Our Spicy Mango Chutney has won another three-star Great Taste Award, that’s six stars in less than two years!

Out of 12,777 products sent in from 106 different countries, 205 were awarded a 3-star, 1,294 received a 2-star and 3,818 were awarded a 1-star accolade. This put my chutney into the top 1.6% products for the second year running.

What This Means

Many people ask me what the Great Taste Awards does for a business? Is it worth the money for entering, the say. Well, since the results of this year’s awards were announced, I pretty much haven’t stopped.

Being named in The Times newspapers top 50 products and the BBC Good Food Magazines top three preserves went along way as well. I cannot begin to describe how I feel about this, but to be fair I haven’t had much chance to sit down and contemplate it since then. It has been none stop for the past two months with Christmas right around the corner. Sales for both my Spicy Pineapple and Spicy Mango chutney have been through the roof!

A Completely Different Year

The Great Taste Awards this year were a quiet affair. Gone were the judges all sitting around the table discussing the quality of the products. Gone were the huge logistics of judging in such a small-time frame. Very nearly gone were the awards, but John Farrand, MD of the Guild of Fine Foods, in a typical British way, said no, we shall shoulder the burden and make sure the awards still go ahead by working within our constraints and making sure food wins! (Paraphrasing somewhat).

And indeed, they did. The Guild of Fine Food had to establish a way in which to judge the remaining 12,000 products. In early May, a remote judging system was established, with entries consolidated at the Guild of Fine Food’s HQ. Samples were sent to smaller groups of judges, working remotely and sharing the experience over Zoom. This ensured that a similar number of experts assessed every food and drink product.

Judged by 144 of the most discerning palates, belonging to food critics, chefs, cooks, restaurateurs, buyers, retailers and producers, as well as food writers and journalists, Great Taste is the most coveted of all food and drink awards. As well as a badge of honour, the unmistakable black and gold Great Taste label is a signpost to an outstanding product, which has been discovered through hours and hours of blind tasting.