Early Launch for Taste of the West Product Awards 2012

The food and drink product awards for this year’s Taste of the West Awards has 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.

The Dartmoor Farmers Association scooped a number of awards at the Taste of the West Awards 2011, including the two top awards – the Carol Trewin South West Producer of the Year award and the Champion Product award. Chairman Phil Coaker said, “Winning both the Taste of the West ‘Carol Trewin Producer of the Year’ award and the ‘Champion Product Award’ has brought the Dartmoor Farmers Association not only recognition for the high quality ‘Real Beef and Lamb’ produced on our hills, but also a string of new business enquiries from retailers wanting to know more about our produce. The awards are the essential marketing tool that gives us a true quality endorsement of our efforts, and this in turn raises awareness of our unique product. The awards have also helped our existing retail partners to gain even more of the market share of red meat, bringing us the benefit of increased sales, plus we have seen an uplift in sales through our meat box internet sales at www.dartmoorfarmers.co.uk.

“There is now a real buzz amongst our farmer producers, who see the fruits of their hard work finally being rewarded. We have experienced firsthand just how much profile can be gained from entering the Taste of the West Awards and we would recommend other quality West Country food producers to do the same.  For us, the taste of success is almost as good as the taste of our Real Beef and Lamb!"

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.

Ends

Notes to editors:

Hi-res images are available upon request.

The aim of the Taste of the West Awards is to acknowledge food and drink of the highest quality produced in the South West and those establishments committed to serving regional produce to their guests. The South West incorporates Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. The Awards Scheme comprises 23 food and drink product classes and 5 hospitality/retail classes.

For more information about the Taste of the West awards, visit www.tasteofthewest.co.uk or contact Taste of the West on 01404 822012.

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.

For additional press information, please contact Kirsty Mode or Sophie Whitaker at ADPR Ltd, Tel +44 (0)1460 241641, or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it / This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

January 2012 (PR07)