GREAT TASTE AWARDS WORKSHOP FOR LOCAL FOOD AND DRINK BUSINESSES

For the fourth year, the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA) is holding a free workshop to encourage Isle of Man food and drink producers to negotiate the process of entering the Great Taste Awards.

This year’s Great Taste Awards were once again the showcase for a record-breaking performance by the Manx food and drink industry.

The awards – known as the ‘Oscars’ of the industry – saw the highest ever number of the Island’s products recognised for their quality, with 73 products winning awards in 2018, up from 56 last year.

For the third year running and as part of its Food Matters strategy, DEFA is holding a free workshop designed to help local food and drink businesses understand how to enter the Great Taste Awards and the benefits of doing so. The Department currently supports Isle of Man businesses that predominantly use locally grown/reared Manx food via its Agriculture and Fisheries Grant Scheme 2017, and further details of this support will be discussed at the workshop.

Minister Geoffrey Boot MHK commented: ‘Only four years ago the total number of Manx products recognised with awards stood at just ten.

‘The Department recognises the importance of investment in industries that utilise and add value to locally produced agricultural products and seafood, through initiatives such as this workshop. That the Isle of Man has achieved so many awards for such a diverse range of products, increasing year on year, is testament to the quality and constant innovation of our food and drink producers.’

The Great Taste Awards, running since 1994, are described as the largest and most trusted accreditation scheme for fine food and drink, and are judged in a series of blind-taste tests by a panel of leading food critics, writers, chefs, restaurateurs and fine food retailers.

The Great Taste Awards Workshop will be held from 6:30pm on Wednesday 9^th January 2019 in DEFA’s Training Room, located at the entrance to Thie Slieau Whallian, St John’s.

Interested businesses should contact food@gov.im to register. For more information about Great Taste, visit https://gff.co.uk/awards/great-taste-awards/.