About the Awards
The food and drink product awards for this year’s Taste of the West Awards have been launched at the Giving & Living Trade Show in Exeter, shifting the whole awards programme forward by three months to give producers an opportunity to maximise their awards over the key summer season.Producers across the South West region are now being encouraged to enter their products, with the coveted award winners’ logo being a recognised sign of quality and provenance across the country, helping to boost both awareness and sales for the winners.
John Sheaves, Chief Executive of Taste of the West, said, “We are delighted to launch the 2012 food and drink product awards at the Giving and Living Show 2012. Throughout the spring we will be actively encouraging all producers to enter their products into the programme, and we have brought forward the judging week to June as part of a planned initiative so that producers will get their awards results in time for the summer fairs and food festivals.”
The awards are open to Taste of the West members and non-members, with members being entitled to enter a number of products free of charge. Judging will take place in June and the bronze, silver and gold winners will be announced soon afterwards. The 2012 awards ceremony will then take place in the early autumn, where the Best of Category winners will be announced.
Established in 1991, the Taste of the West Awards showcase the cream of food and drink produced in the region, as well as those retailers and chefs dedicated to providing regional produce and excellence in hospitality for their customers.
For an entry form please click here and for a copy of the rules & regulations click here. Alternatively contact Taste of the West on 01404 822012 or by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view itThe closing date for product entries is 11th May 2012
Full list of product classes:
1 Savoury Bakery Pies, pasties, quiches, bread, pastry
2 Sweet Bakery Biscuits, tray bakes, cakes, scones, sweet bread, cereals
3 Confectionery Chocolate, fudge, toffee, dessert sauce
4 Ice Cream Ice cream, sorbets
5 Desserts Steamed puddings, sweet flans, sweet tarts, tortes, roulades, milk puddings, fruit pies & crumbles etc.
6 Dairy – Hard Cheese Please specify the strength of cheese (e.g., mild, extra mature etc.)
7 Dairy – Soft Cheese
8 Dairy – Non-Cheese Yogurt, cream, butter, milk
9 Meat Needing to be cooked for judging – all beef, lamb, pork, veal, game and venison
10 Poultry Needing to be cooked for judging – all chicken, turkey, duck, goose etc.
11 Cured Meat Ready to be eaten from the pack or only lightly warmed for judging - ham, cured meats, corned beef, salami, air dried hams, smoked meat, chorizo etc.
12 Sausages
13 Bacon
14 Burgers, Faggots & Meatballs
15 Fish Wet fish, smoked fish, shellfish, fishcakes, fish pâté
16 Ready Meals, Soups & Light Eats Soups, salads, sandwiches, ready prepared meals, pâtés, eggs
17 Sauces & Accompaniments Sauces, marinades, dressings, oils, mayonnaises, herbs & spices, tapenades, vinegars, rubs, olives, crisps, nuts
18 Sweet Preserves Jam, marmalade, curd, honey
19 Savoury Preserves Chutney, relish, mustard, savoury jam, jelly
20 Wine, Spirits & Liqueurs
21 Beer
22 Cider Includes perry
23 Hot Drinks Tea, coffee, chocolate drinks etc.
24 Soft Drinks Fruit juices, cordials, syrups, tonic water, sparkling water etc.
The 2011 Gold, Silver and Bronze Product Awards are all listed HERE
The 2011 Hospitality and Retail Awards are all listed HERE
CAROL TREWIN PRODUCER OF THE YEAR and LOCAL FOOD IN SCHOOLS AWARD
Our Awards programme is an event that takes the best part of a year to coordinate; from launch, through to judging and culminating in our prestigious Awards Ceremony. We are confident that our existing sponsors would agree that, from start to finish, this is a fascinating and exciting process in which to be involved; and now is your chance to be among them.
Please find here details of this year’s sponsorship opportunities from which you will see that there is plenty of scope to become involved, no matter your budget.
We are delighted to announce that the following companies supported the 2011 Taste of the West Awards.
With particular thanks to Waitrose, the title sponsor.
Stephens Scown Solicitors Champion Product Sponsor
Dyne Drewett
Old Mill Accountants 
Quayside Technical Services Ltd 
Rural Enterprise Solutions Knowledge Network 
Willett Food Projects Ltd
The Taste of the West Trade Show showcases food and drink from across the South West
www.tasteofthewesttradeshow.co.uk
This trade only show will take place on Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th April 2012
The awards cover sixteen food and drink categories which are divided into twenty three classes, alongside four hospitality and two retail classes.
Watch our video of the product judging taking place:
In recognition of the ever-evolving industry in the South West a number of new awards were introduced in 2008 including:
- Local Food Champion - recognising an individual who has contributed significantly to the development of the local food and drink industry.
- South West Producer of the Year - recognising an entrepreneurial producer of food and drink with an innovative approach to developing his/her business and markets.
- South West Local Food in Schools award - recognising schools that show commitment to sourcing and educating pupils about healthy and locally sourced food
Judging panels are made up of industry experts including chefs, food technologists, food and food preparation trainers/teachers, trade buyers, food writers, home economists etc.
The Awards culminate in a ceremony in the autumn, at which the overall awards are presented. The results of the Awards, and the ceremony feature extensively in local and regional newspapers across the South West, in trade publications and on a number of local radio stations and television news reports.
The Awards and individual winning businesses have also featured in The Grocery Trader, Speciality Food, The Independent Retailer, Fine Food Digest and Catering South West; plus The Sunday Independent and The Daily Telegraph.
The quality of regional food and drink has reached new heights according to the judges of the Taste of the West Awards.
The Awards provide an invaluable marketing tool for the region's producers and proprietors. We are extremely fortunate here in the South West to have so many fine products on our doorstep and many quality catering and retail outlets through which to enjoy local produce at its best. Receiving a gold, silver or bronze award provides a distinct advantage to those operating in such a competitive environment.