The Great Taste Awards and judging

We continue to work with a number of award-winning brands and products, including Great Taste Award winning food and drink, Free From Food Awards winners and the Drinks Business Awards winners, amongst others.

Here we always tended to express the view, with clients and brands with whom we work, that awards are only worth something if you win one.

However, recent hands-on experience judging Grocery products for this year’s Great Taste Awards has prompted us to change that view. The Guild Of Fine Foods is an established and reputable body which, in 2026, accepted over 15,000 different foods and drinks, submitted for blind taste judging at its centres in both Dorset and London. The food and drink entries came from all corners of the globe, including small-batch producers, large dairies, family recipes and even secret ingredients.

What prompted this blog post was our self-confessed foodie and Founder Duncan being appointed a judge for the 2026 Great Taste Awards. He has recently been judging food and drink across all categories, including kombucha, cheese, meats, biscuits, breads, olive oils, honeys, spirits, hot drinks, protein products, ready meals, seasonings, sauces, cakes, chocolate and more.

Judging runs through the spring into June, and then is followed up late summer and into autumn with the results announcements and Awards ceremony.

The judging process is meticulously organised, foods prepared to a high quality, and the entire operation executes itself at a highly professional level. It comprises a friendly and knowledgeable team, clearly able and passionate about food. Each year a competent and rounded panel of many taste judges including chefs, restaurateurs, authors, food and drink industry experts, all taste test foods on a comprehensive peer review basis.

In any given judging session, between 20 to 30 foods may be tested and tasted. There are a number of ways to get the approach right with keeping a clean palate and picking up on differing tastes.

The sheer rigour applied is testament to the value of the process and the awards it generates. It enables the fully measurable review of foods, flavours and textures to identify what rises above the rest. Background and preparation is given, then the judging focus shifts to mouthfeel, tasting notes, observations and recommendations. The golden accolade is a One Star Award which is Outstanding, with the middle tier of excellence being a 2 Star Award. There are a limited number of 3 Star Award winners shortlisted, for the highest accolade and kudos.

In our experience, a product with a Great Taste Award will attract more interest from buyers, more appetite from customers, and a more credible shelf presence be it online or offline. Both discerning and informed food shoppers know that Great Taste means a product worth savouring. This helps with sell-through for a product, as well as favourable peer category positioning. As a quality kitemark of approval, Great Taste is a visible endorsement of quality.

The value and credibility of such rigour is clear, and firmly rooted in identifying the best food and drink. The due diligence and impartiality of the process is both evident and thorough. It’s something that celebrates excellence, and champions food and drink producers large and small. It has been a privilege to be included in the Great Taste Awards 2026 judging process and we wish all entrants all the very best, with the results due to be announced on Tuesday 28th July 2026.