Why we won - Feedback from Taste of The West Awards judging panel. Posted on 2 Aug 07:00 , 3 comments

This year we entered 3 products in the Taste of The West Awards. We entered in the Chutney/Pickle side of the competition. Although our products are vinegar free, it seems the judges were not put off as we were lucky enough to win with all three. We have been waiting for the judges comments, here they are:

Marma Naga: Gold

The judges were very complimentary about the packaging and thought it looked like a young, vibrant and exciting brand. The marmalade scored full marks for its superb aroma which the judges thought was stunning – the ginger and the chillies didn’t overwhelm it, and there was a refreshing hit of lime there too. They couldn’t wait to dive in! Again, full marks for a faultless appearance – it looked attractive with small shreds of rind, good colour, great contrast between the orange and green. The texture was excellent – well sliced shreds of citrus fruits floating effortlessly in just enough of the apple gelling agent. It tasted wonderful – the heat balanced beautifully with all the other ingredients, and yet all done in a powerful way. The judges were impressed: “This producer really knows how to handle his chillies to create a spectacular product”.

Mango Nero: Gold
As above, the judges were very complimentary about the jar and thought it looked like a young, vibrant and exciting brand. One tiny comment was made regarding the use of upper and lower case letters on the back of the jar – perhaps have a closer look at this, but they really liked the use of the chilli scale. Very original on a jar of jelly. Again, full marks awarded for its aroma. Once again, full marks for a faultless appearance – fantastic colour with really attractive flecks of chilli, the judges really loved the vibrant colour of this product.

The texture was spot on – very spreadable and not too wet. The taste was fantastic, very distinctive of habanero chillies, really fruity and hot, hot, hot – as promised!

Pina Chillero: Silver

As above, the judges were very complimentary about the jar and thought it looked like a young, vibrant and exciting brand – fresh, modern and quirky. In a good way! The judges also appreciated the serving suggestions on the label. The aroma was initially of sweet candy floss – the heat was hard to decipher, but sweetness from the pineapple and banana was very much present.

In terms of flavour, the judges thought it was incredibly interesting! The pineapple flavour was wonderful, and there was a strong sweetness. It’s an excellent product with plenty of potential to go very far. Well done!