Let’s celebrate the Sussex winners of the Great Taste 2023 awards. Organised by the Guild of Fine Food, the Great Taste awards are a recognised stamp of excellence and are actively sought out by food lovers and retailers alike. All products in the line-up for judging are blind-tasted: every product is removed from its packaging so it cannot be identified, before entering a robust, layered judging process.
Across 89 judging days in Dorset and London, a group of more than 500 judges conducted comprehensive blind taste tests on 14,195 entries. Each producer receives invaluable feedback on their submissions from an array of food experts. And the results? Products from the South East have won not one, but an impressive 745 awards and Sussex won some 90! Only 15 producers in the South East won three 3-stars two of which come from Sussex.
The Great Taste 2023 judging panel
The distinguished judging panel consisting of over 500 food & drink experts, included chefs, critics, recipe developers, buyers, journalists, retailers, broadcasters, and reputable industry professionals.
These include senior buyers and coordinators from Selfridges, Whole Foods Market, Fortnum & Mason, Harrods, Waitrose and Westmorland Family. The line up also includes MasterChef 2022 winner Eddie Scott, olive oil sommelier and author Irini Tzortzoglou, food writer and owner of Violet Cakes Claire Ptak, chef and co-founder of Island Social Club Marie Mitchell, chef turned farmer Julius Roberts, pastry chef and author Ravneet Gill, restaurateur and producer Amy Poon from Poon’s, baker and author Kitty Tait – the youngest and newest judge to join this year. Finally, broadcasters and journalists Andy Clarke and Juliet Sear (ITV), Felicity Cloake (The Guardian), Xanthe Clay (Telegraph) and Joanna Blythman were involved this year, among many others.
Look out for the badge of honour
The Great Taste award-winners can now proudly display the iconic black and gold Great Taste logo as a badge of honour on their award-winning products. The logo states whether the product was awarded 1-, 2- or 3- stars and that it was awarded in 2023, so make sure to look out for them in your local stockist!
Great Taste Golden Fork ceremony
The excitement of Great Taste 2023 doesn’t stop here, for the highest-scoring winners it’s just the beginning. All 3-star winning products were tasted and judged again by the knowledgeable judging panel to crown the Golden Fork trophy winners and the 2023 Supreme Champion – the highest accolade of all. The Golden Fork ceremony celebrates the best of the best from producers around the world, awarding them with a Golden Fork trophy. Further Golden Fork trophies are given for various categories, including the Guild of Fine Food Lifetime Achievement award, the Great Taste Startisan of the Year award and Nigel Barden’s Heritage Award. All will be announced at the Great Taste Golden Fork Ceremony on Monday 11 September 2023 at the Battersea Arts Centre (trade event only).
Sussex winners of the Great Taste awards 2023
3 star winners
Higgidy Shoreham won three stars for their Porcini & Chestnut Mushroom Pie and The Weald Smokery from Flimwell won three stars for their smoked haddock.
2 star winners
Two-star winners include:
| Martin-Wells Distillery Ltd T/A Slake Spirits | Sussex Dry Gin |
| OMGTEA Ltd | OMGTea Green Gold Organic Matcha |
| Edgcumbes Tea & Coffee Co Ltd | EDGE ‘Dark Side of the Edge’ House Blend |
| Small Batch Coffee Roasters | Goldstone Espresso Blend |
| Small Batch Coffee Roasters | Throwback Espresso Blend |
| Bean Smitten | Equinox Blend |
| Dualit Ltd | Dualit Decaf Aluminium Coffee Capsules – 10 Pack or 50 Pack |
| Dualit Ltd | Organic Columbian Aluminium Coffee Capsules – 10 Pack or 50 Pack |
| Small Batch Coffee Roasters | Goldstone Blend |
| Small Batch Coffee Roasters | Zambian Natural |
| The Hungry Guest | Potato and Rosemary Bread |
| Spiced Sussex | Spiced Sussex- Woodfired Hot Sauce |
| Besaucy Ltd | Vegan Garlic Mayonnaise |
| The Weald Smokery | Smoked Chicken Breast |
| The Weald Smokery | Hot Roast Smoked Salmon |
| The Weald Smokery | Smoked eel fillet |
| Alsop & Walker | Lord London |
| Alsop & Walker | Idle Hour |
| Alsop & Walker | Ewe EatMe |
| Caroline’s Dairy LLP | Raspberry Sorbet |
| Farretti Bakery | CLASSIC LASAGNA |
1-star winners
| Gun Brewery | Scaramanga |
| Gun Brewery | Project Babylon |
| Mousehall Estate Ltd | Mousehall Sussex Dry Gin |
| Martin-Wells Distillery Ltd T/A Slake Spirits | Alexander Gin |
| South Downs Spirits | Goldstone White Rum |
| Georgie and Henners Ltd (T/A G&H Spirits) | Choc Chilli |
| Martin-Wells Distillery Ltd T/A Slake Spirits | Wild Elixir – Bacchus Gin-based Aperitif |
| Old Tree Brewery | Lemon Lavender Kombucha |
| Old Tree Brewery | Hop and Hemp Kombucha |
| HOLOS London | HOLOS Sparkling Oolong (with Elderflower) |
| HOLOS London | Kombucha – Dark Fruit |
| Edgcumbes Tea & Coffee Co Ltd | EDGE ‘Camomile, Fennel & Rose Petal’ Herbal Tea blend |
| OMGTEA Ltd | OMGTea AAA Organic Matcha |
| Small Batch Coffee Roasters | Cameroon Single Origin |
| Edgcumbes Tea & Coffee Co Ltd | EDGE ‘Sussex Barn’ Signature Blend |
| Edgcumbes Tea & Coffee Co Ltd | EDGE ‘Decaf Side of the Edge’ House Blend |
| Bean Smitten | Classic Blend |
| Wild Eve Ltd | Temple Seasonal Blend Coffee |
| Scacco Matto | Robusto coffee |
| Dualit Ltd | Dualit Americano Aluminium Coffee Capsules – 10 Pack or 50 Pack |
| Dualit Ltd | Dualit Indian Monsoon Aluminium Coffee Capsules – 10 Pack or 50 Pack |
| Dualit Ltd | Rocketcharged™ – 10 Pack or 50 Pack |
| Dualit Ltd | Intense Compostable Coffee Bags – 50 Pack |
| Small Batch Coffee Roasters | Ethiopian Ejere |
| Booyah Vitality | Dandelion Coffee |
| Picnic and hamper | Sussex cheese skinny finnie chilli |
| Belle & Wilde | Belle & Wilde – Cheese, Walnut & Smoked Paprika Mini Savoury Biscuits |
| Belle & Wilde | Belle & Wilde – Parmesan & Nigella Seed Mini Savoury Biscuits |
| Farretti Bakery | CLASSIC TIRAMISU |
| Beth’s Kitchen and Cakery | Lemon and Blueberry Polenta Cake |
| Noble and Stace Chocolatiers | Vegan Dark Chocolate Mineral Water Truffle |
| ArtChocolat | Hazelnut Cookie Chocolates |
| ArtChocolat | Yuzu Dark Chocolate Chocolates |
| ArtChocolat | Blackcurrant caramel chocolates |
| ArtChocolat | Tropical Caramel chocolates |
| ArtChocolat | Hazelnut & almond praline chocolates |
| Letimi Ltd t/a Gatos Chocolate. | Gatos Espresso + White 36% Chocolate |
| Mrs McGoo Tablet | Mrs McGoo Tablet |
| BMAC International Trade Ltd | BEE HURO HONEY |
| Kukuya Kitchen | Smooth Peanut Butter |
| Kukuya Kitchen | Crunchy Pecan Butter |
| Kukuya Kitchen | Smooth Almond Butter |
| Game On | Cider Jelly with Sage |
| Boom Sauce | Boom Sauce – Fix Up D’heat |
| Boom Sauce | Boom Sauce – Smokey Fix |
| Beth’s Kitchen and Cakery | Chilli Jam |
| Savvy Ferments | SAVVYKRAUT / TOM YUM THAI |
| Kikkoman | Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce with Roasted Garlic |
| Kikkoman | Kikkoman Mirun-fu Sweet Cooking Seasoning |
| Fins & Forks Ltd | Cold Smoked Sea Salt Flakes |
| Besaucy Ltd | Vegan Smoked Chipotle Mayonnaise |
| REBEL | Pirata Loin |
| The Weald Smokery | Home Cooked Ham |
| REBEL | Brighton Salami |
| REBEL | House Sobrasada |
| The Weald Smokery | Sliced smoked duck breast |
| Higgidy | Cauliflower Cheese & Broccoli Pie |
| Higgidy | Roasted Tomato & Spinach Vegan Quiche |
| The Hungry Guest | Mixed Bean Chilli Pasty |
| Higgidy | Spinach, Feta & Red Pepper Little Lattices |
| Alsop & Walker | Sussex Camembert |
| The Hungry Guest | Pecan Pie |
| Smugglers Food | Smugglers Chocolate Ice Cream With Hidden Beetroot |
| Gianni’s | banoffee pie |
| Gianni’s | mango sorbet |
| FrieslandCampina UK Ltd | Valess vegetarian Chicken-Style Tenders |
| FrieslandCampina UK Ltd | Chocomel Plant Based |
For the full list of this year’s winners and where to buy them, head to www.greattasteawards.co.uk
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