The Product of the Year is our ultimate award.

Every single gold winning product is put on the final judging table to be considered for Product of the Year. Some are eliminated quite quickly or easily. They may be best in their category, but not necessarily the absolute best product in the entire judging process.

How do we choose? Usually with a lot of arguments. Plus there much championing. And a lot of eating. To be sure to be sure.

This year among our contenders were: the sour cherry chocolates and the chocolate covered almond. The gold winning mince pies – the best our panel ever tasted. A flavoursome traybake – lemony and blueberry and moist. Gluten free pudding – what Christmas tastes of. And the stunning freefrom gravy of which one of our judges who is vegetarian said, ‘it has my vote’.

After much consideration, the steering committee decided that the Product of the Year award should go to a product currently available in catering, meaning its servicing the freefrom market in a restaurant setting. It’s also one we would like to see make the cross over to retail. It is vegetarian, yet you would not know,  which demonstrates technical know-how. It tasted so good that our judges actually began drinking it from the ramekins.  

We were delighted to award Product of the Year to:

McDonnells Food Service Roast Gravy

Special mention must be made of our runner-up Product of the Year:

Mash Direct Skinny Chips.