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Welsh food and drink producers scoop 169 Great Taste Awards

07 Aug 2026 4 minute read

Tired Mums Coffee and Caws Teifi were among the winners

Mark Mansfield

Welsh food and drink producers have picked up 169 accolades at this year’s Great Taste Awards, including eight of the competition’s highest three-star awards.

The Guild of Fine Food announced that products from across Wales secured 125 one-star awards, 36 two-star awards and eight three-star awards in the 2026 competition.

More than 15,000 products from 116 countries were entered and assessed through a blind-tasting process by chefs, buyers, food writers, retailers and other industry experts.

Three Welsh products awarded three stars have also been shortlisted for the Great Taste Golden Fork from Wales, with the winner due to be announced next month.

They are Passion Fruit Sorbet from Fire and Ice, 100% Grass-fed Leg of Welsh Lamb from Hindwell Farm Meats and Enchilada Paste from Kursat’s.

Llyr Gruffydd MS, Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability, said: “The success of Welsh producers in the Great Taste Awards once again demonstrates the exceptional quality, passion and innovation that exists across our food and drink industry.

“To see 169 Welsh products recognised in a global competition is a tremendous achievement and a testament to the dedication of our producers, growers and manufacturers.

“Food and drink is one of Wales’ most important industries and these awards help showcase Welsh products on an international stage, opening doors to new markets and strengthening Wales’ reputation as a producer of outstanding food and drink.

“I would like to congratulate every Welsh business that has received recognition this year.”

Among those recognised was Ceredigion-based Caws Teifi Cheese, which received three two-star awards for its Teifi Heritage, Celtic Promise and Teifi Mature cheeses.

The organic cheesemaker was established more than four decades ago and produces artisan cheeses using traditional methods and milk sourced from local farms.

Owner Rob Savage said: “We’re delighted to have received this recognition from the Great Taste Awards. These awards are highly respected throughout the food industry because products are judged purely on taste, so to see a number of our cheeses recognised is incredibly rewarding.

“As a small-scale Welsh food producer, we are dedicated to creating high-quality, handmade cheeses that reflect the place we call home, the skill of our cheesemakers and the value of our business.

“We remain firmly committed to prioritising people over automation, the environment over short-term profit and diversity over homogeneity. It is fantastic to see Welsh food continuing to gain recognition alongside some of the very best products from around the world.”

Parent wellbeing

Wrexham-based Tired Mums Coffee also received two awards, earning two stars for its Nobody’s Listening To Me blend and one star for Are You Sure It’s Decaf?

The speciality coffee company was founded by Laura Peill and donates a proportion of its sales to charitable causes supporting parent wellbeing.

Ms Peill said: “Winning two Great Taste Awards is an incredible honour and something we’re immensely proud of. As a small independent Welsh business, it means so much to see our coffees recognised on a national stage alongside some of the very best food and drink producers in the country.

“Receiving a two-star award for Nobody’s Listening To Me and a one-star award for Are You Sure It’s Decaf? is fantastic recognition of the care, expertise and passion that goes into every coffee we source and roast.

“We’re proud to be flying the flag for Welsh food and drink and sharing our award-winning coffees with customers across the UK.”

Judging

Great Taste entries are primarily assessed on taste, as well as appearance, aroma, texture and mouthfeel, with each product judged on its own merits rather than against other entries in its category.

One-star awards are given to products deemed “simply delicious”, two stars to those considered “outstanding” and three stars to products described by organisers as “exquisite and extraordinary”.

The Great Taste Golden Fork Awards will be held at Battersea Arts Centre in London on September 15, when the Golden Fork from Wales winner and the overall Great Taste 2026 Supreme Champion will be announced.

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