Shropshire producers win top fine food accolades

And now that reputation has been given an official seal of approval by the UK's most important food awards.

From cheese to real ale and chocolate to sausages, speciality food producers from across Shropshire have been crowned winners in the Oscars of the food world.

Thirteen businesses from the county have been awarded coveted gold stars in the prestigious Great Taste 2014 awards.

Great Taste is organised by the Guild of Fine Food and sets the benchmark for those producing speciality food and drink across the UK. Ten thousand products were entered into the awards and 153 of those were awarded the highest accolade of three gold stars.

The three-gold-star winners now have a chance to secure a place in the Top 50 Products, with the winners announced ahead of the Speciality and Fine Food Fair at Olympia, London, from September 7 to 9.

Among the Shropshire winners was Maynards Farm, an artisan curer and producer of specialist pork products, based at Weston under Redcastle.

It scooped one gold star for three of its speciality products.

Rob Cunningham, at Maynards Farm, said: "Great Taste are the ultimate accolade in quality and taste for speciality food and drink producers. And they are a guarantee of great taste to the public, which is hugely important. We are very proud to have won three, one gold stars."

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Another county business, Bread Du Jour, which produces artisan-style bread with ambient shelf life of up to 14 days, also took gold stars for five of its speciality artisan-style breads.

Kevin Bennett, at Bread Du Jour, said: "The Great Taste awards are the most respected food awards for speciality producers like us, because they mean exactly that – great taste. So we are delighted to have that stamp of approval on not one, but five of our very special products here at Bread Du Jour."

Merangz, based in Shrewsbury, took a gold star for its pistachio meringue bite. Husband and wife team, Brian and Leanne Crowther, who produce Merangz's showstopping giant Swiss merangz, said she they were thrilled. Mrs Crowther said: "This is our first gold star from Great Taste and it is very important to us. We can't wait to shout about it. There is no better county than Shropshire for the production of fine foods and we are proud to be part of that success."

Other winners included Middletown Hill, the UK distributor for Marou Vietnamese artisan chocolate, which scooped two gold stars and one gold star.

Jonathan Tailyour, at Middletown Hill, said: "I am privileged to be able to bring Marou to the UK market where it continues to achieve such success."

Brock Hall Farm Dairy at Chelmarsh, near Bridgnorth, scooped a hat-trick of three gold stars for three of its cheeses. Sarah Hampton, at Brock Hall Farm Dairy, said: "I don't think any other cheese producer in the UK managed a hat-trick of three gold stars for three cheeses – we're stunned. We're only a small team, so it's wonderful to have achieved results like these, even when pitched against the big players."

Speciality producers from across the food and drink spectrum enter the Great Taste awards as it differentiates their products from the all the rest and gives customers a reliable stamp of approval. More than 400 judges, including food critics, chefs and food writers, were involved in selecting the gold star winners over 50 judging days, which included a visit to Ireland.

Tortie Farrand, at the Guild of Fine Food, said: "Great Taste is the acknowledged benchmark for speciality food and drink. Quite simply the Great Taste logo is the sign that you can trust when buying food and drink in your local, quality retailer."

Who won what - and how you can get hold the award-winning products:

• Appleby’s: Two gold stars for Appleby’s Double Gloucester; one gold star for Appleby’s Smoked and Appleby’s Coloured Cheshire – www.applebyscheese.co.uk

• Appleteme: One gold star for Damson Daize – www.appleteme.com

• Battlefield 1403: One gold star for T Bone Steak and Farmhouse Sausage – www.battlefield1403.com

• Belton Cheese: Two gold stars for Shropshire Red; one gold star for Vintage Red Fox and Traditional Red Leicester – www.beltoncheese.co.uk

• Bread Du Jour: One gold star for Malt Fruit and Rye Bread, Multi Seed Bloomer Sandwich Tin, Baguette Artisan, 100 per cent Rye Loaf and Rosemary and Olive Oil Focaccia – www.breaddujour.co.uk

• Brock Hall Farm Dairy: Three gold stars for Dutch Mistress, Joie de Chevre and Capra Nouveau; one gold star for Pablo Cabrito – www.brockhallfarm.com

• Cariad Cakes: One gold star for Hereford Apple Cider Cake – www.cariadcakes.com

• Chilton Liqueurs: Two gold stars for Raspberry Vodka; one gold star for Seville Orange Gin – www.chiltondamsongin.co.uk

• Hobsons Brewery: One gold star for Old Prickly – www.hobsons-brewery.co.uk

• Ludlow Food Centre: Two gold stars for Lemon Curd Yoghurt and Ethiopoan Yirgacheffe; one gold star for Gloucester Old Spot Beetroot & Black Pepper Bacon, Guatemalan Finca La Perla, Flat Iron Steak and Ludlow Food Centre Expresso Blend – www.ludlowfoodcentre.co.uk

• Ludlow Nut Co: One gold star for Hazelnut Crunch Luxury Granola and Toasted Pecan and Maple Syrup Luxury Granola – www.ludlownut.co.uk

• Maynards Farm Bacon: One gold star for Maynards Traditional Pork Sausage, Maynards Pork and Cracked Black Pepper Sausage and Maynard Smoked Pancetta – www.maynardsfarm.co.uk

• Middletown Hill: Two gold stars for Marou Single Origin bean to bar chocolate ‘Dong Nai 72 per cent’; one gold star for Marou Single Origin bean to bar chocolate ‘Treasure Island 75 per cent’ – www.middletownhill.co.uk