread Rosemary, Olive Oil & Sea Salt Crispbread ★

CRISPY, CHUNK & NUT CHOCOLATE COOKIE DOUGH ★

EMBARK’S PROTEIN BARS embarkprotein.co.uk

Family venture Embark is answering calls for protein bars that are less processed, with a range that it crafts by hand at its premises on the Lough Shores of Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. A twist on a classic fruit & nut bar, its cookie dough bar packs in 17g of protein, chocolate chunks and crunchy whole almonds. It is a nutritious breakfast on the go, midday energy snack or post-workout recovery treat.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Crispy, Chunk & Nut Chocolate Salted Caramel ★

FIND STOCKISTS

PERELLÓ SMOKED CATALAN ALMONDS ★★★ BRINDISA brindisa.com

The highest speciﬁcation Catalan almonds are e pertly selected for Perelló, then fried in small batches and smoked over oak. This gives the naturally sweet nut a bitter edge and a gentle woody aroma that is a complimentary match with cold drinks such as beer, cava and sherry. Perelló is just one of the authentic Spanish brands carried by Brindisa.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Turrón Panettone ★ rganic ig Jam ★ Chilli, Garlic Pepper Infused live il ★ La Br jula Mussels in Pickled Sauce ★ rtiz Maestra Cured Anchovy ﬁllets in live il ★ Perelló Judión Butter Beans ★

MARCONA ALMONDS ★★

DELIART FOODS deliartfoods.com

Cultivated by dedicated Spanish farmers using sustainable, traditional methods, Marcona almonds are prized in the nut world for their rich, sweet ﬂavour and buttery te ture. Deliart fries the almonds in oil to accentuate their natural nuttiness and lightly salts them to enhance their ﬂavour, elevating them to irresistible snack status. With their distinctive taste and te ture, which is softer and more delicate than common varieties, they can also enhance salads or desserts.

BUCK’N’BIRD SALAMI CRISPS - CHILLI

BUCK’N’BIRD SALAMI CRISPS bucknbird.com

This meat snack, which combines the comple ity of airdried salami with the satisfying crunch of a crinkle-cut crisp, has built up a loyal following, with those following keto, low-carb and gluten-free diets among its biggest fans. 2 g of salami goes into every 100g of crisps, which makes for a rich and authentic taste. Chilli is the brand s most popular ﬂavour it goes perfectly with an IPA or a glass of red.

DARK CHOCOLATE GINGER BISCUITS ★ GRANDMA WILD’S grandmawilds.co.uk

These dark chocolate ginger biscuits are crafted by the skilled team at Grandma Wild s, a family-run Yorkshire business that blends tradition and modern baking techni ues. A teatime favourite, the biscuits are coated with smooth, cocoa-rich chocolate, which gives them a reﬁned chocolate ﬂavour that balances the spiciness of the ginger.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Butterscotch Biscuits ★

GRUYÈRE BISCUIT ★

RALPH’S ARTISAN PRODUCTS ralph-s.co.uk

These deliciously light Gruy re biscuits are baked fresh every week by the team at Ralph’s, which takes them to farmers’ markets around Surrey, and serves them as pre-dinner nibbles when catering private functions.

APPLE & RAISIN GUT FRIENDLY OAT BAR ★ SOAK’D OATS soakdoats.com

A satisfying combination of S A d gluten-free jumbo oats, apple, raisins and seeds, these succulent, chewy oat bars offer a natural, nutritious and gut-friendly solution for busting hunger while on the go.

LEMON & GINGER OATIES ★ STAG BAKERIES stagbakeries.co.uk

Made in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, these small batch baked lemon and ginger ﬂavoured oaties are a collaboration between The Hebridean Baker, Coinneach Macleod, and the skilled craft bakers of Stag Bakeries.

DANUT BALLS HAZELNUT ★ GOORM danut.fr

WALNUT & CHEESE BISCUITS ★★ STEP AND STONE stepandstone.co

These buttery biscuits are made with Winchester cheese by a team of talented bakers with learning disabilities, in Step and Stone’s Bristol bakery. With a short crumbly te ture, they are a delicious accompaniment to a predinner drink.

These pocket-sized snack balls from rench producer Goorm envelop a whole, roasted crunchy hazelnut in silky sweet, dark date. ree from additives, added sugars and sweeteners and crafted from 100% natural and raw ingredients, they are designed to satisfy cravings without compromising on health, providing an energising snack that busy but health-conscious consumers can reach for to fuel study sessions, workdays and workouts

FIND STOCKISTS

‘MORNING REFLECTIONS OF ALICIS’ GRANOLA ★★ GRANOLAS granolas.co.uk

The Granolas brand is the creation of Jasmine Taylor who, together with her daughter, prepares every batch of granola with love and care in her ever-expanding kitchen. Inspired by world travel, Morning Reﬂections of Alicis is a luxurious granola that delicately blends sweet and salty notes and has a hint of the exotic from coconut. Naturally sweetened with maple syrup, the recipe brings almonds, pistachios, macadamias and seeds together on a vanilla base with a touch of sea salt woven into the mix.

STREETFOOD SNACKMIX

THAI GREEN CURRY ★ MITSUBA mitsubasnacks.com

Munchable and moreish, this Thai-inspired street food style snack mix from Mitsuba delivers a rainbow of colours, ﬂavours and te tures in every bite, united by the unmistakable sweet, salty, spicy ﬂavour of Thai green curry. Peanuts, coated peanuts and crunchy rice snacks make for a slight point of difference in every munch. Enjoy the mix as a solo evening snack while watching TV or share it with friends.

REAL HAND COOKED HAM & COLMAN’S MUSTARD ★★ TAYTO GROUP realcrisps.com

Made from carefully selected British potatoes and handcooked in small batches, these ham and mustard crisps pack a real punch of English mustard that will wake-up your taste buds and make your nose tingle.

REAL HAND COOKED STRONG CHEESE & ONION ★ TAYTO GROUP realcrisps.com

The team behind REAL has taken a no-nonsense approach with these cheese & onion crisps. Carefully selected British potatoes are sliced and hand-cooked in small batches, then seasoned with a classic ﬂavour combo to make tasty, honest crisps.

23-26 May 2025

OINK ENGLISH MUSTARD PORK CRACKLING ★ THE OINK COMPANY theoinkcompany.co.uk

Crispy double-cooked pork crackling pieces are generously coated in traditional English mustard, creating a bold fusion of heat and tang that is crying out for an ice cold glass of wine or beer.

ANCIENT GRAIN GRANOLA - GOLDEN HONEY CRUNCH ★ ZENKO SUPERFOODS zenkosuperfoods.eu

Ancient grains have made a resurgence in this nutrientpacked granola, which blends popped sorghum, pearl millet and oats with almonds, coconut ﬂakes and honey to deliver a perfectly balanced crunch.

100% DRIED FRUIT STRAWBERRY SNACKS ★★ NEW FOREST FRUIT SNACKS newforestfruitsnacks.com

New Forest Fruit has embraced innovative pulsing technology to create a delicious and nutritious snack from strawberries that are grown on its farm. The process of pulsing splits the cells of the strawberry, resulting in a meringue-like texture when the berries are freezedried. The idea for the 100% fruit snack evolved from CEO Sandy’s desire to use ‘second class’ strawberries for something other than jam processing.

ONION BHAJI ★★ BOMBAY DELICATESSEN bombay-deli.com

Rahul Passan and the team at Passan Fresh have nailed this Indian streetfood staple, with a recipe that smothers ﬁnely sliced onions in a fragrantly spiced batter. Fried to crisp perfection, the bhaji can be enjoyed hot or cold as a snack, or as part of an Indian platter with samosas, kebabs, sweets and other Indian snacks that are made fresh every day by the Nottingham producer.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Spinach Potato Tikki ★

FIND STOCKISTS

COMETH THE TOWER

Made using a unique and eye-catching method, Blackthorn Salt and its founders have overcome the environment, language barriers and architectural challenges to achieve a complex signature avour.

It is very easy to move through life without thinking about salt. For many people, salt is little more than a commodity, kept in cardboard cylinders in the cupboard or in shakers on the dining table, noticeable only in its absence or excess rather than for itself.

Gregorie Marshall is not one of those people. The co-founder of the Ayrshire-based Blackthorn Salt alongside his wife, Whirly, he descends from four generations of salt importers. As the h, he was the rst to break from family precedent when he decided to produce salt himself.

Immediately, he confronted a problem: western Scotland’s notoriously soggy weather. “We’re not like the Mediterranean. We can’t have huge old salt ats,” Gregorie says. “We have to look at other ways in order to enhance what we have.”

What they lacked in heat and sun they made up for with direct sea access and coastal winds: a source of salt and means of evaporation.

Gregorie had read of a then-extinct way of producing salt, used centuries ago in Japan, which involved trickling seawater over bamboo. Similar wooden saltmaking structures also existed in Germany and Poland, but by the time Gregorie went hunting, he could only nd one man who knew anything about the process.

“His English was nonexistent and my Polish was nonexistent, but the only thing I got from him was that it wasn’t going to work,” he says. “So, being very

We’re not like the Mediterranean. We can’t have huge old salt flats.

stubborn, I decided I was just going to crack on anyway.”

What he came up with – a graduation tower – looks like something out of a fable. A multi-storey, opensided wooden tower that’s stacked full of blackthorn branches, it is unique in the world. Seawater is pumped to the top of the tower before trickling slowly through the stacked blackthorn, evaporating, picking up tannin, and gaining in concentration as it does.

A er multiple cycles, once it reaches the desired salinity, the brine is transferred to the pan house, where it’s heated gently for a week until delicate, pyramidal crystals form. The result is a complex nishing salt with real character.

“We know the calcium brings out sweetness, potassium and magnesium bring out sourness and bitterness, sodium the saltiness, and tannins bring out the earthier, savoury notes,” says Whirly. “When I taste Blackthorn, I can just taste so much more of what I’m tasting.”

Now, six years since their tower was built, the Marshalls are continuing to tweak and re ne their process. There are still challenges inherent to their work. But there is also joy, and wonder.

“I had a passion for salt, and a passion for food, and a passion for architecture,” says Gregorie. “And if you shove all of those three together, it’s amazing what you come up with.” blackthornsalt.co.uk

WE’RE

PROUD OF THE FRUITS OF OUR LABOURS IN SCOTLAND. QUITE LITERALLY.

Created for industry, by industry, ‘Naturally Scottish’ is our new food and drink sector brand. As a reader of The Great Taste Book, we’re eager to take this opportunity to introduce you to ‘Naturally Scottish’.

The brand was chosen for its bright, modern look and feel that accurately reﬂects the people and passion behind Scotland’s food and drink sector. Our food and drink is world-renowned. And the provenance, the place, and the people all play a part in making it what it is. We visited 15 producers from all over Scotland, including some incredible primary producers, each captured in their element.

There is a great ambition to bring Scotland’s impressive larder to the global stage on a scale that hasn’t been fully invested in before. You may have started to see ‘Naturally Scottish’ shining bright at events and as part of our industry strategy work. From here on, it will form the backbone of our industry’s identity at trade shows, activations, and across digital media. Anywhere that we’re selling Scottish.

This brand has huge potential, and we can’t wait to share it with the world.

Find out more at www.naturallyscottish.com

PAYSAN BRETON SEA SALT CREAM CHEESE ★★ EURILAIT paysanbreton.co.uk

Delicately whipped for a light, airy texture, this French cream cheese offers a fresh and natural taste. Enjoy on a bagel or baguette, stirred through pasta, as a cake frosting or even straight from the pot. Paysan Breton is owned by a cooperative of passionate farmers in Brittany, dedicated to herd welfare on their family-run farms and the production of great-tasting products with the ﬁnest rench ingredients.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Paysan Breton French Garlic and Herb Cream Cheese ★

FIND STOCKISTS

CASHEL BLUE ★★★

CASHEL FARMHOUSE CHEESEMAKERS cashelblue.com

The production of this semi-soft cows’ milk blue cheese is a team effort, involving skilled cheesemakers who craft the cheese, farmers who supply high quality unhomogenised milk, and a grading team to oversee the aging process. The ﬂavour is balanced but not strong, with a supporting salty edge, while the texture displays a naturally creamy element. Pairings with fresh fruits, nuts or honey are best for bringing out its creamy, tangy ﬂavour.

WITHERIDGE IN HAY ★★ NETTLEBED CREAMERY nettlebedcreamery.com

Witheridge in Hay is one of three multi award-winning organic, artisan, farmhouse cheeses to come out of South Oxfordshire’s Nettlebed Creamery. It is a semi-hard cheese aged in hay, which confers interesting grassy and fruity notes to the rind. Witheridge is delicious paired with fresh fruit such as pear or apple, ﬁg or balsamic jam or a glass of cider or sparkling wine.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Highmoor ★

GREEK STYLE YOGHURT ★★

CHESTNUTT’S FARM chestnuttsfarm.co.uk

This luxurious Greek-style yoghurt starts with cows milk from the Chestnutts’ family farm on the North Coast of Ireland. The milk is incubated overnight with a culture to create yoghurt, which is then strained through muslin cloths.

TRUFFLE & PEPPERCORN BUTTER ★ DO ME A FLAVOUR® domeaﬂavour.ie

Irish grass-fed butter is infused with pungent trufﬂe and aromatic pink peppercorn to produce a delicious cooking butter that will inspire home chefs to elevate steaks, chicken and vegetables.

EPIGENETICS GHEE ★

EPIGENETICS INTERNATIONAL epigenetics-international.com

Churned from organic grass-fed cows milk, this golden clarified butter not only boasts a rich, creamy, caramel flavour, but is also thought to have various health benefits that stem from its fat soluble vitamin content.

SALTED BUTTER ★ GUERNSEY DAIRY guernseydairy.com

Rich, golden and natural, this is the butter of choice for artisan chocolatiers, Michelin-starred restaurants and pâtisseries. Its full, creamy ﬂavour and attractive deep yellow colour stem from a high beta-carotene and fat content in the milk it derives from, which is produced by Guernsey pedigree cows. The butter s distinctive ﬂavour will enhance sauce, cake or pastry recipes, or complement any bread basket.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Full Cream Milk ★★ Mild Cheese ★★ Skimmed Milk ★★ Mature Cheese ★ Whipping Cream ★ Unsalted Butter ★ Low at Milk ★ Organic Milk ★ Lactose Free Milk ★

FIND STOCKISTS

NATURAL KEFIR ★

LLAETH Y LLAN - VILLAGE DAIRY villagedairy.co.uk

This natural yoghurt is made at the dairy from local Welsh milk and fermented using traditional kefir cultures. With its smooth, tangy flavour, it tastes great on its own or as a versatile addition to smoothies, fruit, granola, curries and salad dressings. The presence of 1 live cultures, including Bifidobacterium Lactis, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, and Lactobacillus Rhamnosus, also makes it a gut-friendly choice.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): riginal Drinking eﬁr ★

FIND STOCKISTS

1-6 July 2025

BUFFALO BLUE ★★ SHEPHERDS PURSE CHEESES shepherdspurse.co.uk

Smooth, creamy and well-balanced, Buffalo Blue is made with milk collected from a British, single herd of Italian water buffalo. This yields a cheese with meaty umami ﬂavours that contrast beautifully with fresh ﬁgs, pears, honeycomb and pistachio nuts making it the ideal cheese for entertaining. Originally created in 2001 by founder Judy Bell, Buffalo Blue is still handmade on the family farm in North Yorkshire.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Bluemin White ★ Northern Blue ★ Organic Yorkshire Blue ★

TRADITIONAL

SET NATURAL YOGHURT ★

MEGGY MOO’S DAIRY meggymoosdairy.co.uk

Made by Rachael Perrett and Hayley Jeffrey, this traditional set, natural yoghurt is handcrafted using live cultures and whole milk from Park Farm’s herd of 180 Holstein cows and is Meggy Moo s ﬁrst foray into yoghurt.

GARLIC BUTTER WITH PARSLEY THYME & BLACK PEPPER ★ THE GARLIC FARM thegarlicfarm.co.uk

A mouth-watering combination of creamy, small batch butter, freshly crushed garlic cloves, herbs and black pepper, this ﬂavoured butter makes the ultimate garlic bread and is delectable melted over vegetables or meat.

ALL SAINTS BLUE ★ THE NORTHAMPTON CHEESE COMPANY northamptoncheesecompany.co.uk

Although Steve Reid is the cheesemaker behind the Northamptonshire Cheese Company, the development of All Saints Blue was very much a team effort that resulted in the creation of a creamy red-blue cheese with an intense ﬂavour.

GREEK STYLE YOGURT NATURAL SET ★ RACHEL’S ORGANIC rachelsorganic.co.uk

All of Rachel’s Organic’s yogurts are proudly made in the company’s dairy on the outskirts of Aberystwyth with British milk. This Greek-style yoghurt is incubated and set in the pot, which results in a thick, creamy consistency and silky smooth mouthfeel. It can be spooned over fruit or cereal, used in baking and marinades, and even served with a dessert.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Rachel’s Organic Traditional Divine Rice Puddings ★

FIND STOCKISTS

ORGANIC VANILLA FUDGE ★

DEVON COTTAGE FUDGE devoncottagefudge.co.uk

This crumbly organic vanilla fudge is handmade in small batches by a team of three in Somerset, using a traditional copper pot, the ﬁnest Madagascan vanilla and dairy sourced from the South West.

VANILLA ★ MALLOWDRAMATIC mallowdramatic.co.uk

resh, ﬂuffy and ﬂavoured with homemade vanilla e tract, these handcrafted marshmallows are in a league of their own. They offer a melt-in-the-mouth e perience eaten as they are, and are said to be a revelation when toasted.

DARK CHOCOLATE PISTACHIO TRUFFLE ★

MAISON SAMADI LONDON maisonsamadi.com

Part of an elegant range that beﬁts a cosmopolitan and fashionable lifestyle, these delicate trufﬂes from the Maison Samadi London team offer the ultimate chocolate and pistachio e perience. Individually wrapped and presented in a lu ury gift bo , they have been crafted with a thin layer of velvety dark chocolate that allows the freshtasting pistachio paste within to shine, a combination that will satisfy any chocolate-lover s cravings.

BRANDY & CRANBERRY FUDGE ★★

RUBY’S FUDGE rubysfudge.co.uk

Heaps of Gloucestershire butter, traditional boiling and creaming methods and no nonsense are the secrets behind Ruby’s fudge. Working from a bespoke fudge kitchen in her homely Worcestershire cottage, she conjures up various fudge ﬂavours, all based on her melt-in-themouth butter fudge recipe. Brandy & cranberry fudge features plump, brandy-soaked cranberries for a delicately ﬂavoured sweet treat that is popular as a gift.

PASSION FRUIT & MANGO CARAMEL ★★★ WOOD ROW CHOCOLATE woodrowchocolates.com

Simon and Jessie are the duo behind Wood Row Chocolate, working from home in a converted studio to produce chocolates that are a work of art. Their passion for flavour and artistic flair is evident in every single chocolate they painstakingly decorate by hand, not least these caramels. A dark chocolate shell encases a delicate passion fruit & mango caramel ganache, unleashing a symphony of flavours when bitten into.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Coffee & Walnut ★★ Hazelnut Gianduja & Cocoa Nib ★★

RASPBERRIES IN DARK ★ BENNETTO NATURAL FOODS UK bennetto.eu

This 0% dark chocolate bar loaded with tangy raspberry pieces is beautiful inside and out. Certified organic, airtrade, vegan and gluten-free, it is produced by a B Corp certified company that has gone a step further from being carbon neutral to being Net Climate Positive, reflecting its founder s commitment to doing things the right way . Lucy Bennetto started the company in New ealand in 2010, initially making chocolate in 2kg batches.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): 2% Super dark ★ Dark Chocolate with Coffee ★ Dark Mint ★ range with Chilli ★

FIND STOCKISTS

PEAK PERFECTION

Black Mountains Smokery may be the rst smokery to set up in Wales but it has also staked its claim for being the best, with its Golden Forkwinning smoked duck breast.

There’s something elemental about smoke. It is born from wood, from re and light. It is a source of vital heat. It has been a cooking method and preservation medium for as long as people have had hearths.

There’s something elemental, too, in the place that Black Mountains Smokery calls home. Located in Crickhowell, South Wales, the family-owned smokery is within view of the Brecon Beacons’ dappled crags and fast- owing rivers. That sense of place – and that primordial smoke – infuses everything it produces.

Jo and Jonathan Carthew hadn’t expected to start a smokery. Freshly back in the UK a er 10 years in Botswana, they stumbled upon the idea only a er Jonathan caught a salmon during a shing trip to Scotland. The smokery he took it to happened to be up for sale, and while the couple’s subsequent bid fell through, it was the igniting spark for their plans.

Soon a er, Jonathan went to learn the ropes at a smokery in Kent while he and Jo began building their own smokehouse. When they opened in 1996, Black Mountains became the rst smokery in Wales. Alongside the classic salmon and trout, it also o ered smoked chicken and duck.

Smoked duck might not have seemed like an obvious choice in the UK, but Jo remembered it being a staple of childhood trips to France. Like all of Black Mountains’ products, it begins with a gentle cure before it’s moved to the smoker. The idea is to preserve

its baseline quality and handle the raw ingredient with delicacy.

The end result is sumptuous: all melting fat and kindled character that enhances, not disguises, the avour of the meat. The Carthews recommend slicing the duck as thinly as possible—each breast yields 50-60 slices—and serving it at room temperature with berry jelly, orange segments, or even croutons made from the duck’s skin. “It can take something quite punchy, since it’s so full of avour,” adds Jo.

Even though its product range has since expanded, Black Mountains continues to source its raw materials from the UK, for logistical reasons and for sustainability. Its duck comes from Su olk-based Gressingham, whose proprietary breed is a cross between the succulent Pekin duck and the gamey wild mallard. As for the wood that goes into the smoker, it’s all oak byproducts from local cabinetmakers. “We’re not chopping down trees!” says Jonathan.

Today, Black Mountains Smokery is no longer quite so solitary; Jonathan estimates that it’s now one of three smokeries in Wales. The business has also forged relationships with other Welsh artisan businesses, whose products it stocks in its hampers and webshop.

But if there’s any evidence of the enduring singularity of its vision, it is in that smouldering, soulful smoked duck. smoked-foods.co.uk

It can take something quite punchy, since it’s so full of flavour.

CAPTAIN’S GROG - RUM MARINATED COFFEE BEANS ★★★

BEAN BROTHERS COFFEE COMPANY

beanbrothers.co.uk

Bean Brothers head roaster has united his three loves sailing, coffee and rum in this coffee, which has become his go to postsailing restorative comfort and treat. Guatemalan coffee beans from varietals of Bourbon, Caturra and Catuai are rum infused for 0 days, before being roasted to evaporate the alcohol content while ensuring the comple aromas of the dark rum itself remain intact.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Derek - Seasonal Espresso ★★★ ‘Bernard’ - Seasonal Espresso ★★ Colombia - Decaffeinated ﬁlter coffee ★ Rwanda - Sake arm ★

FIND STOCKISTS

AMERICAN DINER BLEND ★★

47 DEGREES COFFEE

47degreescoffee.com

This blend harmonises the punchy flavours of Colombian coffee with the milder subtlety of Brazilian beans in a shot that is bursting with creamy chocolate and caramel. riginally conceived for filter coffee machines, it also makes a great espresso. r serve it as a flat white to bring out all the flavours. All Degrees coffee is hand-roasted in small batches by Aidy, in Derbyshire.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Guatemalan - Santa Rosa ★ Tobacco Road Blend ★

BARISTOCRACY COFFEE UGANDA ★

BARISTOCRACY COFFEE ROASTERS baristocracycoffee.com

This coffee offers total supply chain transparency, all the way to the farmer. The beans are grown by ananga Neckson in the Rwenzori mountains of ganda, and roasted in the North East of England by Ale orsyth of Baristocracy Coffee a partnership that produces a sweet and bright cup with notes of strawberries and cream. ilter for a light but ﬂavoursome black coffee, pull a rich espresso or add milk for a creamy, bright ﬂat white.

SINGLE ORIGIN SERIES - COLOMBIA

FINCA SOFIA ★★

ACORNS COFFEE ROASTERY acornscoffee.com

Acorns’ house bean is slightly stronger than the usual Colombian, giving it a point of distinction. Enjoy its buttery, sweet banoffee notes any way you like – in an aeropress, dripper or barista machine.

BOHEMIA ROAST ★★

BOHEMIA ROASTS bohemiaroasts.com

Bohemia Roasts’ signature house roast is a medium-dark all rounder, composed of beans from India, Nicaragua and Brazil. Whichever brew method you choose, it will produce a complex cup with taste notes of citrus, cherry and black tea.

AYURVEDIC ROSE LATTE ★ BLENDS blends.life

Open the bag, inhale the scent of rose and cardamom, then take a teaspoon of this attractive, pink coloured caffeine-free latte powder and stir into hot milk for a soothing, Ayurveda-inspired drink ritual.

CARRARO TAZZA D’ORO 1KG BEANS ★ CARRARO COFFEE / PURE CAFFE LTD carrarocoffee.com

Crafted in Carraro, Italy, this predominantly Arabica blend delivers an authentic Italian coffee experience. Its enduring popularity in cafés stems from its dense, persistent creaminess, delightful fruity aroma and rich, velvety ﬂavour.

PREMIO - BREW CREW HOUSE ESPRESSO ★ BREW CREW brewcrew.uk

Brew Crew’s house espresso is a classical Brazilian coffee, sourced from the Cerrado Mineiro region. It is an easy-drinking cup for the everyday, with notes of hazelnut and chocolate, and works well with or without milk. It makes a positive impact by supporting the Café Delas Programme, which promotes gender equality and empowers women farmers.

FIND STOCKISTS

1690 BLEND ★ COFFEE HOUSE LANE coffeehouselane.ie

A family-owned and -operated artisan coffee roaster based in Waterford, South East Ireland, Coffee House Lane selects the ﬁnest quality Arabica coffees for its single origin coffees and blends. This, its signature blend, is named after the year coffee was ﬁrst brewed and sold in Ireland. Beans from Honduras and Guatemala yield a bold, full-bodied chocolatey coffee, nuanced with subtle notes of toffee and caramel.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Aikenhead Blend ★ Centenary Blend ★

FIND STOCKISTS

NOTT FJØDR LIGHT ROAST DECAF BLEND ★★★

DANELAW COFFEE danelaw.coffee

This lightly roasted blend of sugarcane decaffeinated speciality coffees from Colombia is perfect when you want all the flavour but none of the buzz. It makes a delicious espresso, flat white or filter coffee. David Jameson started Danelaw on his kitchen table in Holmfirth in 2022, and decaf became a priority after he was diagnosed with high blood pressure the following year.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Danelaw TakkColombia Wilton Benitez Double Anaerobic Sidra ★★ Nott Mjólka Dark Roast Decaf Blend ★★ Santa Lucia Christmas Blend ★★ Colombia Wilton Benitez Double Anaerobic Yellow Typica ★ Danelaw Dagr House Blend ★

BLACK HILL ★★★

DARK WOODS COFFEE darkwoodscoffee.co.uk

A modern interpretation of traditional Italian espresso ﬂavours, Black Hill is named after the one of the highest points on the moorland landscape around the roastery, which nestles in the West Yorkshire Pennines. By blending speciality grade Arabica coffees with an Indian Robusta from the Harley Estate, Dark Woods Coffee has succeeded in producing a rich and full-bodied espresso, perfect for both milk-based and non-dairy drinks.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Colombia ‘Orange & Cardamon” Blend ★★★ Colombia El Placer 100% Wush Wush Black Honey ★★★ Arboretum ★★ Colombia El Placer 100% Pink Bourbon IPA ★★ Colombia El Placer Yellow Fruits ★★ Common Grounds Barrel Aged ★★

LOVE LANE HOUSE BLEND ★★

LUCKIE BEANS COFFEE ROASTERS

luckiebeans.co.uk

A great introduction to speciality coffee, this house blend gets its strength from the darker Brazilian and Indian beans and its ﬂavour from the lighter enyan and Guatemalan varietals. The four types of bean are roasted individually to bring out the desired characteristics of each before they are blended by husband-and-wife team Jamie and Esther McLuckie in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders, producing a great all-round, everyday coffee.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Sumatra Mandeling Grade 1 ★★

BASECAMP ★ SCOUT COFFEE ROASTERS

scoutcoffee.co.uk

Embark on a ﬂavour adventure with this Brazilian coffee, which is cultivated on the collaborative farms of the Cerrado Mineiro region, where the Catuai varietal is nurtured under ideal conditions. The beans are lightly roasted to balance the natural ﬂavours and highlight rich notes of dark chocolate, caramel and almond. An everyday espresso, Basecamp works well with milk and can be enjoyed through a rench press.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Pinky Promise ★

ORGANIC MOUNTAIN WATER DECAFFEINATED LA SIERRA CLOUD FOREST COFFEE ★ SOURCE CLIMATE CHANGE COFFEE sourceclimatechange.com

This coffee delivers the same smooth praline, toffee and milk chocolate ﬂavours that are present in Source Climate Change’s best-selling organic Me ican coffee, but with . % of the caffeine removed using the Mountain Water method.

16-20 July 2025

The UK’s leading distributor of ambient and chilled retail ﬁne foods, serving independent retailers, farm shops, delis and food outlets.

PROUD TO BE WORKING WITH GREAT TASTE PRODUCERS FOR OVER 20 YEARS

DARK AND LOVELY ★★

THE GOODLIFE COFFEE COMPANY

thegoodlifecoffee.com

Thanks to careful selection of the right origin combination and roast proﬁling by head roaster St phanie at The Goodife Company s Savigny roastery in Switzerland, this coffee, as the name suggests, is intense and delicious. Brazilian and Guatemalan beans offer up comple dark and rich ﬂavours that come together in a well-balanced body for a rich, smooth espresso e perience.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Hakuna Matata ★

TRINI-YUENYEUNG (COFFEE MILK TEA) ★

TRINI-HONG KONG STYLE MILK TEA trinitea.uk

Eric Wong, the founder of Trini Tea, is passionate about brewing milk tea that is just like you would ﬁnd on the streets of Hong Kong. In addition to producing his original milk tea to a secret recipe that blends tea leaves with evaporated milk, he has created YuenYeung a fusion of strong coffee and silky milk tea that delights through bold coffee notes and creamy tea richness.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): TRINI-Hongkongers milk tea ★

DAYBREAK BLEND ★★ ROUNTON COFFEE rountoncoffee.co.uk

The team at Rounton in North Yorkshire searched high and low for beans that suit a little e tra time in the roaster before hitting on Guatemala La Bolsa and Peru El Diamante. These two uncompromising varieties are the basis of its Daybreak blend, which, with deep chocolate notes that punch through, makes a proper cup of coffee with or without milk.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Brazil - Dark Roast ★ Colombia - The Rich Roast ★ El Salvador - Bos ue Lya ★ PeruSparkling Water Decaf ★ Rwanda - Rwamatamu ★ Two Stories ★

FIND STOCKISTS

ALMOND DRINK 1L ★ ALPRO alpro.com/uk

The subtle nutty taste of this plant-based drink is matched by a smooth, silky and creamy texture. Use it for frothing up your coffee, shaking up your breakfast or pouring over your morning cereal. by a smooth, silky and creamy

SEREN’S CLASSIC GLUTEN FREE BROWNIE ★★ BUBBLING STOVE BROWNIES bubblingstovebrownies.co.uk

Given their delicate eggshell crust, fudgy centre and rich chocolate aroma, you would be hard pushed to tell that these indulgent brownies are gluten free. They are handmade by Seren, who bakes all of Bubbling Stove’s brownies to order from her converted bakehouse in Welshpool, using Fairtrade chocolate. The brownies are delicious as they are, but even better warmed.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Coffee Caramel Brownie ★

PLANT-BASED ALTERNATIVE TO YOGHURT VANILLA 500G ★ ALPRO alpro.com/uk

Rich in protein and low in fat, with live cultures, added calcium and B2, B12 and D vitamins, this smooth, soya-based vanilla yoghurt, from the original pioneers of plant-based, is designed to be part of a healthy daily routine.

PEPPERED PASTRAMI ★ FAUX BUTCHER fauxbutcher.co.uk

A plant-based alternative to the classic sandwich meat, this fau pastrami has a warm, peppery ﬂavour and juicy texture that is lovely in a sandwich with sauerkraut, gherkins and mustard.

VEGANODUJA® ★ SAPORI D’ITALIA saporiditalia.com

Made by the Contino family – creators of the Sapori D’Italia brand – this plant-based alternative to the Italian spicy sausage spread ‘nduja is free from allergens and artiﬁcial preservatives. Produced with sundried tomato and enriched with smoky spices and Calabrian chillies, it replicates the mouthfeel and melting qualities of ‘ndjua when stirred into pasta, spread on crostini, drizzled over burrata or added to pizza.

SMOKED DUCK BREAST ★★★ BLACK MOUNTAINS SMOKERY smoked-foods.co.uk

At its Crickhowell smokehouse in the heart of the Brecon Beacons, the smokery’s production team prepares every batch of smoked duck by hand. The duck is lightly cured and hot-smoked over Welsh oak until it is tender and ready to eat. As the breast is firm-fleshed, it can be sliced thinly to savour its rich flavour, and served with orange and walnuts, berries or sweet chilli dipping sauce.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Peppered Oak Roasted Salmon ★

DONALDSONS’ HAGGIS ★ DONALDSONS OF ORKNEY donaldsonsoforkney.co.uk

This haggis has been made to the same Orcadian family recipe for over 70 years, spanning four generations of Donaldsons. It is prepared by hand in small batches by dedicated craft butchers who are well versed in the traditional methods that give the savoury pudding its trademark taste. Serve it hot with neeps, tatties and whisky sauce, or go off piste with a peppercorn sauce or rich gravy.

WEST COUNTRY CHOICE PGI LAMB CHUMP JOINT ★★★ DUNBIA dunbia.com

The perfect centrepiece for any table, this West Country PGI grass-fed lamb chump joint does not need any fancy treatment to impress dinner guests. Tender, succulent and lean, with sweet flavours and buttery grassy notes, the flavour of the meat speaks volumes about the care with which the animal has been reared. Simply roast, carve and serve, then experience lamb that melts in the mouth with a long finish on the palate..

Other Great Taste awards (2024): 1808 Aberdeen Angus 28 Day Dry Aged Marbled Cote de Boeuf ★★ Dry Aged Cote de Boeuf ★★ Dry Aged Ribeye ★★ West Country Choice PGI 8 Rib Rack of Lamb ★★ Welsh Hill PGI Barnsley Chop ★★ Caledonia Crown 28 Day Scotch Dry Aged Marbled Tomahawk ★ Dry Aged Feather Blade ★ Dry Aged Fillet ★ West Country Choice T Bone ★

The Game Fair

Ragley Hall

25-27 July 2025

LUVBILTONG - ORIGINAL ★

LUVBILTONG - TRADITIONAL BILTONG luvbiltong.co.uk

Michael Roberts founded Luvbiltong to offer a healthier snack made from premium, natural ingredients and pasture-raised, British, grass-fed beef from Red Tractor approved farms. The steak is air-cured, dipped in red wine vinegar and immersed in spices. Its ﬂagship recipe combines Maldon Sea Salt, glutenfree Worcestershire sauce, black pepper and roasted coriander seeds to produce a mouthwatering biltong that packs a whopping 48g of protein per 100g.

FIND STOCKISTS

HERB FED CHICKEN ★

HERB FED POULTRY herbfedpoultry.co.uk

Just over 10 years ago, husband-and-wife team Edward and Emma Wilkinson made the discovery that allowing their birds to peck through fresh herbs enhanced the taste and texture of the meat. Ever since, the North Yorkshire poultry producer has reared its birds on this nutrientrich diet whilst adhering to a slow-growing ethos. This free-range chicken, with its succulent meat and depth of ﬂavour, is a great advertisement for the herb-fed approach.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Herb Fed Bronze Turkey ★

MAYNARD’S TRADITIONAL DRY CURED BACON ★

MAYNARD’S FARM maynardsfarm.co.uk

As the name suggests, this is an artisan bacon that has been home-cured the old fashioned way, using a recipe and techniques passed on by master curer Maynard Davies. Each loin of pork is hand-rubbed with a dry cure and aged for up to a month, resulting in a rasher that is as at home on a cooked breakfast plate as it is wrapped around English asparagus in the summer.

JOINT WINNER

Serial Golden Fork winner, Peter Hannan has done it again. This year, it’s his take on the Italian classic porchetta that has won the plaudits.

As is the Italian tradition, seemingly ordinary pork is lled with herbs and spices, rolled up tightly, and slowly roasted until it transforms into the sublime: juicy and fragrant, crowned by inch-thick crackling the colour of bu ed copper.

No one understands the transcendent power of porchetta better than Peter Hannan. He is, a er all, a dab hand at impressing Great Taste judges – having previously won numerous Golden Forks and two Supreme Champion titles for his butchery creations.

Born into a County Kildare farming family, he’s spent most of his lifetime working in the meat trade.

“I got into slaughtering lambs for people’s freezers when I was quite young – I was only 11,” he says. “I went the whole way through boarding school running the enterprise from a distance, and as soon as I le school I went straight into [the trade].”

A er training in a local factory, he travelled abroad to Chicago to continue his apprenticeship. Upon returning to Ireland at 21, he spent his time “basically running abattoirs and boning halls and large meat organisations between here, the Continent, and the UK”, until setting up his own business in 1989.

Since then, Hannan Meats has made its name by targeting the premium end of the market, supplying Michelin-starred restaurants, high-end hotels, and department stores like Fortnum & Mason.

For Peter, the ceaseless pursuit of quality is an animating, even existential task, and might as well be

the business’s uno cial motto.

“The di erence between good and great is attention to detail,” he says. “If you don’t concentrate on the detail, you can’t be consistent.”

With that intention in mind, Hannan Meats purchased an ingredients company in 2008, so it could have closer control over every herb, spice, and sauce added to its products.

A few years later, Peter also constructed a Himalayan salt ageing cave – the largest of its kind in the world – that removes excess moisture from the meat and, in the case of the pork, dehydrates its skin into a near-leather that is the rst step towards awe-inspiring crunch.

The innovation was inspired partly by the need to improve upon the raw product. “The pig that we have in Ireland was bred for making into bacon,” Peter says. “We’ve always accepted that we make incredible bacon, but the pork on its own isn’t exciting to eat.” But with a few adjustments – that salt-ageing; a spice blend of chilli, lemon zest, rosemary, fennel seeds, and fennel pollen; proper oven-roasting – it becomes a porchetta approaching the divine.

“I have no interest in getting out of bed in the morning to make a commodity,” says Peter, re ecting on his process.

“If you can’t get out of bed to make something truly delicious, it’s probably better staying in bed.” hannanmeats.com

The difference between good and great is attention to detail.

Northern Ireland products continue to be recognised for their Pure, Natural, Quality. Northern Ireland based food and drink producers racked up 175 awards in this year’s annual Great Taste Awards, recognising their innovation and commitment to excellence.

Congratulations to all the Northern Ireland 2024 Great Taste Award Winners.

For more information on the NI ﬁnalists’ wide range of mouthwatering food and drink products why not browse through this brochure, or contact Michelle Charrington T: +44 (0)78 1717 3514 E: michelle.charrington@investni.com

Hannan Meat’s Porchetta, winner of the 2024 Northern Ireland Golden Fork Award

EGMONT HONEY 250 MGO ★★

EGMONT HONEY egmonthoney.co.nz

MG 2 0 is a potent, rich M nuka honey with a bittersweet, dark toffee ﬂavour proﬁle. The honey is wildcrafted in hives situated on New Zealand’s remote west coast, then harvested by Egmont s beekeepers and packed in the producer s own Taranaki-based factory, before being e ported overseas. sed as a healthy cereal topping, in a smoothie or in a hot beverage, MG 2 0 delivers a daily boost of wellness and vitality.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Egmont Honey 550 MGO ★ Egmont Manuka Honey 0 MG ★ Egmont Manuka Honey 1200 MG ★ Egmont New Zealand Clover Honey ★

FIND STOCKISTS

WILDFLOWERS ORGANIC

HONEY ★★ BIOHONEY biohoney.uk

Founded with the mission of introducing the world to Bulgarian honey, BioHoney sources its honey from over 2,000 hives scattered across the country’s varied landscape. This wildflower variety is produced by bees visiting multiple fields and flowering mountain species. It is a golden honey with a pleasant, lingering flavour and sweetness that develops on the palate. Extremely versatile, it can be spread on toast or pancakes, stirred into tea, or drizzled over porridge.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): rganic Honeycomb Lavender ★★ rganic Honeycomb Linden ★ Organic Honeycomb Wildﬂowers ★

CARDIGAN BAY

COASTAL WILDFLOWER HONEY ★★

CILGWENYN BEE FARM bees.wales

The bees that make this honey harvest nectar from ﬂowers such as clover, bluebells, sycamore and crab apple that grow wild in a designated Special Area of Conservation in west Wales. The honey is ethically produced according to organic principles, and cold-ﬁltered to keep it as raw and natural as possible. The outcome is an oaky and smoky honey with strong tones of propolis and molasses.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Carmarthenshire Meadow Wildﬂower Honey ★★ Brecon Beacons Uplands Wildﬂower Honey ★★

SOFT SET HONEY ★★

COTSWOLD EDGE BEES cotswoldedgebees.co.uk

Based in Wotton-under-Edge, this family business supports local agriculture by sourcing honey from bees that forage on Cotswold hedgerows and wildﬂowers. Smooth, spreadable and subtly ﬂoral, the soft-set honey captures this harmonious relationship with nature in a creamy texture that is perfect for slathering on toast or adding a little light demerara sweetness to a hot drink.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Runny Honey ★

WELSH WILDFLOWER HONEY ★★★

GWENYN GRUFFYDD gwenyngruffydd.co.uk

Gwenyn Gruffydd has captured a taste of Welsh summer in a jar, with a minimally ﬁltered, unpasteurised honey that has been created with the help of bees collecting pollen from wildﬂowers and blossom.

MANUKA HONEY MGO2000+ ★ GATHER BY MANUKA gatherbymanuka.com

This potent, raw Manuka Honey is produced in collaboration with local farmers and beekeepers in a way that supports biodiversity, bee health and the local community. It is slowly matured to maximise its antibacterial effect.

ENGLISH BLOSSOM HONEY ★★

NOOK FARM HONEY nookfarmhoney.co.uk

One of eight varieties from Nook arm, English Blossom Honey is a runny raw honey that has simply been ﬁltered, resulting in a clear dark golden colour and strong, sweet taste that melts away on the tongue.

MELIPONA HONEY

BEECHEII ★★

MIELES DON FERRO mielesdonferro.com

Once a year, this rare honey is hand-harvested from the Alturas de Banao ecological reserve in Cuba. Traditionally used for medicinal purposes, it has a ﬂoral taste that enhances desserts and many other dishes.

COMB IN HONEY ★ RHUG ESTATE rhug.co.uk

nder the supervision of the Rhug Estate s very own beekeeper, Barry Ellis, this limited-edition comb honey is sustainably produced by bees that roam the Welsh countryside, visiting a diverse range of wildﬂowers. What makes this product e tra special is that the golden honey is encased in its natural honeycomb, offering an authentic honey e perience and delightful te tural contrast. Enjoy it by the spoonful or pair with cheese or fruit.

WILD HERBS ORGANIC HONEY

THALLO ORGANIC HONEY thallo-honey.gr

The mountains of southern Rhodes, where thyme, sage, lavender-leaved anthyllis, common myrtle, lithodora and heather grow wild, come alive in this honey, which is made by an organic apiculturist in the village of Vati.

PURE YORKSHIRE HONEY pureyorkshirehoney.co.uk

This robust, dark amber honey is produced in hives located on the edge of the Wensleydale moors by bees that forage on heather and other blossoms during the late summer and early autumn.

LÖWENZAHN FASS NR. 22 ★★★

WEGGUNER HONIGHOF feinschmeckerhonig.de

Produced in the small village of Weggun, in the Zerweliner Heide in Brandenburg, this is a fine e ample of a raw blossom German honey. It melts on the palate to reveal multiple layers of vibrant, fresh flavour butterscotch sweetness, salty mineral elements and fresh meadow-floral impact can all be detected. The best way to appreciate it is to spoon it onto oatcakes and blue cheese or cold slices of cucumber.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Sommerblüte Fass Nr. 1 ★★ Urtradition ★★ Jahreshonig ★

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE GELATO ★★★

BABOO GELATO

baboogelato.com

All Baboo’s gelato and sorbets are made in small batches in rural Dorset by an experienced team led by trained gelatiere and founder Annie Hanbury. The producer uses Valrhona chocolate to make this rich gelato, and doubles the pleasure by adding a dark chocolate stracciatella. The gelato is superb on its own, paired with a sharp fruit sorbet, or as an accompaniment to a fruit tart or nut cake.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Mango Sorbet ★★ Raspberry Sorbet ★★ Raspberry Gelato ★ Passionfruit Sorbet ★

STEM GINGER ICE CREAM ★★

DARESBURY DAIRY

daresburydairy.co.uk

Daresbury Dairy ice cream is made in small batches on a working dairy farm in Cheshire, using fresh, pasteurised milk from the producers’s own herd of Friesian cows. The milk is combined with crystallised stem ginger to make this treat for ginger lovers. It is a perfect partner for rhubarb crumble, lemon pudding and an array of other desserts or is simply delicious when enjoyed by the scoop.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Plain Ice Cream ★ Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream ★

MANGO ICE CREAM ★ MAMA DOLCE mamadolce.co.uk

Mama Dolce has set out to transform the free-from ice cream space, ﬂavour by ﬂavour, with a range that is free from dairy, nuts, eggs, soya, wheat and gluten – yet still full of taste. This ice cream is crafted with just a handful of ingredients to bring a taste of the tropics through an explosion of silky-smooth fresh mango. Enjoy this scoop with a sprinkling of meringue or digestive biscuit crumbs.

FIND STOCKISTS

MANGO & PASSIONFRUIT SORBET ★ GLASTRY FARM ICE-CREAM glastryfarm.com

After some development work at the Food Technology Centre in Cookstown, Northern Irish producer Glastry Farm has succeeded in taking the sorbet beyond its traditional ‘palate cleanser’ status into healthy dessert territory. Low in fat and sugar, with a high ﬁbre, omega and fruit content, the dairy-free sorbet ticks lots of health boxes, while delivering indulgence through a creamy texture and mouthfeel.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Glastry Farm Raspberry Rufﬂe Sorbet ★

GORGONZOLA, WALNUT & PEAR ICE CREAM DESSERT ★ CLOUD9 ICE CREAM DESSERTS cloud9ic.com/en/

Cloud9 has elevated ice cream to a ﬁne dining e perience with this fusion of Hungarian walnut ice cream, protected origin Gorgonzola and pear jelly. Be sure to scoop it so the three layers can be tasted together.

GELATO LUSSO BOURBON VANILLA DAIRY ICE CREAM ★ SUNCREAM ICE CREAM suncreamicecream.com

With its luxurious texture and rich flavour, this creamy bourbon vanilla flavoured ice cream flecked with natural vanilla pods can be the star of any dessert plate. Serve with a gooey, warm pudding or let it shine solo.

www.marketplace.businessfrance.fr

CLASSIC BREAKFAST

THICK CUT MARMALADE ★★ COTTAGE DELIGHT cottagedelight.co.uk

PEANUT BUTTER WITH CHIPOTLE CHILLI ★★ FREDA’S PEANUT BUTTER fredas.co.uk

Juicy Spanish oranges are the star ingredient in this thickcut breakfast marmalade, giving it a deep flavour that is bursting with character. Try it on toasted breakfast muffins, as a glaze for roasted gammon, or as a zingy doughnut filling. All of Cottage Delight s marmalades are handmade in Staffordshire, traditionally prepared in small batches using the finest uality fruit and zest in open copper pans.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Madras Curry Paste ★★

Sweet Gooseberry Whole Fruit Jam ★★ Gourmet Burger Sauce ★ Indian Spiced Lime Pickle ★ Mango & Aubergine Chutney ★ Morello Cherry Whole Fruit Jam ★ Our Classic Lemon Curd ★ Peanut Satay Sauce ★ Stingin Scorpion Chilli Sauce ★ Thai Jasmine Coconut Rice ★

Never shy to e periment, Cornwall brand reda s has created a nut butter that combines peanuts with chipotle chilli. The deeply roasted nut ﬂavour up front gives way to a smoky aroma and subtle chilli heat, with crunchy peanut pieces adding textural interest. Use as a cooking ingredient in a satay, Thai curry or Bang Bang chicken or smear on toasted sourdough with smashed avocado.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Cornish Sea Salt peanut butter ★

SMOOTH UNSALTED

AUSTRALIAN ALMOND BUTTER ★★ MANDOLÉ ORCHARD mandoleorchard.com.au

This almond butter from Australia offers great provenance, as it is made fresh at source from nuts that are sustainably grown by Mandolé Orchard, a family-owned almond plantation in Grifﬁth, New South Wales. The nuts are lightly roasted and made into a clean, unsalted butter, which is churned until smooth and creamy. Devour it straight from the spoon, add it to a smoothie, or drizzle it over a breakfast bowl.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Smooth Australian Almond Butter ★★

FIND STOCKISTS

4 BERRY JAM ★★

MÓR TASTE mortaste.ie

In direct contrast to most regular jams on retailer shelves, Mór Taste’s policy is to use as little sugar and as much fruit as possible, producing reduced sugar jams that are packed with guilt-free goodness. This mixed berry conserve contains 85% fruit, resulting in a tart, intense and fruity taste, and a softer set that is the ideal consistency for mixing in porridge and yoghurt or spreading on pancakes.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Peanut & White

Chocolate Spread ★ Rhubarb & Vanilla Jam ★ Raspberry Jam ★ Mango Jam ★

CHOCOLATE & HAZELNUT SPREAD ★★

MÓR TASTE mortaste.ie

Mór Taste founder Felix gave up a career in the food industry to focus on making healthier spreads and conserves that contain less sugar and more natural ingredients than their mainstream counterparts. His multi award-winning chocolate & hazelnut spread is a case study in minimising sweetness while maximising indulgence. Made with hazelnuts and chocolate only, it contains no palm oil, no nasties and 74% less sugar than the market leader.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Peanut & White

Chocolate Spread ★ Rhubarb & Vanilla Jam ★ Raspberry Jam ★ Mango Jam ★

STRAWBERRY EXTRA JAM ★ JAM MOTHERS jammothers.co.uk

THE CHILLI JAM ★ BODDINGTON’S PRESERVES boddingtonspreserves.co.uk

Bursting with sweet, yet spicy ﬂavours, this chilli jam is slowcooked in small batches on the family farm in Mevagissey, Cornwall. It is great with paninis, ﬁshcakes, burgers and cheese.

A newcomer to the preserves scene, Jam Mothers raids the wild larder of the Hertfordshire countryside to produce its jams, marmalades and jellies, including this traditional strawberry jam that is redolent of lazy summer days, picnics and childhood.

Spirit of Christmas London 3-9 November 2025

CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER 100% ★★ MERIDIAN meridianfoods.co.uk

A veteran on the scene, Meridian has been producing nut and seed butters for over 0 years at its Wre ham roastery. Early on, it discerned that the best approach to deliver the ma imum nutty goodness was to roast the whole peanut, skin and all, before crushing them for the perfect crunchy te ture. This e pertise shines through in this peanut butter, which is delicious on toast or straight from the jar.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Lightly Salted Crunchy Peanut Butter ★

FIND STOCKISTS

CHAI HAZELNUT & PEANUT BUTTER ★ NUT BLEND nutblend.com

London-based nut butter blender Gabriella has taken inspiration from the sweet and spicy ﬂavours of chai, creating a recipe that combines smooth roasted peanuts, cinnamon, ginger and clove with crunchy hazelnuts for texture. She recommends either spreading the nutritious nut butter on toast, stirring it into porridge, or blending it into a smoothie for an energy boost that naturally satisﬁes without causing a sugar spike.

LEMON CURD ★★ WELSH LADY PRESERVES welshladypreserves.com

The Jones family has been making lemon curd at home in North Wales since 1 , when it was a favourite treat for the farm workers to enjoy at tea time. Today, the family business still makes this smooth citrus preserve from butter, eggs, lemon, sugar and pectin, albeit in its Pwllheli jam factory. Spread it on crumpets, toast, mufﬁns and fruit loaf, or use as a cake ﬁlling.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Cranberry Sauce ★ Scotch Bonnet Chilli Jam ★ Tomato Ketchup ★

• Chilled & Frozen Groupage Distribution

• European Groupage Distribution

• Retail, Food Service and Manufacturing Sectors

• Multi-Temperature Warehousing

• Storage & Order Picking

• Confectionery Storage

• Blast Freezing & Tempering

• Customs Agency

• Customs Warehousing

EXTRA VIRGIN AVOCADO OIL ★★★ OMEGA PRESSERY omegapressery.com

Kenyan co-founders Niki and Niheer are on a mission to reconnect consumers with origins through a direct supply chain approach. Avocados are harvested from trees that ﬂourish in the rich volcanic soils of Mount enya and are cold-pressed locally, yielding a natural, non-GM , vegan and pesticide-free oil with a high smoke point. 25 perfectly ripe avocados go into each bottle of single origin oil.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Omega Pressery Extra irgin Macadamia il ★

FIND STOCKISTS

8:26 HISTORIES EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL BLEND ★

8:26 HISTORIES CHARILAOS GOUNARAS historiesoliveoil.com

This high phenolic organic Greek extra virgin olive oil is a blend of Manaki and Throubolia varieties and is early harvested and cold-extracted by a family in Evia that has olive oil production experience spanning three generations.

BANHOEK CHILLI OIL GARLIC ★

BANHOEK CHILLI OIL banhoekchillioil.com

This South African producer has infused its original chilli oil with a generous amount of pure dried garlic to make a condiment that has the ability to transform pasta dishes, pizzas and more.

DUE VITTORIE APPLE CIDER VINEGAR ★★★ ARTISAN OLIVE OIL COMPANY artisanoliveoilcompany.co.uk

Produced by one of Italy’s most prestigious balsamic vinegar producers from Modena, this apple vinegar is aged in the same way as a balsamic. Mi ed with sparkling water, it makes a fresh and fruity drink.

BANHOEK CHILLI OIL ORIGINAL ★

BANHOEK CHILLI OIL banhoekchillioil.com

Brothers-in-law Ken Kinseyuick and Adi Meintjes experimented with over 60 different chilli and oil combinations before hitting on the perfect one. Drizzle on pizza or use as a ﬁnishing oil to enhance any dish without overpowering it.

COLD PRESSED RAPESEED OIL ★★ BELL AND LOXTON bellandloxton.co.uk

Thanks to its high smoke point and clean, vibrant, nutty ﬂavour, this golden rapeseed oil can perform a variety of culinary roles, from dressing and drizzling to baking, roasting and stir-frying. It is produced by husband-andwife-led business Bell and Lo ton, from the family farm in South Devon. Homegrown rapeseed is cold-pressed to e tract its natural oil, which is then ﬁltered and bottled on the farm.

ORGANIC RAW VIRGIN COCONUT OIL ★★★

BIONA ORGANIC biona.co.uk

Biona was founded over 0 years ago by a team dedicated to creating a better future by providing 100% organic, ethically and sustainably sourced food. This natural virgin coconut oil, cold-pressed from organic coconuts and produced without monkey labour, shows that the brand still holds fast to these values today. The oil can be used for frying, baking and spreading, giving an e otic ﬂavour to stir-fries, curries, and smoothies.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Biona Organic Pumpkin Seed Oil ★★ Biona Organic Agave Dark Syrup ★★ Biona rganic Lime Juice ★ Biona rganic Lemon Juice ★ Biona Organic Super Crunch Hi-Oleic Peanut Butter ★ Biona Organic Rapeseed Oil ★

CHILI PUMPKIN DRESSING ★ BIATECA biateca.com

In a corner of Southern Moldova, a family enterprise is crafting cold-pressed oils and dressings using natural, locally sourced raw materials and zero-waste methods. ne of its proudest achievements is this dressing, which is brimming with the nutty richness of cold-pressed pumpkin seed oil, piquant peppers and aromatic herbs. Use it as a dressing for pasta, vegetables and grains, a marinade for meat, ﬁsh and poultry, or a dip for focaccia.

OLIXIR® BY FOOD FOR HEALTH®ORGANIC HIGH-POLYPHENOL EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL ★★ FOOD FOR HEALTH® PROUD PRODUCER OF OLIXIR® foodforhealth.ch

Made in Sicily from a secret assemblage of three olive cultivars, this organic e tra virgin olive oil boasts a high polyphenol content and e ceptional freshness and ﬂavour. n the palate, elegant notes of green olives move through wild herbs to a black pepper ﬁnale. The li ir brand is the creation of Sergio Panzarella, who, in 201 , embarked on a project to restore his grandparents abandoned olive grove.

Shire Foods are a wholesaler based in the

We’ve been packing an extensive range of gourmet products for over 30 years; these include nuts, dried fruits, herbs, spices, cereals, grains, pulses, confectionery, and savoury snacks.

We also stock a large range of premium branded products with favourites such as Tiptree, Belvoir, Farmhouse Biscuits, Stokes & Garofalo. Get in touch & explore our full range today!

Don’t forget to check out our new premium range of products!

Introducing Shire Fine Foods - Our new premium range of products. We also offer an own-label customisation service, allowing you to get your shop logo & branding on our premium packaging! Enquire today & enhance your brand with a unique personalised touch.

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

1000ML ORGANIC ★

EPIGENETICS INTERNATIONAL

epigenetics-international.com

Olive oils are one of nature’s health foods, owing to their polyphenol content. Epigenetics has harnessed this potential in this nutty, peppery, olive oil, pressed from hand-picked biodiverse olives grown in Calabria.

COLD PRESSED RAPESEED OIL BLENDED WITH JALAPEÑO CHILLI ★

KENTISH OILS

kentishcondiments.com

Cold-pressed rapeseed oil is blended with a Jalapeño chilli infusion to create a spicy oil that will liven up your cooking. Use it to add a kick to roast potatoes, or warmth to a stir fry.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR ★

SUMA

suma.coop

This apple cider vinegar has been fermented by one of the oldest Italian vinegar producers and brought to the UK by Suma, an ethical equal pay worker co-op that has been stocking kitchens since 1977. Made from organic apples, the vinegar is raw, unpasteurised, unﬁltered and with the mother – a natural sediment which contains bacteria, pectin and enzymes that are beneﬁcial for the gut.

FIND STOCKISTS

SORNANINO EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL. SINGLE ESTATE, EARLY HARVEST ★ SORNANINO EVOO sornanino.com

Serena Jenks and family grow olives organically on her six-hectare smallholding in Castellina-in-Chianti, Tuscany, hand-picking early in the season to ensure the highest quality. This polyphenol-rich extra virgin olive oil does not disappoint; it is bright and peppery with beautiful bitter and herbal elements, grassy on the nose and buttery in the mouth. This makes it ideal for ﬁnishing bread, bruschetta, salads, vegetables, ﬁsh, soups, stews and even ice cream.

TERRA ROSSA

JORDANIAN LEMON

INFUSED OLIVE OIL ★

TERRA ROSSA

terra-rossa.com

This lemon-infused, coldpressed Jordanian extra virgin olive oil is delicious with ﬁsh, chicken, salads and vegetables. To achieve an intense citrus ﬂavour, at least 250g of lemons are used to produce 1 litre of oil.

RASPBERRY

BALSAMIC DRESSING AND DIP ★

WILD ISLAND

thegarlicfarm.co.uk

Indulgently rich yet oil free, this raspberry-infused balsamic vinegar dressing and dip is great with chicken, puy lentils and roasted peppers or tossed with freshly chopped herbs and leaves to make a sumptuous salad.

JAPANESE STYLE MAYONNAISE ★ THE UMAMI BROS theumamibros.com

Three friends with a shared love of umami are behind this Japanese style mayonnaise made from British rapeseed oil, egg yolk and a unique vinegar blend. Use it to pep up sandwiches, sushi or salads.

BLACKBERRY BALSAMIC DRESSING AND DIP ★

WILD ISLAND

thegarlicfarm.co.uk

This blackberry-infused balsamic vinegar is produced in small batches on the Isle of Wight. Evocative of long summer days, it adds berry richness to a goats’ cheese salad, salmon or halibut.

PERFECT DOUGH - PERFECT PIZZA, FIRST TIME, EVERYTIME.

WE’RE ON THE BALL

Savour the authentic taste of Italy with our premium artisanal frozen dough balls. Crafted with the finest ingredients and time-honoured traditions passed down since 1900, our award-winning Neapolitan and sourdough creations are a culinary masterpiece. As featured on Channel 4’s Food Unwrapped, these dough balls are the perfect foundation for delicious pizza.

“Mangia bene, vivi bene!” (Eat well, live well!)

IRELAND’S BLUE

Some 40 years a er it started an Irish cheese revolution, Cashel Blue is still wowing tasters. And its Tipperary-based maker’s future looks bright under the stewardship of a new generation.

Being an apprentice who’s destined to take over a cherished family business is no small proposition. There is tradition to uphold, but also your own stamp to make. The pressure can be signi cant – especially when the business you’re due to inherit is as culturally signi cant as Cashel Blue.

“I certainly didn’t always want or intend to get involved,” says Sarah Furno, who today co-owns the company with her husband Sergio. “It is a huge responsibility—you need to be able to contribute, to lead, to remain relevant.”

Cashel Blue was established by Sarah’s parents, Louis and Jane Grubb, at Beechmount Farm in County Tipperary. The two had moved to the farm in 1979; within a year, they’d purchased a herd of 90 cows and Jane had begun experimenting with cheese production.

In 1984, Jane developed Cashel Blue: Ireland’s very rst blue cheese. Densely fudgey in texture, it’s a quintessential easy-eating blue, balancing a salty edge with a hint of lactic sweetness. By the following year, Neal’s Yard Dairy was carrying the cheese.

“Cashel Blue is our family recipe,” says Sarah. “It created a slow revolution in Irish cheese – remember blue cheese is not a traditional Irish food – but yet it became a modern Irish classic.”

Today, Cashel Blue remains a local product. In the summer, half of the milk comes from the dairy’s own land, a surrounding 220-acre farm; the rest hails from

farms within a 25-kilometre radius. The cheese itself is a fundamentally living, changing entity. “Our milk isn’t homogenised; the fats and proteins change with the seasons, the weather, and when the herds are due to have their young,” Sarah says. “We lean into what nature has given us locally, and we think we do a pretty good job at it.”

She knows those intricacies better than most. By the age of 11, she was helping represent Cashel Blue at national consumer events in Dublin. Still convinced she wouldn’t take on the business, Sarah later le to pursue a WSET diploma, and spent ve years in the wine trade. But eventually her stance so ened.

“My husband, Sergio, is also from a strong food culture,” she says, adding that he hails from a ricefarming family in Northern Italy. “Somehow the stars aligned and we knew we could contribute to the future of our family recipe.”

The business has ourished under their stewardship. The couple has developed an in-depth tasting program, diversi ed their routes to market, and built a new dairy beside their home that’s capable of maturing up to 50,000 wheels at once.

“We are very committed to remaining independently owned, quality-focused, and relevant,” says Sarah. Just don’t call Cashel Blue a heritage product, she speci es—it’s too vital and present-tense for that. cashelblue.com

Remember

blue cheese is not a traditional Irish food but Cashel Blue became a modern Irish classic.

Congratulations to Ireland’s world-class food and drink producers who scooped an impressive 496 Great Taste awards!

To find out more about Ireland’s outstanding food and drink, get in contact with Bord Bia’s UK office at: www.irishfoodanddrink.com/london

HALKIDIKI OLIVES WITH GARLIC ★★ HORGAN’S DELICATESSEN SUPPLIES horgans.com

Big, plump and juicy, with a fresh aroma of garlic and herbs, these pitted green Greek olives are a great addition to a show-stopping antipasti platter. Part of the Horgans Olives & Antipasti range, they not only look the business, but are crisp and clean-tasting without being too salty or garlicky, allowing the olive itself to take centre stage.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Horgan’s Kalmata Olives ★★ Horgan’s Irish Silverside Spiced Beef ★★ Dunnes Stores Pesto Topped Houmous 170g ★

FIND STOCKISTS

Everyone needs an everyday hot sauce in their cupboard, and Peter Bennison’s solo sauce operation is ready to meet this demand, with a versatile hot sauce made in his Surrey kitchen from fresh ingredients and whole spices. Sweet and sour notes from tamarind, garlic and aromatic spices work together with medium heat from Scotch Bonnet chillies in a recipe that doubles up as a dipping sauce and marinade.

DOUX DOUX (CHAYOTE & TAMARIND) PEPPER SAUCE ★★ CALLALOO CORNER callaloocorner.com

Born out of Christine Lee Wing’s desire to recreate and share the authentic tastes of her native Trinidad and Tobago, this ﬂavour-packed Caribbean hot sauce is a medley of Scotch Bonnet peppers, chayote, tamarind, oranges, fresh herbs and spices. Its smoky notes can enhance a variety of foods, including curries, barbecued meat, wraps and sandwiches.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Jeez-an-ages Apple Mango Pepper Sauce ★

FIND STOCKISTS

SHITO PEPPER SAUCE MILD ★ COAST OF GOLD coastofgold.com.au

Bring the vibrancy of Africa to your table with this mild shito pepper sauce, Genevieve Muir s vegan-friendly take on the famous Ghanian condiment. While shito traditionally contains shrimp paste, this plant-based recipe achieves the depth and comple ity of a shito through a blend of rich aromatic spices and dried chilli peppers. It is made in Australia, where Gen lives with her family, and is often bundled with her medium and hot varieties.

FIND STOCKISTS

HOTCHUP ★

MIC’S CHILLI micschilli.com

Hot sauce creator Mic Wejchert has taken one of the most ubiquitous condiments and given it the Mic’s Chilli treatment. A velvety, rich, tomato ketchup, HotChup has a cheeky habanero kick and an unexpected moreish edge that make it great for dipping and livening up American-style dishes. The sophisticated sauce is hand-made at Mic’s Chilli HQ in Co. Wicklow, Ireland.

FIND STOCKISTS

FRESH

THYME & ROASTED RED PEPPER KETCHUP ★

A LITTLE BIT FOOD alittlebit.co.uk

without the hassle. Dollop on

Cooked in small batches in a custom-built commercial kitchen in Kent, this versatile ketchup delivers the ﬂavour of fresh herbs without the hassle. Dollop on burgers, spread on sandwiches or use as a dip for chips.

PICCALILLI ★★

LITTLE BAOBAB

JR’

JR’s KITCHEN jrskitchen.co.uk

CHILLI SAUCE ★★

LITTLE BAOBAB littlebaobab.co.uk

rom cucumber and cauliﬂower to onions and shallots, all the ingredients of a classic piccalilli come together in a tangy sauce in this traditional recipe, which brings well-balanced sweetness and acidity to cold cuts and cheeses.

This is the signature chilli sauce of Little Baobab – a Senegalese restaurant in London. Chilli sauce is very popular in Senegal, and this super-hot version has a Scotch Bonnet base.

PINEAPPLE & CHILLI RELISH ★

LUDLOW FARMSHOP

ludlowfarmshop.co.uk

A dedicated jam and pickles department makes all of Ludlow Farmshop’s condiments on site, in the same way they would be made in a home kitchen. One of the jewels in its crown is this bold and versatile relish, which combines glorious fresh, sweet pineapple, pops of mustard seeds and warming chilli notes. It is the perfect condiment for burgers, cheese or meat platters, roasted meats and pizza..

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Colombian Coffee ★ Rwandan Coffee ★ Espresso Blend No.3 Coffee ★ Dark Ginger Cake ★ Three Fruit Marmalade ★ Cranberry and Orange Sauce with Port ★ Burger Relish ★ Smoked Coppa ★ Greek Style Yoghurt ★ Handmade Lightly Salted Cultured Butter ★ Oakly Park Cheddar ★ Luxury Christmas Pudding ★ Blackcurrant Bakewell Tart ★

HABANERO CHILLI JAM ★★★

Mr VIKKIS mrvikkis.co.uk

This habanero chilli jam will have you hooked after one spoon, thanks to its delightful fragrance, sweet-savoury ﬂavour and chilli-cardamom aromatic heat. Billed as an exciting alternative to a ploughman’s pickle, it can transform sandwiches and stand up to strong cheese, or any food that would beneﬁt from a jammy chilli boost. Like the rest of the Mr Vikkis range, it was created by chilli master Adam Marks.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Orange Cardamom Marmalade ★★ Harrys Brown Sauce ★★ Tomato Nigella Chutney ★★ chilli jam ★★ Guy Fawkes Gunpowder Mustard ★ Harrys chipotle BBQ sauce ★ Alfonso mango Chilli Jam ★ Indian Garlic Pickle ★ King Naga ★ Sambal ★

THE SCORPION’S TALE ★ SHEFFIELD DRAGON e e ddra o . om

The Scorpion s Tale was the ﬁrst hot sauce founder Andrew made from the chillies he grew during the pandemic. The line-up has since grown to take in 15 sauces, but this is the OG – loved for its intense heat, which comes from a blend of Trinidad scorpion and red chillies. Mix it with mayo for a bold dressing, creme fraîche for a dip or Greek yoghurt for a marinade.

FIND STOCKISTS

BYADAGI CHILLI

Chana Dahl

TELLICHERRY PEPPER

Chickpeas

Golden, crispy split chickpeas with a fiery kick of Byadagi Chilli and sea salt. A savoury delight that’s hard to resist —perfect for sharing or indulging solo!

BYADAGI CHILLI

Dahls & Nuts Mix

A crunchy medley of chickpeas, cashews, peanuts, and green peas, spiced with Byadagi Chilli and sea salt. A moreish Sri Lankan treat that’s made for sharing…

Crispy chickpeas seasoned with bold Tellicherry pepper. Packed with flavour and nutrients, these protein-rich bites offer a deliciously simple yet spicy snack that’s hard to put down. if you can!

ONION & FENNEL

Pakoda

Crispy chickpea fritters mixed with onion, fennel seeds, and a hint of Byadagi Chilli. A classic Sri Lankan Street food favourite, rich in both flavour and protein.

CLASSIC VEGAN. GLUTEN FREE KIMCHI WITH TURMERIC ★★ NAKED KIMCHI & CO nakedkimchi.co

The Naked Kimchi & Co team, composed of talented refugees, crafts each batch of this versatile ferment by hand, blending Ukrainian heritage with orean ﬂavours in Glasgow. Enjoy as an umami side, in a stir-fry, or on avocado toast.

SPICY BURNT CHILLI SAUCE ★★ PAYST payst.co.uk

The chefs at Farang restaurant in Highbury, North London, prepare and bottle up this Asian sauce. Spicy, salty, smoky, sweet and sour, it packs some serious ﬂavour and heat and is inﬁnitely dippable.

RO’S FIRE SAUCE ★★ RO’s roskitchn.com

Ro – a chef with roots in Cameroon, Nigeria and Sierra Leone – crafts her eponymous sauces using her deep knowledge of West African ﬂavours and chillies. Her e pertise is apparent in this spicy, vinegar-less hot sauce, which balances fruity notes from Scotch Bonnets and ginger with intensity from aromatics like shallots, garlic and cloves. Stir it into your favourite dishes for a rich, ﬁery kick that enhances every bite

Other Great Taste awards (2024): RO’s Jollof Smokey & Spice West African Sauce ★ R s Pepper Savoury Sweet West African Sauce ★

KICKIN’ KEY LIME TOAD SWEAT DESSERT HOT SAUCE ★ PEPPERED PALETTE pepperedpalette.com

Key lime juice and habaneros, with aromas of vanilla and cocoa, co-exist beautifully in this spicy dessert sauce, which brings sweet heat to ice cream, cakes, fruit and cocktails.

ZIPPIN’ LEMON TOAD SWEAT DESSERT HOT SAUCE ★ PEPPERED PALETTE pepperedpalette.com

Brewed by Todd Guiton and team in Kendal, this sauce packs sweet chilli heat with a bold lemon punch. It is right at home on many desserts though it shines on ice cream.

REAL TOMATO KETCHUP ★ STOKES SAUCES stokessauces.co.uk

There s a reason why this ketchup is bursting with flavour every 100g of condiment is packed with an incredible 200g of sun-ripened Mediterranean tomatoes. Combine this with the skill of Stokes’ small but dedicated team, and the outcome is a rich, juicy ketchup that you can put on just about anything. It is great as a pizza base, toast topper, egg enhancer and fish finger dipper.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Classic English Mustard ★★ Real Brown Sauce ★

FIND STOCKISTS

Woman & Home Christmas Love London November 2025

Since 1952, Rachel’s family pioneered in organic, using only natural methods on their farm which became the first organic dairy farm in the UK. Today, Rachel’s Organic continues to be proudly made in West Wales, with local British organic milk and never any artificial ingredients.

Great FaithfulTasting.to Nature. since 1952

LOUET FEISSER NO. 2 ★★★ CARLINGFORD OYSTER COMPANY carlingfordoystercompany.ie

It takes three years for these oysters to grow to full size but they are deﬁnitely worth the wait. The oysters are hand-selected from the A-grade waters of Carlingford Lough, which gives them a mineral-rich taste that is best appreciated when they are served raw with a splash of tabasco or lemon juice. They can also be baked in the oven, topped with breadcrumbs, butter and garlic.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Louet Feisser No. 3 ★★ Carlingford No. ★

HERITAGE HONEY ROASTED HOT SMOKED TROUT ★★ BERKSHIRE TROUT berkstrout.co.uk

Berkshire trout is glazed with wildflower honey and kilnroasted over whisky-soaked oak barrel shavings to produce a flavoursome fillet that can be served warm as a main dish or flaked into a salad.

Support the independents with us. Product and shop recommendations, events and more straight to your inbox every month.

SMOKED HADDOCK ★★ THE WEALD SMOKERY wealdsmokery.co.uk

Head smoker Michael has perfected the art of smoking haddock to achieve a precise balance of smokiness and sweetness. The fish is cold-smoked over oak chippings in traditional brick kilns, a techni ue that yields juicy, flaky, plump fillets with a buttery te ture and rich oak smoke flavour. se them as the main ingredient in a fish pie or keep it simple and serve with a poached egg and spinach.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Hot Roast Smoked Salmon ★ Smoked Mackerel ★

g .co.uk | @guildo nefood

FISH4EVER SMOKED SPRATS IN ORGANIC EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL ★★

FISH4EVER ever. o.u

Sprats are a very delicate fish mid-size between an anchovy and a sardine. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, making them a tasty and nutritious inclusion in salads. These responsibly fished sprats are caught by local boats in the Baltic Sea, before being smoked and packed in organic e tra virgin olive oil. Be sure to make the most of the oil, which takes on a beautiful smoked flavour.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Organico Organic sesame grissini ★

FIND STOCKISTS

‘KENT APPLE’ ★

OWLET FRUIT JUICE

owletfruitjuice.co.uk

This refreshing cloudy apple juice is made from a blend of sweet Galas and Braeburns and balanced with a touch of sharp Bramley. The fruit has been regeneratively grown on Loddington arm, a ﬁfth-generation apple and pear farm in Kent. A small team then presses, bottles and labels the juice on site. Serve chilled over ice or use as a mixer in a fruity cocktail.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): ‘Cox & Bramley’ ★

HEARTBEET ★★ PRODJUICE JUICERY prodjuicejuicery.co.uk

Born out of a family greengrocer business, this juicery is transforming raw produce into a convenient format that makes it easy to get your ﬁve-a-day. HEARTBEET is a health-boosting blend of beetroot, ginger, carrot, apple and lime. A cold-press process extracts the maximum amount of nutritional value from each fruit and vegetable to produce a pure, smooth, unheated, unpasteurised juice.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): GINGER SH T ★ POWER GREEN ★

HAND-PICKED ELDERFLOWER CORDIAL ★★ BOTTLEGREEN bottlegreendrinks.com

This fragrant cordial blends Cotswold spring water with handpicked elderflowers. It is made at bottlegreen s original factory in Stroud, via a uni ue cold filtration process, using water that is drawn from the producer’s very own spring in the Cotswolds. ree from artificial colours, flavourings and sweeteners, this versatile cordial can be diluted with still or sparkling water or added to a glass of Prosecco or a G&T.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): bottlegreen Sumptuous Pomegranate Elderflower Cordial ★★ bottlegreen Aromatic Ginger with a hint of Lemongrass Cordial ★★ bottlegreen English Rose Elderflower Cordial ★★ bottlegreen & Edwards Elderflower odka Spritz ★ bottlegreen & Edwards Lime Mint odka Spritz ★ bottlegreen & Edwards Raspberry odka Spritz ★ bottlegreen Refreshing Lime & Mint Cordial ★ bottlegreen ull-bodied Elderflower Sparkling Press ★

FIND STOCKISTS

SWEETBIRD BOTANICAL HIBISCUS SYRUP ★★

SWEETBIRD sweetbird.com

Sweetbird has been making syrups for beverages in its Bristol factory since 200 , when cappuccinos were the height of sophistication. In that time, has e panded its range to take in over 0 syrups. ne of its latest innovations is this elegant and e otic syrup, made with real hibiscus. It e udes a ﬂoral and tart red berry ﬂavour that pairs well with white chocolate drinks, lemonades, iced teas and sodas.

FIND STOCKISTS

GUT-FRIENDLY GINGER BEER ★★ THAT GREEN LIFE UK thatgreenlife.uk

Former chef and That Green Life founder Anthony Leonard devised the recipe for this kombucha-like brew, which is believed to be the s ﬁrst fermented ginger beer. Raw ginger, unreﬁned sugar and fresh lemon juice go into this unpasteurised probiotic drink, which is high in antio idants and low in sugar, making it a perfect alternative to an alcoholic beverage before, during or after a meal.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Warrior Tonic ★★ iery Gut- riendly Ginger Beer ★ egan imchi ★

RASPBERRY CAMBUCHA ★ THE CAMBUCHA thecambucha.com

ood scientist Lukas says he has embraced the goodness of nature to create an alternative to alcohol that tastes as good as it makes you feel. Made from whole raspberry with no colourings or ﬂavourings, raspberry Cambucha is a bright, refreshing drink with balanced tannins, subtle raspberry ﬂavour and gentle effervescence. Sip it on its own, well chilled in a wine glass or pair with seafood or roast lamb.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): The Ginger Lemon Cambucha ★

ORIGINAL QUAS ★ QUAS DRINKS quasdrinks.co.uk

Packed with billions of beneﬁcial bacteria, this authentic bread kvass is the result of fermenting rye and barley malts with a 180-yearold sourdough starter culture. Quas is a versatile non-sweet beverage, perfect as an alcohol alternative.

SHINDIG ENERGY

DRINK - LEMON & LIME FLAVOUR ★

SHINDIG PROMOTIONS shindigenergydrink.com

A charming backstory rooted in Irish folklore adds to the appeal of this energising tonic, which combines B vitamins, lemon and lime juice concentrates and a natural caffeine coffee extract to provide a refreshing pick-me-up.

WONDA MIX - TWIST ★ WONDA MIX wondamix.com

A beverage for all walks of life, Wonda Mix all started from a family home in London. This streetwise beverage brand already has nearly 10,000 followers on Instagram, and is deﬁnitely attracting an audience that is more Gen and A than X. Its so-called ‘smoothie shake’ is an exotic smoothie combined with a shake, made with fruits from all around the world, that is designed to slot easily into a daily routine.

FIND STOCKISTS

BEE THE BEST

The Leontarakis family has been making honey since the late 1940s, and the tradition has evolved and passed down through the generations. The end result speaks for itself.

Honey is one of the world’s most counterfeited foods. “Real honey is pricey, so bulking it out with cheaper alternatives such as water or sugar syrups made from rice, wheat or sugar beet, is an appealing proposition for fraudsters,” Which? Magazine noted in a report last year, a er a European Commission investigation found almost 50% of the honeys it tested were fraudulent.

Against that backdrop of rampant forgery, real honey – honey that speaks of place; honey that is produced with bees’ welfare in mind; honey that o ers tasters a complex bouquet of avours – is all the more rare, and precious. And those qualities are exactly what makes Melicreta – Leontarakis’ Authentiko-Cretan Thyme Honey so exemplary.

The Leontarakis family has produced their honey for three generations. “It all began with our grandfather George, who acquired his rst hives in 1948,” says Yannis Leontarakis, who runs the business alongside his brother George and sister Eleni. “Our father Fanis developed a passion for the cra , and now it’s our turn to carry on the tradition.”

For Yannis, rising to that challenge felt inevitable. “From a young age, I helped my father with the hives, and it felt natural to be around the bees,” he says. “Each hive feels like its own world, and being able to manage and nurture it has been a source of excitement and pride for me ever since I was a child.”

Although the business today is headquartered in Ligaria—a seaside village near Heraklion, on Crete’s

Each hive feels like its own world.

northern coast—its cast of 3,000 hives is more mobile. The family relocates them throughout the year, based on the owering of various plants and changing environmental conditions, moving them from the coast to wooded areas like the Selakano Forest and into mountainous terrain. Each region imprints its own terroir, whispering of windswept garrigue and sweet meadows, sun-warmed earth and scintillating sea breezes.

The resulting honey, harvested just once per year, is the equivalent of a eld blend in winemaking terms, all of the blending work done in the cultivation and production of the raw material rather than the a ermath. Melicreta – Leontarakis’ ethos itself feels reminiscent of the natural wine world; Yannis speaks of producing 100% raw honey with minimal intervention to ensure that all the aromas and avours are kept intact. “We’re guided by a commitment to producing natural, pure honey while promoting ethical production, environmental responsibility, and the protection of biodiversity,” he adds.

While the family’s honey is versatile – Yannis notes that they enjoy it drizzled over toast or blended into smoothies, in baked goods or in salad dressings. It also o ers an extraordinary depth and sophistication. The best way to appreciate it, then, might just be savouring a spoonful straight out of the jar. melicreta.gr

CROSSBILL GREEN DRY GIN ★ CROSSBILL DISTILLING crossbillgin.com

This gin is all about showcasing local botanicals, with a particular emphasis on highlighting the distinctive ﬂavour of Scottish juniper. Crafted in Crossbill s distillery in Glasgow from handpicked blue and green juniper berries and juniper needles, it offers up fresh, bittersweet and citrusy ﬂavours. Serve with a light tonic and a sprig of rosemary or basil for a refreshing twist, or with lime juice and sugar in a gimlet.

FIND STOCKISTS

SNS SHAKE ‘N’ SERVE COCKTAILS CAIPIRINHA ★★ BUOYANT snscocktails.com

Save time and guesswork with this ready-to-serve caipirinha, a Brazilian cocktail that delivers citrus and smooth cachaça on both the nose and palate. Serve chilled in a tumbler ﬁlled with crushed ice and a lime wedge garnish.

LIR IRISH WHISKEY, BLACK CREST ★ LIR WHISKEY glensofantrimdistillery.com

Black Crest has been matured in an loroso sherry cask and from the ﬁrst sip, whiskeylovers will be struck by the way peels, honeyed cereals and sultanas mingle with a refreshing hint of ginger.

MALVERN INKY PINK (CHILLI) BITTERS ★

MALVERN BITTERS malvernbitters.ink

Add a spicy, slow burn to your favourite spirits with Malvern Inky Pink Chilli Bitters. The invention of Pippa Sanderson, these aromatic bitters revive aperitifs, cocktails, spirits and mi ers with a pi uancy that dances across the tongue.

ROYAL MASH VINTAGE VODKA 2020 ★ ROYAL MASH VODKA royalmash.com

The concept for this premium potato vodka was dreamt up by Rachel de Caen and Peter Le Fol du Taillis. Smooth, clean and balanced, it is distilled once in bespoke 200-litre copper stills using oversize Jersey Royals.

SUNNYSIDE ALCOHOLIC

GINGER BEER ★

SUNNYSIDE DRINKS CO sunnysidedrinks.co.uk

Inspired by the vibrant Aussie ginger beer scene, this flavourful and refreshing % AB brew is crafted with fresh-pressed organic ginger and lemons, with no artificial preservatives, sweeteners, colours or flavours.

CINNAMON & ORANGE BITTERS ★ THE BITTER CLUB thebitterclub.co.uk

Drinkers of dark spirits will love how these bitters can brighten and warm cocktails through carefully balanced rich aromatic and citrus notes. Starting with rich cinnamon, they develop to a pronounced orange ﬁnish.

FIVE WAYS BLENDED LIQUEUR ★

8 DOORS DISTILLERY 8doorsdistillery.com

Five Ways marries the heritage of Scotch Whisky with modern ﬂavours of zesty orange, warming ginger, sweet honey and spice in a recipe that was conceived by the distillery s founders, erry and Derek, and has been embraced by the team in John O’Groats. There are many ways to enjoy this versatile li ueur over ice in a highball, in a boozy hot chocolate or in a cocktail.

TEN HIDES SPICED RUM ★ TEN HIDES DISTILLERY tenhides.com

This is a rum of comple ity and depth bursting with vanilla and caramel notes and warming with a delightful spice ﬁnish. A sipping rum to savour, it is e ually suited to a winter s night or a summer s day.

HIBISCUS & ROSE BITTERS ★

THE BITTER CLUB thebitterclub.co.uk

Drawing on two fragrant flower flavours, these bitters bring a beautiful pink hue and a spring of florality to any drink. The fruity depth of the hibiscus and the heady sweetness of the rose strike the perfect partnership.

WILD OXEN SPICED RUM ★

ABINGDON DISTILLERY abingdondistillery.com

ermented from panela and infused with nutmeg, tonka, vanilla, coconut and orange, this golden spiced rum doles out big hits of baking spices and apple crumble. It is 100% British-produced, fermented from scratch at Abingdon s small distillery in fordshire under the careful watch of head distiller Jordan Morris. Serve over ice with ginger beer and fresh lime or in cocktails such as a spiced Mojito or Mai tai.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Wild en Pure White Rum ★★ Abingdon London Dry Gin ★ Abingdon Sloe Gin ★

GREAT GLEN DISTILLERY

greatglendistillery.co.uk

Made on the banks of Loch Ness, this classic London dry gin draws on master distiller Adam Dwyer’s 20-plus years of e perience as a chef in some of the s finest establishments. Deep, comple flavours and a fresh citrus finish make this a great sipping gin, but it is at its best when paired with a premium tonic water and fresh lemon peel twist.

FIND STOCKISTS

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Prickly Gin ★ GREAT GLEN PREMIUM SCOTTISH GIN

The moonshiners at Angus Alchemy have worked their wizardry to capture the essence of the clootie dumpling in a bottle. The ingredients of this much-loved Scottish pudding – including mixed fruit, spices, honey and treacle – form the basis of the spirit, giving it traditional charm and layers of ﬂavour. It can be served neat over ice or used as a base for cocktails.

DIABLESSE COCONUT & HIBISCUS RUM ★

DIABLESSE RUM

diablesserum.co.uk

Flavoured with fresh coconut and delicate hibiscus with notes of dried cherry and toasted almond, this doubledistilled Caribbean rum offers plenty of scope for creativity. Drink it neat or with fruit juice and soda or cola over ice with a wedge of lime. You could also recreate the Cherry Bakewell in liquid form by adding cherry cola. Manchester-based Diablesse Rum is the ﬁrst solely femaleowned rum brand in the UK.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Diablesse Caribbean Golden Rum ★

MONTEREY GIN ★ HELFORD RIVER DISTILLERY montereygin.co.uk

Sea buckthorn, maté and gentian root make for an unusual twist in this smooth and zesty juniper-forward London dry gin, which is crafted in Cornwall in batches of less than 100 bottles using the one-shot method to maintain its distinctive character. It is great in a G&T with redcurrants and rosemary but even better in an ice-cold martini, stirred not shaken.

MAGNA CARTA GIN ★★

MAGNA CARTA GIN magnacartagin.com

In Runnymede, Surrey, birthplace of the Magna Carta, husband-and-wife team Eamonn and Kirsty Leacy have created a traditional dry gin that honours the area’s rich history. Magna Carta Gin is crafted with carefully selected botanicals and distilled in traditional cooper stills for a smooth, reﬁned taste. Enjoy neat to savour its reﬁned botanicals, or in a classic martini for a sophisticated twist.

FIND STOCKISTS

For over eight decades, Haldiram’s has been synonymous with authentic Indian ﬂavors, bringing the richness of traditional sweets and snacks to every corner of the world. Our journey began with a passion for quality and a love for India’s timeless recipes, passed down through generations.

Our award-winning delights—Habshi Halwa, Kaju Katli, Gulab Jamun, and Kesar Rasmalai—are a testament to our commitment to taste and tradition. Recognized by Great Taste, each of these sweets captures the essence of India’s culinary heritage, crafted with the ﬁnest ingredients and an uncompromising dedication to excellence.

Indulge in the taste of India with Haldiram’s – a legacy crafted with love, savored by all.

www.haldiramuk.com

CHURCHWARDEN’S ★

KIMPTON APPLE PRESS

kimptonapplepress.co.uk

This fresh, clean tasting apple liqueur has well-judged sweetness and interesting characteristics from oak barrel ageing. It is made by Hampshire husband-and-wife team, Henry and Virginia Clarke, who press local apples then transform them into a delicious tipple via “the church warden’s secret process”. Drink it neat over ice, mix it with sparkling wine to create a fun cocktail, or incorporate it into pork dishes.

BLUEBERRY BLISS SPARKLING WINE ★ MEE BLUEBERRIES

meeblueberries.co.uk

With the help of the experts at Biddenden Vineyards, the Mee family has applied traditional wine-making methods to create a unique sparkling wine from British blueberries grown in the Nene Valley. This elegant drink has a deep rose hue and rich fruity ﬂavour with a sweet off-dry ﬁnish. It makes the perfect celebratory sparkler, adding a touch of sophistication and a dash of British pride to any occasion.

NEGRONI ★★

SIP SHED

sipshed.co.uk

Sip Shed has blended bitter Campari, gin and medium red vermouth to make a classic negroni. The beauty of this cocktail is that it is ready to drink – simply serve over a large ball of ice with a twist of fresh orange peel. Sip Shed is a Devon-based bottled cocktail venture whose founders – Lorne MacLean and Zara Hinds – both enjoyed long careers in hospitality before embarking on this project.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Old Fashioned ★

FIND STOCKISTS

JOIN US AT THE UK’S LEADING SHOWCASE OF ARTISANAL FOOD & DRINK

Speciality & Fine Food Fair is returning to Olympia London on the Tuesday 9 & Wednesday 10 September 2025 for another sensational celebration of the ﬁne food & drink industry.

Interested in joining us? Scan the code to find out more

NO.6 SOULMATE

CLASSIC LONDON DRY GIN ★★

SAY IT WITH GIN sayitwithgin.co.uk

Best friends and business partners Debbie and Sharon are the makers of this e ceptional classic London dry gin, which is presented in a hand-painted personalised bottle with gifting in mind. Small-batch distilled in Cornwall in copper pot stills, it is comple , integrated, balanced and clean, which means it is e ually at home as a sipping gin or with tonic and a twist of lime.

WIRE WORKS WHISKY CADURO ★★ WHITE PEAK DISTILLERY whitepeakdistillery.co.uk

Provenance, heritage and ﬂavour are at the heart of this single malt whisky from a team that is laying the foundations for a craft spirit culture in the Peak District and Derbyshire. Approachable yet comple , lightly peated and fruit-forward, this is a whisky that has been bottled to be enjoyed and appreciated with friends – neat, with a drop of water or over ice.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Wire Works Whisky Virgin Oak ★

ZENO ALCOHOL-LIBERATED RED ★★

ZENO PRESTIGE ALCOHOL-LIBERATED zenowine.com

Soft and supple with bright tannins and a textured, balanced ﬁnish, this alcohol-liberated red has answered the call from wine enthusiasts for a better alcohol-free option for those occasions when they are not drinking. Organic Spanish red wine is gently de-alcoholised to retain its spicy forest fruit and cherry varietal characters, which complement grilled, roasted or slow-cooked red meats, game, pizza and cheese.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): ZENO Alcohol-Liberated Sparkling NV. ★

FIND STOCKISTS

NATURAL WONDER

Junjie Lin Tea Garden’s Honey Flavour Black Tea is truly a product of its environment and the skill of its personnel, but its avour is elevated by a curious phenomenon that is caused by some unlikely little helpers.

Insects have many agricultural roles. They can be pollinators, critical to the production of most fruit and seed crops. They can be pests, defended against by insecticides. Their presence can be a signi er of healthy ecosystems and ourishing biodiversity. But rarely are they ever direct collaborators.

And yet, that’s exactly the part that the smaller green leafhopper plays in the production of Junjie Lin Tea Garden’s Honey Flavour Black Tea. Although the tiny insect is widely regarded as a nuisance – it is primarily a grapevine pest that feeds on the leaves’ sap, harming the plant in the process – its presence high in the mist-shrouded tea farms of Taiwan is more welcome.

That’s because when the insects attack the tea leaves, the plants react defensively, producing chemical compounds designed to ward o the intrusion. But to the human palate, those compounds are far more inviting than repellent, resulting in avours of honey and owers, producing a tea that is peerless in its naturally perfumed character.

Jun Jie Lin has harnessed this unexpected collaboration for the better part of two decades. His two-acre tea farm—located 945 metres above sea level, high in eastern Taiwan’s Coastal Mountain Range—is an ideal habitat for the insects.

While the leafhoppers are generally happiest in the more tender grasses growing below, the farmworkers begin to cut them back 20 days before

the tea harvest so they’ll be prompted to move on to the tea leaves.

Like everything Junjie Lin Tea Garden does, the process is hands-on. The business made the decision to transition to organic farming in 2018, which is laborious but which Jun Jie says is better for the ecosystem, the tea quality, and the leafhoppers themselves.

“To run an organic tea farm, de nitely there’s some e ort and challenge,” he says. “We need to constantly measure and evaluate di erent statistics around the garden to make sure everything is under control.”

Currently, Junjie Lin Tea Garden cultivates two varieties of tea. There is large-leaf oolong, which is prized for its premium quality but which is also more susceptible to leafhopper damage, and the hardier jhinhsuan, which imparts a milky character. Both are used in the Smaller Green Leafhopper Honey Flavour Black Tea (Floral and Fruity Notes).

Of course, none of this is to suggest that the smaller green leafhoppers deserve sole credit for the tea’s quality. A er their intervention, it is the master tea-maker who takes over, managing the variables of fermentation and creating consistency from seasonal variability.

“It’s really based on experience,” Jun Jie says. “The tea producer has to have the experience to deliver the same quality of tea each time.”

We need to constantly evaluate different statistics to make sure everything is under control.

BENLAR CURRY JERK PASTE ★

CLARENCE BENJAMIN INTERNATIONAL benlarfoods.com

The legacy of Clarence Benjamin – a Jamaican champion farmer of yuca, hot peppers and potato – lives on through this jerk curry paste, which blends one-year-fermented jerk seasoning with turmeric and curry powder. The unusual combination of jerk and curry makes a ﬂavoursome marinade for meat, rice, and vegetable dishes. The Benlar brand is the brainchild of Jamaican entrepreneur Crasyln Benjamin, who was inspired to go into business by her grandfather.

FIND STOCKISTS

PEPPER & CHILLI SALT ★ ASILIA asiliasalt.com

Add a peppery kick to steak, chicken fajitas, sweet potato fries, pasta dishes and scrambled eggs with this wellbalanced seasoning made using sea salt produced on Asilia’s family farm in Tanzania.

DUKKAH SPICE ★

CARLA’S FOODS carlasfoods.co.uk

Carla Mumford has created her own Dukkah, combining fragrant seeds, herbs and spices to form a savoury blend that can add Middle Eastern crunch to baked feta, hummus or ﬂatbreads.

CONCENTRATED CHICKEN STOCK ★★ BAY’S KITCHEN bayskitchen.com

Those with food intolerances will appreciate this low FODMAP, gluten- and dairyfree chicken stock option that can serve as a base for homecooked meals like pies, gravies, risottos and more.

MOLE ALMENDRADO ★★

CHILI MAVEN chilimaven.com

This mole sauce comes in powder form, which you simply mix with water or broth for an easy and authentic shortcut to a complex dish. It is made in Mexico by a family business using an heirloom recipe.

AUTHENTIC ONION BHAJI MIX ★

COOK WITH OWENMASTERCHEF UK

QUARTER FINALIST cookwithowen.co.uk

Since reaching the quarter ﬁnals of MasterChef in 202 , Owen Diaram has gone on to launch his own spice mixes, including this blend of spices and gram ﬂour for making the perfect onion bhaji batter.

STICKY TOFFEE WAFFLE

SAUCE ★

HAWKSHEAD RELISH COMPANY hawksheadrelish.com

Handmade in the heart of the Lake District, this sweet caramel sauce uses luxurious ingredients like cream, butter and Madagascan vanilla to deliver a decadent dessert experience. Drizzle liberally on ice cream, pancakes, cheesecakes and, of course, wafﬂes.

LAKADONG

TURMERIC ★★

DEAR FARMER dearfarmer.co.uk

This turmeric is traditionally farmed, sliced and ground in small batches by a team of 200 women farmers in Northeast India. Stir half a teaspoon into 250ml of your milk of choice or add to a ginger shot.

SEA SALT CRYSTALS & SEAWEED FLAKES ★

ISLE OF SKYE SEA SALT

isleofskyeseasalt.co.uk

A marriage of two natural marine ingredients, this bold seasoning blends hand-harvested Skye sea salt and Skyegrown, umami-rich winged kelp seaweed. The blend can be used as a ﬁnishing touch on seafood, steamed vegetables and salads, or sprinkled on scrambled eggs to add richness and complexity. Isle of Skye Sea Salt uses only sea, sun and wind to produce its sea salt.

FIND STOCKISTS

SRI LANKAN ROASTED CURRY POWDER ★★★

HOP & ROLL hopandroll.co.uk

Founder Rosh Olivelle says this curry powder – her mum’s own recipe – is the secret to a good Sri Lankan curry. It blends 11 herbs and spices, which are roasted and ground by hand.

ROSEMARY EXTRACT ★

PUREXTRACTS

purextracts.co.uk

The concept behind PureXtracts is to compact bioactive compounds from botanicals into highly concentrated powders. 7kg of rosemary goes into a small sachet of this extract, making it a potent source of rosemary goodness. A powerful antioxidant, rosemary has a pine aroma and fresh, bittersweet ﬂavour which works well in an array of meat and vegetarian dishes. Ths powder can also be stirred into sparkling water for a refreshing drink.

CACAOLASSES

★ HOUSE OF THEOBROMA houseoftheobroma.com

Cacaolasses is a nutrient-rich, tangy-sweet molasses made from 100% pure cacao fruit pulp. It is a versatile culinary ingredient that can be used as a sweetener for beverages, as a glaze for roasted vegetables or as a topping for a cake.

NADIA’S SAFFRON ★★★

NADIA’S SAFFRON nadiasaffron.com

Bulgaria is an emerging origin for premium saffron, thanks to ventures like Nadia’s Saffron, which has been growing saffron since 2018 and has succeeded in cultivating threads with a vibrant colour, rich aroma and complex ﬂavour.

CHITARRINE WITH TRUFFLES

★★★ LA CERQUA TRUFFLES lacerqua.com

This Chitarrine, literally meaning ‘guitar string pasta’, is crafted in Italy using trufﬂes foraged from the Sibillini mountains. La Cerque deploys artisan production methods, drawing the pasta through bronze dies and slow-drying it at low temperatures.

SALT & PEPPER SEASONING ★ SIMPLY SEASONINGS

simplyseasonings.com

Simply Seasonings, a family business in Greater Manchester, has set out to create seasonings that enable home cooks to add ﬂavour to food without any compromises on health. Its Salt & Pepper Seasoning is an all-natural blend of pure pink Himalayan salt and spices with no added sugars, preservatives or additives. Just a uarter of a teaspoon will elevate meat, ﬁsh, potatoes, vegetables and sauces.

SPICE THAT ENTICES

Kandy Heirloom Cinnamon is a “true” version of this spice, and it re ects supplier Food of Gods’ commitment to sourcing exemplary varieties from across Asia and Africa

Here’s the unvarnished truth: most of the cinnamon you’ve ever tasted probably hasn’t been cinnamon at all. Today, only 10% of what is sold as cinnamon is true cinnamon, or Cinnamomum verum. The other 90% is mislabelled, lower-grade cassia.

Where real cinnamon is light, delicate, and oral – composed of hand-rolled quills that take days to produce – cassia is made from thick strips of tree bark, rougher and harsher in appearance and avour. It also contains far higher concentrations of coumarin, a compound that can cause liver damage in large quantities.

This gulf between what we think we know about the spices we consume and the o en-insalubrious realities of the global spice trade is what drove Prerna Baruah to establish Food of Gods. A er working as a journalist in India, she relocated with her husband to Accra, Ghana in 2017. During her time there, she began visiting farms. Later, work trips took her to sa ron growers in Iran and spice producers in Zanzibar.

Tasting fresh spices, and seeing their cultivation up close, proved to be an epiphany.

“The over-commoditisation of spices truly leads to spices that have no taste at all – spices that are very poor quality, that have lost their potency completely,” Prerna says. “From the time a spice is harvested to the time it reaches consumers, it literally takes four to ve years.”

From its 2021 inception, Food of Gods has sought to correct these de ciencies. Each product launch necessitates weeks or months at origin to nd farmers who produce high-quality spices naturally and sustainably. Rather than vast monoculture plantations, such spice farms are more like “food forests,” biodiverse environments where banana and coconut trees might grow alongside the spice plants.

Another bene t of working closely with handselected farmer partners is that Food of Gods’ spices take just three months to reach consumers. Meanwhile, farmers are paid four to six times the typical market rate to ensure they can continue to pursue traditional, small-batch production. “We’re talking about low quantities, very small-scale, not tonnes being produced – just a few hundred kilograms for every harvest,” Prerna says. “To sustain that kind of farming, they need that kind of support.”

The results speak for themselves. The Kandy Heirloom Cinnamon has a fragrance that’s so beguiling, with notes of creamy white orals, incense, and vanilla, that it could almost double as a perfume. “The kind of dedication and passion that goes into creating one individual cinnamon quill is immense,” Prerna says. “And ‘Food of Gods’ is truly appropriate to honour the work the farmer has put into creating each and every spice.”

foodofgods.com

The dedication and passion that goes into creating one individual cinnamon quill is immense.

Which is why, from baker’s stands and cloches to jar carriers and hampers, you’ll ﬁnd best-in-class gifting and countertop display solutions at WBC.

These rea y take the cake

ENGLISH BREAKFAST TEA WITH A GREEK TEASE ★ TEA TEASE

teateaseltd.com

Tea Tease’s goal is to bring traditional teas together with bold global ﬂavours, and its Greek Tease blend is a great e ample of this. It combines the robust ﬂavour of black tea with aromatic cinnamon and cloves, capturing the essence of both English and Greek cultures in a single cup. Steep in hot water for a rich, aromatic brew, perfect for morning rela ation or an afternoon boost.

FIND STOCKISTS

TAIWAN HIGH MOUNTAIN OOLONG TEA ★★

BOBA CHiC bobachictw.com

The unique tea-making process for this rice oolong tea has been passed down by three generations of tea masters in Lujiao, Taiwan. It yields a pale, clear liquor that conveys passion fruit and slight brassica notes from the oolong on the palate. Pleasant sweetness balanced by astringency gives a pleasing length to the ﬁnish, with ﬂoral notes persisting.

Other Great Taste awards (2024): Peacock Comfort Tea ★ Taiwan Rice Oolong Tea ★

ORGANIC GENMAICHA - KYOTO ★★

KYOEISEICHA CO. kyoeiseicha.co.jp

Japan’s leading green tea label, Kyoeiseicha Co. has created a Genmaicha that balances refreshing Sencha (Japanese green tea) with the savoury fragrance of roasted rice. The brown rice tea is part of a series of premium organic Japanese teas that have been crafted by tea master Mr Kikuoka and his team in Kyoto.

CHOCOLATE CHAI ★

HERBAL HEDGEROW herbalhedgerow.co.uk

Herbal Hedgerow has blended aromatic spices with cacao husks and nibs to create a cosy chocolate chai. The delicately spiced brew is prepared in the traditional way using a pestle and mortar in the producer’s fordshire tea studio.

ORGANIC CEREMONIAL MATCHAKYOTO ★★

KYOEISEICHA CO. kyoeiseicha.co.jp

ORGANIC WAKOCHAKYOTO ★

KYOEISEICHA CO. kyoeiseicha.co.jp

While Japan is primarily viewed as a producer of green tea, it is also home to some noteworthy black teas. This organic Wakocha from Kyoto is one such product, owing to the cultivar and processing techniques deployed.

Made from only the highest quality shade-grown Japanese tea leaves that have been dried in a traditional tea oven, this ﬁnely ground, organic ceremonial grade matcha makes for a lu urious tea ritual. Like the other teas in Kyoeiseicha Co.’s collection of premium organic Japanese teas from Kyoto, it has been crafted by esteemed tea master Mr Kikuoka and his team.

ORGANIC STOMACH

CALM TEA ★

MOJO & MELO mojoandmelo.com

This calming after-dinner loose-leaf tea contains a blend of organic herbs that are believed to alleviate stomach inﬂammation and support digestive health. It is also free from the nasties and ﬁllers that can cause discomfort.

VOCALITEA - CARAMEL APPLE & HONEY ★

VOCALITEA vocalitea.co.uk

HOTEA MODERN

BLEND MILK TEA ★ HOTEA instagram.com/hohotea_

Milk tea is an everyday drink in Malaysia and Hong Kong, and Hotea has drawn on this tradition with a ready-to-drink fusion product that is brewed using traditional Chinese methods from Sri Lanka grown Ceylon tea.

More than a beverage, Vocalitea is designed to provide a holistic approach to voice care. It started as a drink that singing teacher, Oren, used to make in his home kitchen for personal use. He subsequently collaborated with master blenders in the UK to perfect the caffeine-free brew, which is crafted with ingredients that have been selected for their role in supporting healthy vocal function.