Four businesses in Jersey have had their produce praised for its “great taste” after they were recognised by a global food and drink accreditation scheme.
Jersey Fudge Pot, Jersey Seafood, La Mare Wine Estate and the Smokey Shed – which are all Genuine Jersey members – have been given awards for their products under the Guild of Fine Food’s Great Taste scheme.
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.
Pictured: If you haven’t heard of the Great Taste Awards, you may recognise its branding.
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 Fudge Pot impressed the panel with three products. Its Jersey black butter fudge earned a two-star award, and its rum and raisin fudge and gingerbread spice fudge received one-star awards.
The latest accolades bring the local fudge company’s total number of Great Taste awards up to six.
Express sat down with Jill Holt, owner and confectioner of Jersey Fudge Pot, to chat about the accolade…
How does it feel to have your products recognised with a Great Taste Award?
It is always nice to receive positive comments from our friends, family and customers, but knowing that our products have been blind tasted by a professional panel and singled out for an award is just another level entirely.
Knowing that our fudge can compete with the best that the rest of the world can offer is such a satisfying feeling.
Having six award-winning fudge flavours to our name is simply amazing.
What do you think makes your products special?
Our philosophy is simple. We use natural, high-quality ingredients, cook our fudge in small batches and never add any preservatives, flavour enhancers or food colourings.
We cook it fresh to be eaten fresh – and that is why it has a melt-in-the-mouth, crumbly texture and tastes so good.
What does the application process for a Great Taste Award looks like?
The application process is quite straightforward and is all done online.
The hardest part of the process is deciding which flavours to submit for judging.
Do you think the award will have a positive impact on your business?
Taking part in the Great Taste Awards over the last three years – and gaining awards for each year – has had a positive impact on our business.
Our customers can buy with confidence, knowing that they are getting a top-class product.
The feedback from the expert judges is also invaluable as we strive to perfect our fudge.
Do you think awards like this help put Jersey’s produce on a national stage?
We sell our fudge online and supply our corporate customers, shipping to events all over the world.
Having a Great Taste Award label on our fudge definitely helps to elevate our image, spreading the word that Jersey has world-class products made from our high-quality local ingredients.