Welsh food and drink producers honoured at prestigious awards

Welsh food and drink producers have been hailed for their performance at this year’s Great Taste Awards.

Producers from Wales won 149 awards at what is the world’s largest food and drink awards, with 97 products achieving 1-star status, 45 receiving 2-stars and 7 earning the gold stamp of approval with 3-stars.

The year’s awards come following recent statistics confirming the food and drink sector in Wales grew by 10% in the last year, with businesses reporting a total turnover of £24.6bn in 2023, compared to £22.3bn in 2022.

Exceptional quality

Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, said: “The remarkable success of our producers at the Great Taste Awards is a clear reflection of the exceptional quality and innovation that our producers bring to the global food and drink scene.

“These awards are not just accolades; they are a testament to the hard work, dedication, and rich culinary heritage that Wales is known for. I look forward to working with these producers into the future as we continue building on the recent successes of the industry and elevating Wales as a beacon of food and drink excellence.”

Among the Welsh products awarded 3 stars this year are:

Anglesey Fine Foods Ltd – Black Label Shoulder of Anglesey Fat-Tail Lamb
Black Mountains Smokery Ltd – Smoked Duck Breast
Black Welsh Lamb – Organic, pasture-fed mutton shoulder
Dá Mhile Distillery – Dá Mhile Absinthe
Gwenyn Gruffydd – Welsh Wildflower Honey
Moch Coch – Chorizo
Pâtisserie Verte – Whisky and Chocolate Tart

The Great Taste Awards are organised by the Guild of Fine Food, and every entry was blind tasted by the Guild’s expert judging panel of over 500 food critics, chefs, recipe creators, buyers, retailers, and other specialists in the field of food and drink.

Entries were analysed across 92 judging days, each receiving detailed feedback, whether or not they obtained an award.

John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food comments: “It’s hugely important to us at the Guild to inject some positivity into the speciality food & drink industry.

“Given the economic headwinds that both independent retailers and small & medium producers are facing, the announcement of the 2024 crop of Great Taste stars is now an annual fillip for us all. And it’s not just excellence from the UK, but from across the world, as we celebrate the best from 115 countries.

“We’re doing our bit for cultural relations across the planet when there is so much legislation trying to prevent it. It’s a real privilege to support and underpin independent makers through the process of Great Taste.”

Golden Fork

Those products that have received 3-stars went on to be judged in a further stage of the competition.

The best of those 3-stars from each country or region have now been nominated for a Golden Fork, the ‘Oscar of the food and drink world’.

The three nominees for the regional title of Golden Fork for Wales include Smoked Duck Breast from Black Mountains Smokery Ltd, Dá Mhile Absinthe from Dá Mhile Distillery and Chorizo from Moch Coch.

The Great Taste Golden Fork winners will be announced at a special awards ceremony and tasting at the Battersea Arts Centre in London on Tuesday 10 September 2024.

A full list of this year’s winners and where to buy them can be found here.