Jersey Seafood has been awarded a Great Taste Award for its crab meat, joining three other island businesses who had their produce recognised by the global food and drink accreditation scheme.
The local seafood business was awarded the accolade under the Guild of Fine Food’s Great Taste scheme alongside Jersey Fudge Pot, La Mare Wine Estate and the Smokey Shed.
Pictured: If you haven’t heard of the Great Taste Awards, you may recognise its branding.
Producers and retailers anonymously enter their products into the scheme in hopes of receiving a “seal of approval” from its panel of over 500 experts that include chefs, buyers, food writers and retailers.
Businesses can earn one of three Great Taste Awards for their products – one-star meaning “simply delicious”; two-star which means “outstanding”; and three-star which is “exquisite”.
If you haven’t heard of the Great Taste Awards, you may recognise its branding – a signifier that the product is worthy of recognition in the eyes of the panel.
Jersey Seafood earned a two-star award for their hand-picked Jersey Crab Meat.
Express spoke to co-owner Vicki De La Haye for a Q&A.
How does it feel to have your product recognised with a Great Taste Award?
It’s a proud moment – knowing that our crab meat has been tasted and celebrated by some of the UK’s finest food critics fills us with pride.
It’s not just an award for our shop, it’s a pat on the back for all the hard work, early mornings and care that go into every catch and the hand picking of each crab, as well as every customer connection.
We’re absolutely thrilled!
What do you think makes your product special?
Our crab meat tells a story – from the salt in the air to us the fishermen that haul in the crab, in all weather, 12 months of the year.
Also, the time and delicate care to hand pick the crab meat.
We believe it’s the freshness, flavour and genuine care behind the hand-picking of our crab meat that make it so special.
We treat our seafood like treasures, and our customers like family.
That warmth and pride are part of every pot of crab meat we share.
Can you share what the application process for a Great Taste Award looks like?
It’s a thoughtful and exciting journey. We submitted our product to be blind tasted by a panel of food experts, people who really know flavour.
They don’t know who made it, so everything comes down to taste, texture and quality.
It’s nerve-wracking, but also exciting to know the product stands on its own. If it earns a star, it’s a true mark of excellence. And we received two stars for ‘outstanding’ hand-picked Jersey crab meat.
Do you think the award will have a positive impact on your business?
We really do! It’s a powerful way to reassure new and existing customers – they know they’re getting something truly special.
The Great Taste logo acts like a seal of quality and trust, and we’re hopeful it’ll help us reach more people who care about great seafood, great service and great stories.
Do you think awards like this help put Jersey’s produce on a national stage?
Absolutely. Jersey is home to extraordinary produce, grown and caught with pride and love from many producers.
Awards like this spotlight the talent and dedication of local Jersey producers and help spread the word far beyond our shores.
We’re proud to be part of that rising tide, carrying Jersey’s name with us in every bite.
READ MORE…
Q&A: Sweet success for Jersey Fudge Pot
Q&A: B-utterly delicious produce from La Mare [LINK]
