Neil Hamilton MS congratulates shortlisted Welsh producers

NEIL Hamilton, MS for Mid & West Wales and Leader of UKIP Wales, has congratulated Welsh producers who have been shortlisted for a top national award.

Neil Hamilton, a member of the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs committee, said he was delighted to see two companies from his Region, in the running for the Great Taste’s Golden Fork.

He said:

“Welsh food and drink is known worldwide for its quality and excellent taste. It is great to see this being recognised as our food and drink businesses make a vital contribution to the Welsh economy.

“Many producers from Mid & West Wales took part in the Great Taste and were awarded stars for their first class products. I warmly congratulate them all, with a special mention to Llanelli based Mario’s Luxury Dairy Ice Cream for their Red Cherry Sorbet and Wenallt Hive, in Ceredigion, for Honey Vinegar with Raspberries.

“These two excellent products are included in the shortlist of three for the top Great Taste award – the Golden Fork for Wales and I wish them well in the final next week.

“It is a great achievement as entries came from 106 countries including Greece, Japan, Latvia, the Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, the USA and Vietnam. It is no mean feat to be recognised in such distinguished international company.”

Great Taste is widely acknowledged as the most respected food accreditation scheme for artisan and speciality food producers and a record breaking 12,777 different products were entered. From this 3,818 were awarded 1-star, 1,294, 2-star and 205 awarded 3-stars.

These producers will proudly display the unmistakable gold and black Great Taste logo, with 1-, 2- or 3- stars, on their award-winning products.

Great Taste has now announced its Golden Fork nominees and the winners of each region will be revealed on Thursday October 22 in a virtual ceremony. This will be taking place across the Guild of Fine Food’s social media channels and website from 10am – 6pm.

Coming later in the year than usual, after the lockdown interrupted judging just one week into the schedule, the Golden Fork trophy announcements will provide a vital boost for the industry during the all-important run-up to Christmas. Following many weeks of remote judging, followed by socially distanced judging in London and Dorset, the virtual Golden Fork event will be the final instalment in a Great Taste calendar that has been reinvented at every stage, in order to stimulate much-needed consumer support for independent retail and hospitality over the challenging months ahead.

Beginning at 10am with the first regional trophy, the Golden Fork winners will be shared at 30 minute intervals throughout the day, building to the announcement of the Great Taste Supreme Champion 2020 at 6pm. A host of Great Taste supporters and judges will reveal the winners, with a line-up including food writer and cook, Xanthe Clay, baker and author, Martha Collison, wine writer and presenter, Jane Parkinson, food and drink broadcaster, Nigel Barden, and James Golding, Chef Director of THE PIG hotel group.