Great Taste awards reveal Northern Ireland’s best food and drink in 2024
Cream of the crop revealed by the world’s most trusted food and drink accreditation scheme.
Today, 30 July 2024, the Guild of Fine Food has released the results for Great Taste 2024. Products made in Northern Ireland have won a total of 164 awards, including 129 x 1-star, 28 x 2-stars and 7 x 3-stars, the highest accolade available at this level. In addition, there were another 11 awards (1 x 3-star, 1 x 2-star and 9 x 1-star) given to products entered by Northern Irish companies, but made outside Northern Ireland.
Winners from Northern Ireland include:
- Great Taste 3-star: Devil’s Churn Classic Butterscotch from Seasons of the Glens (www.seasonsoftheglens.co.uk)
- Great Taste 2-star: Ribeye Steak Burger from Lisdergan Butchery (www.lisderganbutchery.com)
- Great Taste 1-star: Finnebrogue Naked Smoked Back Bacon from Finnebrogue (www.finnebrogue.com)
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’s expert judging panel of over 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% of all entries (266 in total globally, 131 from the UK) received a 3-star award, given to ‘extraordinarily tasty food and drink’. With 10.1%, 1,386 in total globally, being awarded 2-stars, ‘above and beyond delicious’ and 28.8%, 3,938 in total globally, being awarded 1-star, ‘food and drink that delivers fantastic flavour’.
Those that have received 3-stars went on to be judged in a further stage of the competition. The best of those 3-stars 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 in an awards ceremony and tasting at Battersea Arts Centre in London on Tuesday 10 September. The nominees for the Golden Fork for Northern Ireland are:
- Porchetta from Hannan Meats (www.hannanmeats.com)
- Aghinlig Orchard Ice Cider from Applejames (www.applejames.com)
- Ghost Chilli & Black Lime Ketchup from Blackfire Food
(www.blackfirefood.com)
John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food comments: “It’s hugely important to us at the Guild to inject some positivity into the speciality food & drink industry. Given the economic headwinds that both independent retailers and small & 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.”
The awards are globally recognised as a mark of excellence and eagerly sought after by producers and food-lovers alike. For a full list of this year’s 1-, 2-, and 3-star winners, and a guide on where to buy them, please visit www.gff.co.uk/directory from 2pm BST today.
Photo credit Guild of Fine Food (Tim Johnston) showing Blackfire Food Ghost Chilli & Black Lime Ketchup, Hannan’s Himalayan Salt Aged Pork and Hannan’s Porchetta.
