We are always on the look out for the best British food and drink. Our Local and Regional Sourcing Initiative now includes over 1700 fantastic products, including fruit, vegetables, bacon, sausages, ice cream, wines, cheeses and honey.
For the second year running, we have teamed up with Country Living magazine for the Made in Britain Awards. This celebration of Britain's best small producers helps us reward truly great products that stand out from the rest, building innovative twists on traditional techniques and creating the heritage foods of tomorrow.
The winners of the Made in Britain Award 2009:
Variety really is the spice of life and, having sampled the produce from this year's finalists, I can see it is alive and well in the food culture of our islands. Among other things, I’ve tasted delicious farmed Halibut from the Hebrides, an entirely new blue cheese from Co Durham, sensational bread from Hay-on-Wye, mouth-watering pâté from the highlands and sublime salami from Monmouthshire in Wales.
The entries were diverse but the best had one thing in common: they were made with a passion for good food - something we truly appreciate at Waitrose. We’re thrilled to have been involved with the Made in Britain Awards, as it offers a great opportunity for us to support small food businesses from around the country.
Mark Price, Managing Director, Waitrose
Made in Britain Food Producer of the Year:
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Gigha Halibut (Isle of Gigha, Argyll)
Based in the Hebrides, Alastair’s passion and unique production environment were key elements for Alastair becoming the Made in Britain Food Champion of the Year award. The Atlantic halibut which is an endangered species is reared on the isle of Gigha. They are harvested when they are three years old which results in a good combination firm flesh, delicate textures and distinct flavours that makes wild halibut so versatile.
Gigha Halibut was also nominated as a Made in Britain Food Producer of the Year.
Waitrose is delighted to be stocking Gigha Halibut in over 70 branches across the country (see below), including Glasgow when the new branch opens on 12th November 2009.
www.gighahalibut.co.uk
Available in:
Bath; Bayswater (London); Beaconsfield; Beckenham; Belgravia (London); Berkhamsted; Billericay; Bishop’s Stortford; Brent Cross (London); Brighton; Bromley South; Bury St Edmunds; Cambridge; Canary Wharf (London); Caversham; Chandlers Ford; Cheltenham; Chesham; Chichester; Cirencester; Cobham; Comley Bank (Edinburgh); Crewkerne; Crowborough; Daventry; East Sheen; Edgware Road (London); Gloucester Road (London); Godalming; Great Malvern; Harpenden; Henley-on-Thames; Holloway Road (London); Horley; John Barnes (Finchley Road, London); Kenilworth; Kings Road (London); Lymington; Maidenhead; Marlborough; Marylebone (London); Mill Hill (London); Petersfield; Prontprenau; Putney (London); Monmouth; Morningside Road (Edinburgh); Newark; Newbury; Norwich; Richmond; Safron Walden; Westbury Park (Bristol); Witney; Romsey; Salisbury; Saltash; Sheffield; Southend-on-Sea; St Albans; Stroud; Sunningdale; Surbiton; Swaffham; Thame; Welwyn Garden City; West Ealing; Westfield (London); Wokingham; Worcester Park (London); Yateley
Made in Britain Food Producers of the Year
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Alex Gooch’s Organics (Hay-on-Wye)
This organic apple, pumpkin seed rye sourdough loaf is produced in Hay- on -Wye in Wales by Alex Gooch. He uses his own starter culture instead of Yeast alongside the high quality organic ingredients which helps to give the bread its lightness, which is reflected in the award winning taste.
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Trealy Farm Charcuterie (Mitchel Troy, Monmouthshire)
Trealy provides a good example of how good salami should be made. They use first class ingredients, age old techniques, and 21st century innovation provides a first class product. The award winning Salami is made from the Gloucester old spot pig which is a traditional breed, helping to give the salami its full flavour.
www.trealyfarm.com
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The Durham Cow Cheese Company (Hutton Henry, Co Durham)
One of only a handful of cheese makers in the North East, Julia Cammiss produces at soft blue cheese known as Durham Blue. Made using locally sourced milk, Durham Blue is a mild, mellow, moreish cheese which can be enjoyed on its own or as an ingredient in a range of dishes.
www.durham-cow-cheese-company.com
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Cairngorm Smokehouse (Alvie Estate, Kincraig, Inverness-shire)
Heather and Craig only opened their smokehouse earlier this year, but they are already producing award winning products. Two Scottish ingredients - roast smoked organic brown trout and crowdie cheese, are potted together to make this delicious pâté.
Made in Britain Finalists
Farmers Guardian:
Farmers Guardian, the national newspaper of the agricultural community, offered a special prize in the Made in Britain Awards for farmers who have added value to their business.
The 2009 Farmers Guardian Best Farm Entrepreneur is:
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Yorvale (Acaste Malbis, North Yorkshire)
Based on a traditional home made recipe, Yorvale ice cream is made on a small family farm in Yorkshire. Milk from the farm’s dairy herd is combined with locally sourced double cream to create a range of delicious ice creams. Farmer Ian Buxton and wife Lesley have developed the range which comprises of 25 ice cream flavours and 10 sorbets.
www.yorvale.co.uk/home.html
The finalists were for the Farmer Guardian Award Best Farm Entrepreneur were:
Cothi Valley Goats- Landeilo, Camarthenshire
www.goats-cheese-online.co.uk/
Stark Naked Foods – Eye, Suffolk
www.starknakedfoods.co.uk/
Anna’s Happy Trotters- Howden, East Yorkshire
www.annashappytrotters.com/