Dozens of food and drink businesses in Sussex have been recognised in this year’s Great Taste Awards.
The county saw a total of 72 honours, including 50 one-star awards, 18 two-stars and four three-stars - the highest accolade available at this level.
The awards are globally recognised as a mark of excellence and eagerly sought after by producers and food lovers alike.
Nearly 3,500 companies from 115 countries around the world entered Great Taste this year, between them offering 13,672 products for review. The UK entered 8,008 products from 2,528 companies.
Each entry was meticulously blind-tasted by the Guild of Fine Food’s expert judging panel of more than 500 food critics, chefs, recipe creators, buyers, retailers and other specialists in the field of food and drink. Entries were analysed across 92 judging days, each receiving detailed feedback, whether or not they obtained an award.
Only 1.9 per cent of all entries (266 in total globally, 131 from the UK) received a three-star award, given to “extraordinarily tasty food and drink”. And 10.1 per cent, 1,386 in total globally, were awarded two stars, “above and beyond delicious”, with 28.8 per cent, 3,938 in total globally, awarded one star, “food and drink that delivers fantastic flavour”.
The panel of judges revealing their scores (Image: Guild of Fine Food (Sam Pelly))
Full list of Sussex winners:
3-star winners
- Gun Brewery, Heathfield, How’s the Serenity?
- Letimi Ltd t/a Gatos Chocolate, Stonegate, Guatemala Finca Ana Maria, Lachua Region 73 per cent Single Estate
- Silver Rocket Brewing Ltd, Hassocks, Koh Lab
- Small Batch Coffee Roasters, Portslade, Papa New Guinea blend
2-star winners
- Alsop and Walker, Mayfield, Lord London
- Alsop and Walker, Mayfield, Mayfield
- Bean Smitten, Flimwell, Classic Blend
- Dualit Ltd, Crawley, Dualit Intense Aluminium Coffee Pods
- Holy Cow! Ice Cream Company, Seaford, white mint ice cream
- Holy Cow! Ice Cream Company, Seaford, mango sorbet
- Letimi Ltd t/a Gatos Chocolate, Madagascar Sambirano Valley Region 73 per cent Single origin
- Letimi Ltd t/a Gatos Chocolate, Philippines Davoe Region 72 per cent Single origin
- Miall's, Haywards Heath, Miall's salted pistachio ice cream
- Mousehall Estate Ltd, Wadhurst, Mousehall triple distilled fresh citrus vodka
- Pempem de Choc, Hove, grapefruit and cayenne
- Perfectly Preserved, Worthing, passionfruit curd
- RÅG - Nordic Bakery, Bognor, dark rye bread
- Savvy Ferments, Brighton, Savvykraut/ turmeric curry
- Spice Monkey, Battle, Ever So Garlicky
- Spiced Sussex, Brighton, woodfired naga and fennel finishing salt
- Spirit of the Downs, Storrington, Spirit of the Downs vodka
- The Weald Smokery, Flimwell, smoked haddock
1-star winners
- Adar Chocolates, Small Dole, conscious chocolate citrus reticulata thins
- Adar Chocolates, raw chocolate co truffle trees
- Alsop and Walker, cheesemaker's special
- Alsop and Walker, idle hour
- Baba Wren, Henfield, good Sussex honey
- BBB Senang Ltd, Brighton, Sao Tome coated in Java
- BBB Senang Ltd, The Aztec
- Beth's Kitchen and Cakery, Seaford, chocolate brownie
- Beth's Kitchen and Cakery, piccalilli
- Booyah Vitiality, Hastings, Kombucha fermented sparkling tea, orange and cinnamon
- Bright Cocktail Co Ltd, Hove, wicker basket: vodka, darjeeling tea, pear and cardamom
- Carla's Foods Ltd, Rye, Carla's dukkah spice
- Caroline's Dairy LLP, Chichester, rhubarb ice cream
- Common, Haywards Heath, blackcurrant and basil
- Dualit Ltd, Dualit Americano compostable coffee bags
- Dualit Ltd, Dualit organic Colombian home compostable coffee pods
- Dualit Ltd, Dualit decaf home compostable coffee pods
- Edgcumbes Tea and Coffee Ltd, Arundel, EDGE Kenya kisii peaberry coffee
- Edgcumbes Tea and Coffee Ltd, EDGE decaf Kenya orthodox tea
- Farretti Bakery, Petworth, classic tiramisu
- Generation Distillers, North Chailey, small batch vodka
- Gianni's, Eastbourne, strawberries and cream
- Harley House Distillery, Seaford, prohibition rum smugglers cut
- Higgidy, Shoreham, mature cheddar and spinach mini muffins
- Holos London, Pulborough, sunset hops kombucha
- Holy Cow! Ice Cream Company, salted caramel ice cream
- Holy Cow! Ice Cream Company, Belgian chocolate ice cream
- Holy Cow! Ice Cream Company, vegan chocolate ice cream
- Igoo Ice Cream, Brighton, mango ice cream
- JubyLee Bakes, Pulborough, JubyLee chocolate tiffin
- JubyLee Bakes, JubyLee ginger allspice traybake
- JubyLee Bakes, JubyLee wheat-free brownie
- Letimi Ltd t/a Gatos Chocolate, cashew mylk dairy free
- Marples Cakery, Burgess Hill, white chocolate chunk brownie
- Mousehall Estate Ltd, wildflower honey
- Oatopia, Shoreham, fig and pumpkin seed oat bake
- Savvy Ferments, chilli dilli beets
- Savvy Ferments, tom yum Thai
- Savvy Ferments, fennel and chipotle
- South Downs Spirits, Goldstone spiced
- Spiced Sussex, naga and fennel woodfired rapeseed oil
- Spirit of the Downs, Spirit of the Downs - Sussex brandy 2021 - French oak aged chardonnay from Breaky Bottom grapes
- The Condiment Company, Chichester, lemon and cracked pepper dressing
- The Condiment Company, Worcester sauce
- The Hungry Guest, Chichester, plum and blackcurrant jam
- The Hungry Guest, apple and blackberry crumble
- The Sausage Roll Kitchen, Arundel, free range traditional pork sausage roll
- The Sausage Roll Kitchen, red onion marmalade free range pork sausage roll
- The Weald Smokery, Flimwell, hot roast smoked salmon
- The Weald Smokery, smoked mackerel
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Those that received three-star awards went on to be judged in a further stage of the competition. The best of those from each country or region have now been nominated for a Golden Fork, an "Oscar of the food and drink world". The Great Taste Golden Fork winners – the best of the best – will be announced at an awards ceremony and tasting at Battersea Arts Centre in London on September 10.
John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food, said: “It’s hugely important to us at the guild to inject some positivity into the speciality food and drink industry.
“Given the economic headwinds that both independent retailers and small and medium producers are facing, the announcement of the 2024 crop of Great Taste stars is now an annual fillip for us all. And it’s not just excellence from the UK but from across the world as we celebrate the best from 115 countries. We’re doing our bit for cultural relations across the planet when there is so much legislation trying to prevent it. It’s a real privilege to support and underpin independent makers through the process of Great Taste.”
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