Volcanic pili nuts erupt onto UK food scene, as next level nuts named Great Taste Supreme Champion
Out of a record breaking 12,634 products entered into Great Taste 2018, the top honour of Great Taste Supreme Champion has been awarded to Premium Pili Nuts with Ecuadorian Cacao from Mount Mayon Brand, based in Olongapo City in the Philippines, a product that also received the Golden Fork for Best Imported Food. The Great Taste judges were “nuts about these nuts”, which “explode in the mouth with a fun mouthfeel and warm nut flavour”.
Wild harvested from the volcanic soil surrounding Mount Mayon, using a sustainable and environmentally friendly process that goes back thousands of years, these Vitamin E and Omega-rich pili nuts are pre-sprouted in purified mountain water before undergoing a 17-step SloDry process to retain all the flavour and nutrients. Super-satiating and naturally high in fibre, protein and magnesium, these Ecuadorian cocoa dusted pili nuts have an “ethereal texture”, “toasty cereal flavour” and “incredible creaminess” making them a “stunning” and “moreish” healthy snack.
John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food, explains:
“Great Taste celebrates everything from good old-fashioned fodder to the fun and funky from far flung corners of the world, but it’s always so exciting when a new product bursts onto the scene and demands our judges’ attention. These pili nuts are a great example of the scope and diversity of food and drink available in the UK and Ireland today, demonstrating how fine food producers are evolving and experimenting to meet the changing tastes and dietary needs of consumers. Pili nuts are already very popular across Asia and Mount Mayon Brand clearly sees the UK as a vibrant and growing market to enter, even with the uncertainties of Brexit, which is positive news for us all in food. We wish them every success in cracking the UK market and are certain that the Great Taste Supreme Champion gong will help grab the attention of retailers, buyers and distributors alike”.
Celebrating the very best in food and drink, Great Taste, the world’s most coveted food awards, reached its grand finale at the Great Taste Golden Fork Dinner held on Sunday 2 September at the InterContinental Park Lane Hotel London, where over 350 guests from the world of fine food gathered to hear the results of many months of rigorous judging.
The full list of Golden Fork trophies for 2018:
Charcuterie Product of the Year sponsored by Fine Food Digest Charcuterie Campaign
Carnicas Ibericas Mozarbez for Iberian Bellota Ham
Golden Fork for Best Imported Food sponsored by ABP Cahir
Mount Mayon Brand for Premium Pili Nuts with Ecuadorian Cacao
Nigel Barden Heritage Award sponsored by Dawn Meats
Southport Potted Shrimps for Southport Potted Shrimps by James Peet
Ambient Product of the Year sponsored by Petty Wood
The Quirky Cook for Honeyed Fig Relish with Black Garlic
Golden Fork from Ireland sponsored by Bord Bia
Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland for Signature Tastes Smoked Rack of Bacon
Golden Fork from Northern Ireland sponsored by Invest Northern Ireland
Natural Umber for Natural Umber Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
Golden Fork from the Midlands
Macneil's Smokehouse for Macneil’s Beech Wood Smoked Salmon
Golden Fork from the South West sponsored by Fresh Montgomery
Pipers Farm for Saddleback Neck Steak
Golden Fork from Wales sponsored by Food and Drink Wales
Caws Teifi Cheese for Celtic Promise
Golden Fork from Scotland sponsored by Scotland Food & Drink
The Argyll Smokery for Kiln Roasted Salmon
Golden Fork from East Anglia sponsored by Shire Foods of Norfolk
Capsicana for Brazilian Chilli and Coconut Sauce
Golden Fork from the North of England sponsored by Fine Food Show North
Rogue Artisan Ice Cream for Sicilian Bronte Pistachio Ice Cream
Golden Fork from London & the South East sponsored by Tenuta Marmorelle
Terra Rossa for Terra Rossa Baba's Rashi & Dibis with Sesame Seeds
Small Artisan Producer of the Year sponsored by Selfridges
Tea Shirt Tailored Refreshments
Great Taste Producer of the Year sponsored by Partridges
Wessex Mill
Contribution to Fine Food
Charles Campion
For more information on Great Taste, visit greattasteawards.co.uk.