Academy of Chocolate

Origin – United Kingdom

Founded in 2005 by five of Britain’s leading chocolate professionals, it is also internationally recognised.

Products tasted – Fine chocolate exclusively

Unique awards – Promoting a greater awareness of the difference between fine chocolate and the mass-produced chocolate confectionery.

Tasting method – All judges are united in the belief that eating fine chocolate is one of life’s great pleasures. Involving over 25 judges over 5 days of tasting, from chocolate experts and buyers, pastry chefs, food professionals to food journalists.

Website - www.academyofchocolate.org.uk

Dalemain Marmalade Awards

Origin – United Kingdom

From 50 jars in 2005, the Awards have grown to over 2,700 jars of marmalade entered and judged from all around the World in 2015.

Products tasted – Marmalade exclusively.

Unique awards all about taste - The awards set a standard for marmalade, which is recognised internationally.

Blind-tasting method: Judges taste all marmalades blind; out of its jar or on a plain white saucer.

Website: www.dalemainmarmaladeawards.co.uk

Global Cheese awards

Origin – United Kingdom

The longest running cheese show in Britain, the Global Cheese Awards is a prestigious event that celebrates cheese-making excellence, an icon of British heritage.

Products tasted - Cheese exclusively

Unique awards – Well known for over 150 years as the "Frome Cheese Show", one of the oldest cheese shows in Britain, rebranded in 2011 as the Global Cheese Awards.

Tasting method – An award panel of 70 judges works tirelessly to select the best and most tasty cheeses

Website - www.globalcheeseawards.com

Great Taste Awards

Origin – United Kingdom

The Great Taste Awards are legendary in the UK as well as globally, described as the ‘Oscars’ of the food world and the ‘epicurean equivalent of the Booker prize’

Products tasted – Speciality food and drinks

Unique awards all about taste – It is simply all about taste, not branding or packaging.

Blind-tasting method – Thousands of products are blind-tasted every year by panels of independent specialists: top chefs, cookery writers, food critics, restaurateurs and fine food retailers. Each product is tasted by a minimum of 16 independent judges, who are looking for great taste as well as texture and appearance.

Website - www.greattasteawards.co.uk

International Cheese Awards

Origin – United Kingdom

One of the biggest and the best cheese Awards in the world.

Products tasted – Cheese exclusively

Unique awards – Judging as many as 4,455 cheeses from 26 countries, none of the judges know which categories they’ll be judging until the last minute.

Tasting method – All cheeses are presented in plain packaging to the judges to guarantee an effective blind tasting and fair result.

Website - www.internationalcheeseawards.co.uk

New York International Olive Oil Competition

Origin – United States

It is the largest, and most publicized olive oil quality competition in the world.

Products tasted – Olive oils exclusively, with more than 700 entries from 25 countries.

Unique awards all about taste – The oils are judged by an international panel of experts.

Tasting method – Scrutinized one by one by the very top tasters from every region

Website - www.nyoliveoil.com

Taste of the West

Origin – United Kingdom

Largest independent regional food group in the UK - a unique membership organisation for food and drink producers, distributors, restaurants, cafes, pubs, hotels, farm shops and speciality retailers in the South West of England.

Products tasted – Food and drinks.

Unique awards – Over 1,000 products were tasted.

Tasting method – These awards are judged by a panel of independent industry experts including chefs, food writers, food buyers and other food professionals who evaluate each product individually, assessing its appearance, aroma, texture and, most significantly, its taste.

Website - www.tasteofthewest.co.uk

The Caterer Product Excellence Awards

Origin – United Kingdom

One of the most credible and sought-after accolades in the hospitality industry.

Products tasted – Food and food related equipment

Unique awards all about taste – The judging sessions take place over five days and decisions are taken by industry experts from across all sectors of hospitality.

Tasting method – Judges taste over dozens of products, looking for excellence in flavour, design and innovation.

Website - www.productexcellenceawards.co.uk

The International Chocolate Awards

Origin – Independent international partners based in the UK, Italy and the USA. It is the world’s only fully Independent competition recognising excellence in chocolate.

Products tasted – Fine chocolate making and the products made with fine chocolate.

Unique awards all about taste – Judged by a wide range of experts, tasters, pastry chefs, food journalists, bloggers, sommeliers, chefs and a Grand Jury.

Tasting method – The rules and judging are overseen by a permanent Grand Jury as well as Country Partners and independent experts, who set the rules of the Awards.

Website - www.internationalchocolateawards.com