South West Food & Drink Champions announced
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Champion Winners 2024
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Westaways - Sustainability Champion Winner 2024
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Washingpool Farm Shop - No 1 Place to Go 2024
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Sea Sisters - Supreme Champion Product Winner 2024
The overall champion winners of this year’s Taste of the West Awards programme were announced last night at a prestigious ceremony held at Westpoint Arena near Exeter. Around 500 people from the region’s food and drink industry gathered to celebrate the West Country’s finest food and drink, as well as all the best places to stay, eat and shop for local food & drink in the South West. With the help of BBC TV presenter Victoria Graham, a staggering 43 awards were given out to the winning South West food & drink businesses.
The Taste of the West Awards have been running now for over 30 years and the annual programme rewards the very best food and drink from across Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. They continue to be regarded as a benchmark for excellence across the South West region. Due to a record number of product entries this year, the preliminary judging period was extended to 7 months (sampling took place from November 2023 to May 2024) and a huge number of hospitality and retail establishments have been visited and judged throughout the year. At a special awards ceremony on Tuesday 12 November, the overall winners of each of the 13 hospitality and retail classes were announced, followed by the champion products from each of the 26 product categories.
This year’s awards programme is title sponsored by Trowers & Hamlins LLP and Bishop Fleming, who share Taste of the West’s passion for supporting local food and drink businesses from the West Country. Fleur Lewis, Partner at Bishop Fleming, said: “We are delighted to once again support Taste of The West in recognising and celebrating the success of so many of our outstanding food and drink businesses in the South West. Congratulations to all the food and drink producers, hospitality and retail establishments who work so hard to put our region on the map as a leading destination for quality food and drink products.”
Stuart Mathews, Partner at Trowers & Hamlins LLP, commented: “It has been a pleasure to partner with Taste of the West again throughout this year and we are very proud to work with John and the Taste of the West team to support and advise the fantastic food and drink businesses that we have here in the South West. The Awards Ceremony just gets bigger and better each year, and what worthy champion winners we have for 2024!”
The ceremony culminated in the announcement of the coveted Supreme Champion Product Award sponsored by Black & White Asset Finance Ltd, which this year was presented to Sea Sisters Ltd (Dorset) for their outstanding Stuffed Sardines in Vine Leaves. The Bo Bom Ananas gelato produced by Bo Bom Gelato (Somerset) was awarded the Reserve Supreme Champion Product Award. Taste of the West’s No 1 Place to Go for 2023/2024, sponsored by Goosemoor Foodservice, was awarded to Washingpool Farm Shop in Dorset. Taste of the West’s South West Sustainability Award, sponsored by SUEZ, was presented to Westaways Sausages Ltd, Devon.
The ceremony was attended by around 500 guests, with representatives from award-winning producers, hospitality establishments, retailers, top chefs, food writers and many others involved with and actively supporting the South West’s food and drink scene. The evening began with a welcome drinks reception where guests had the opportunity to meet local food and drink producers and sample their award-winning products. This was followed by a stunning meal created by the Posh Nosh catering team, which incorporated contributions from local food & drink producers across the region. The event really was a culinary feast to truly celebrate the fantastic quality of food and drink from the West Country, as well as the passion of those who produce, serve and sell it.
John Sheaves, Chief Executive of Taste of the West, commented: “To see so many businesses represented in one room from our sector makes me feel incredibly proud of what this industry has achieved in recent years. This was the largest gathering of the South West regional food and drink awards to date in the history of the programme and our sincere congratulations go to all the finalists and overall champion winners. Celebrating with so many businesses and supporters, including our sponsors, is particularly special and unique since it comes from the industry itself, and demonstrates the power and value of a close-knit business network.”
A full list of all champion award finalists and winners is available on the Taste of the West website:
https://www.tasteofthewest.co.uk/champion-winners-2024
Entries into the Taste of the West Awards 2025 are now open for all product, hospitality and retail categories.
Visit the Taste of the West website to find out how you can enter your business.