Following intense competition, the winners of the Fresh Discovery Awards were announced at Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2018 on the Food for Thought Stage in front of a big crowd of buyers and retailers. Picking up the Overall Winner accolade this year is Single Variety Co for its seasonal Lemon Drop Chilli Jam, which won for its outstanding fresh and citrusy hot flavour, using lemon drop chillies for heat and a higher fruit and lower sugar content than traditional jams.
Meanwhile the People’s Choice Award went to Picualia for its Pure Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which contains three times more antioxidants than other olive oils on the market. Picualia also achieved honourable mention for its Pure Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the Overall Winner category, as did Renegade and Longton for its Elderflower Blush wine.
The Fresh Discovery Awards highlight the very best innovation in the artisan food and drink sector with finalists for the Overall Winner Award voted for by a panel of judges, including chef and ambassador for the Fair, Steve Walpole, and Charlie Turnbull, founder of DeliShops. The People’s Choice Award was chosen by the Fair’s attendees; buyers, retailers and owners who came along to the feature to vote on the shortlisted products.
Commenting on her win, Nicola Simons, founder of Single Variety Co said: “I’m absolutely thrilled that our Lemon Drop Chilli Jam has been crowned Overall Winner of the prestigious Fresh Discovery Awards. We’re so passionate about creating interesting and unique flavours and cooking them in small batches to really preserve the flavour and vibrancy. It’s a real honour to have had the judges pick our product out of such a great line up of finalists.”
Winner of the People’s Choice category, Picualia’s founders, Wizzy and Tara, said: “We love to be different and create high quality limited-edition presses using traditional methods in a state-of-the-art eco-friendly mill; the only one of its kind in Spain. Knowing that the retailers, buyers and owners attending Speciality & Fine Food Fair voted for our Pure Extra Virgin Olive Oil is wonderful as this is exactly the type of exposure we wanted from exhibiting at the Fair. It really does attract the big names in the industry.”
Event Director, Soraya Gadelrab, said: “With retailers and buyers visiting our event to source the latest innovations, it’s crucial that we support new talent with the likes of our Fresh Discovery Awards, to give them a platform to succeed in a sector that’s bursting with so many wonderful producers. We’re delighted for Single Variety Co and Picualia on their wins and look forward to seeing what comes next for both brands.”