Great Taste results announced
SuperValu and Centra lead the way in award wins, while Aldi retains the number one position specifically for the 3-gold star awards
Print22 September 2020
Following 14 weeks of judging, the Great Taste food and drink awards, have been released, providing a vital boost for the industry during the all-important run-up to Christmas.
Building upon the recent increase in trade for both regional food producers and retailers, one of the few good news stories of late, the Great Taste results will help to stimulate much-needed consumer support for independent retail and hospitality over the coming months, as the nation moves towards the most important Christmas period in a generation.
Coming later than usual, due to the lockdown delaying the judging of a record-breaking 12,777 entries from 106 different countries, this year’s stars are more significant than ever before. Among the 1-, 2- and 3-star winners are hundreds of products that will make perfect additions to the most traditional or innovative Christmas celebrations.
This year’s winners have been found through a combination of remote judging and socially distanced judging sessions, after the lockdown began just one week into the schedule. This necessitated a swift and comprehensive reinvention of the Great Taste process to ensure that robust judging standards were maintained and the quality of feedback was not compromised, all in time to provide a much-needed boost for food and drink producers during the all-important Christmas period.
The panel of judges included; cook, writer and champion of sustainable food, Melissa Hemsley, cook, writer, stylist and voice of modern vegetarian cooking, Anna Jones, celebrated Spanish chef, José Pizarro, Kavi Thakrar from Dishoom, food writer and cook, Xanthe Clay, and baker and author, Martha Collison, as well as food buyers from Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason and Waitrose. These esteemed palates have together tasted and re-judged the 3-star winners to finally agree on the Golden Fork Trophy winners and the Great Taste 2020 Supreme Champion.
Details of this year’s winners can be found at www.greattasteawards.co.uk.
SuperValu best-performing Irish supermarket
SuperValu took home a massive 74 award wins making it, once again, the top performing Irish supermarket at the world’s largest and most trusted food and drink awards. SuperValu’s wins include 46 products from the Signature Tastes Range solidifying its position as the number one premium range in an Irish supermarket.
This year the always popular, SuperValu’s Signature Tastes Smoked Rack of Bacon was awarded three stars once again, making it one of the highest ranked products from an Irish retailer. The high-quality pork is sourced from Irish Hampshire pigs reared by Luke Bogue in Cavan and the bacon is expertly hand trimmed by butchers at Oliver Carty, and gently smoked over beech and applewood.
The Signature Tastes Breakfast essentials all performed well at the blind taste testing with Signature Tastes Sean’s Brown Bread Mix, and Signature Tastes Pink Grapefruit Juice both winning two stars each and Signature Tastes Fresh Orange Juice and Signature Tastes Irish Hampshire Dry Cure Rashers receiving one-star awards.
Irish Yogurts Clonakilty always prove popular at the awards and this year was no different. The family run business based in the heart of West Cork won stars across the board for their yogurts. The award-winning range includes; Signature Tastes Sicilian Lemon Yogurt, a thick and creamy Sicilian Zesty lemon yogurt with a fruity tang, and Signature Tastes Valencia Orange Yogurt, made with Valencia Orange which combines the very best of flavors.
Other winners at the event included Signature Tastes Maple Syrup, SuperValu Crème Fraiche, SuperValu Lamb Rack, Signature Tastes Kevin Dundon Pudding, SuperQuinn sausages, Signature Tastes Dingle gin infused smoked salmon, SuperValu Creamery Butter, Signature Tastes Buffalo Mozzarella, Signature Tastes Raspberry Conserve and SuperValu Plain Scone.
“SuperValu works with over 1,800 Irish suppliers and we are proud that so many of our products and local producers have received the recognition they deserve at these prestigious awards which are the world’s largest blind-tasted food awards,” said Ray Kelly, interim managing director, SuperValu.
“These 74 awards are a real endorsement of the quality and value of our range as the Great Taste Awards are the acknowledged benchmark for fine food and drink,’’ he added.
Meanwhile, Centra recorded the highest level of award wins, within Ireland’s convenience sector.
Aldi scoops 52 titles, including highest number of 3 gold star awards
Aldi Ireland also recorded a strong performance this year, winning 52 titles at the 2020 Great Taste Awards, including the highest possible three gold stars award for its Specially Selected West of Ireland Lamb Guard of Honour with Rosemary and Garlic Salt Rub (€22.99/kg), Specially Selected Free Range Irish Whole Goose, winning the title for its second year (€54.00, 4.3kg – 5.5kg) and Specially Selected Giant Sicilian Nocellara Olives (€1.99/150g). Aldi retained its title as the number one Irish retailer for these coveted 3-gold star awards, all three of which will now go forward for the overall champion award of the Golden Fork Awards.
Aldi’s Specially Selected West of Ireland Lamb Guard of Honour with Rosemary and Garlic Salt Rub, Specially Selected Free Range Irish Whole Goose and Specially Selected Giant Sicilian Nocellara Olives were awarded the highest accolade possible of three gold stars, putting it in the top 1.6% of all entries and qualifying it for the prestigious Golden Fork Awards which will be announced later this year. This is the second year in a row that the Skeaghanore, West Cork produced Irish Goose has won three gold stars at the Great Taste Awards.
“Winning 52 titles and in particular retaining the number one position within Irish retail for the 3 gold star awards is a great achievement and proves that Aldi’s unbeatable prices doesn’t mean a compromise on quality,”
“These awards showcase the highest quality of produce and I would like to congratulate all of our Irish suppliers especially Dawn Meats and Skeaghanore Duck on their outstanding 3 star achievements,” he added.
Aldi won a total of 52 titles, three 3 stars, eight 2 stars and 41 1 star awards.
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