Winners of the 2011 Organic Food Awards announced

28 July 2011

The winners of the 2011 Organic Food Awards were announced at the Start Festival, Clarence House, on Wednesday 27 July, part of the national ‘Start’ initiative, established by The Prince's Charities Foundation to promote and celebrate sustainable living [1]. The festival, which is themed around sustainable food and farming, was attended by HRH Prince Charles, who met and congratulated the winners.

Now in their 23rd year, the Soil Association Organic Food Awards are the most prestigious and widely respected in the organic sector, recognising and celebrating the contribution organic food producers make to the food and farming industry.

Over three days at the Duke of Cambridge organic pub in London, an expert judging panel of 35 food critics, broadcasters and chefs, including Hardeep Singh Kohli and Jo Wood, applied their foodie expertise and finely attuned tastebuds to nearly 400 products across 12 categories, from baby food to store cupboard staples and vegetables. Judging in all categories was by blind tasting, with products rated according to smell, texture, appearance and taste.

The Organic Food Awards are open to any product registered as organic and certified by a recognised organic certification body within the EU. This year, there was also the opportunity for consumers to nominate their favourite organic products for the awards.

Winners achieve kudos and industry respect, and are able to use the recognised and trusted awards logo on their products.

Many of the winners will have stands at this year’s Organic Food Festival (3-4 September) at Bristol Harbourside, part of Organic September – the annual celebration of all things organic [3].

Geetie Singh, judge and owner of the Duke of Cambridge commented on the awards:
“As always, I’ve been bowled over by the quality and variety of entrants at this year’s awards. It’s inspiring to think how the organic market has developed, and the variety of products we’ve seen this year really reflect how far the industry has come. More and more, people are taking an interest not only in what their food tastes like, but in where it comes from and how it’s made – and the producers behind the entries here deserve recognition for their role in putting sustainable food onto the map, and onto our plates.”

Finn Cottle, Trade Consultant at the Soil Association commented that:
“It’s testament to the resilience of the organic market and to the hard work, skill and innovation of organic producers that we continue to see entries of such fantastic quality across every sector of the market. The awards provide recognition of what the organic market has to offer and are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate all that has been achieved.” 

[1]  Winners
Baby, infant & children food
Organix Organic Apple & Strawberry / Apple & Peach Dual
To find out more visit http://www.organix.com/

Baked goods
The Bertinet Bakery, Sourdough
To find out more visit http://www.thebertinetkitchen.com/

Beer and Cider
Little Valley Brewery, Tod's Blonde 5.0% - Organic, Vegan, Bottle Conditioned Real Ale
To find out more visit http://www.littlevalleybrewery.co.uk/

Cakes and Confectionery
Tideford Organic Food, Butterscotch rice pudding
To find out more visit http://www.tidefordorganics.com/

Cereal
Waitrose, Duchy Originals from Waitrose Oat and Apple Porridge
To find out more visit Duchy Originals from Waitrose
Dairy
Stichelton Dairy, Stichelton traditional raw milk blue cheese
To find out more visit http://www.stichelton.co.uk/

Fruit and Vegetables
SG Danby & Sons, and Abel & Cole, Chioggia Beetroot
To find out more visit http://www.abelandcole.co.uk/

Meat and Fish
Langley Chase, Organic Manx Loaghtan mutton
To find out more visit http://www.langleychase.co.uk/

Non-alcoholic drinks
Tea Palace, Detox herbal infusion
To find out more visit http://www.teapalace.co.uk/
Grove Fresh Ltd, Grove Organic Fruit Company organic traditional lemonade
To find out more visit�http://www.grovefresh.co.uk/

Prepared Foods
Higher Hacknell Farm, Higher Hacknell Cottage Pie
To find out more visit http://www.higherhacknell.co.uk/
Brocklebys, Chicken & ham pie
To find out more visit http://www.brocklebys.co.uk/

Store Cupboard Staples
Aspall, Aspall Organic White Wine Vinegar
To find out more visit http://www.aspall.co.uk/

Wine and spirits
Vinceremos Wines, MALBEC Caligiore
To find out more visit http://www.vinceremos.co.uk/

[2] Start Festival
The UK's leading organic charities, Garden Organic and the Soil Association, are working together to bring a taste of organic to the Start Growing open garden event at Clarence House.
http://www.startuk.org/events/an-open-garden-day-at-clarence-house.aspx

[3] Organic September is the biggest annual celebration of all things organic. There are so many reasons to love organic, discover yours at http://www.soilassociation.org/organicseptember.aspx

The Organic Food Festival will be back in September at Bristol Harbourside (3-4 September). Now in its eleventh year, the festival celebrates the full spectrum of organic fare with hundreds of stalls selling delicious food and drink, organic clothes and beauty products. Find out more at http://www.organicfoodfestival.co.uk/