Craft Butchers from England and Wales found out this week if they brought home a coveted Category Win in the National Craft Butchers Product Awards!
NCB Product Awards 2023 categories were Game Product, Celebration Wellington, Hot Eating Pie, Cold Eating Pie, Traditional Sausage, Innovative Sausage, Dry Cured Back Bacon. After a meticulous judging process, with comprehensive blind taste-testing of all entries taking place at Harper Adams, by a panel of industry experts the products that achieved our gold standard went on to be reevaluated by Head Judge Keith Fisher and industry expert Claire Holland.
This year also saw the introduction of some new categories including Best Game Product and Best 30 Minute Meal along with the Judges Choice Award with each judge choosing their ‘standout’ product throughout the day before unanimously choosing one winner. Best 30-minute meal was a great opportunity for Butchers to showcase how they meet the demand for quick meals at home in a tough competition and the popularity of Best Game Product highlighted the growing trend for Game and Wild Game products.
Keith Fisher, Head Judge said,
‘the standard of products this year was exceptional making our role all the harder, the winners really showcase the best of what retail butchers offer their customers’.
The 2023 Winners are:
Game Product – Owen Taylor and Sons with their Stuffed Pheasant breast
30 Minute Meal – Dennis of Bexley with their Beef Lasagne
Celebration Wellington – Greens of Pangbourne with their Beef Wellington
Hot Eating Pie – J W Mettricks with their Chicken, Ham & Broccoli Pie
Cold Eating Pie – Owen and Taylor & Son with their Chicken & Chorizo Pork Pie
Traditional Sausage – Surrey Hills Butchers with their Hogs Back Herbie Sausage
Innovative Sausage – Bosworths Butchers with their Flexitarian Pork with Mediterranean Vegetables
Dry Cured Back Bacon – Essington Farm with their Smoked Dry Cured Back Bacon
And the
Judges Choice – Bosworths Butchers with their Pork & Chilli Pie
Representatives from National Craft Butchers conducted shop visits this week to announce the winners and present the trophies and certificates, with Category Sponsors invited to also attend. Eleanor O’Brien, Managing Director said
‘Thank you to everyone who participated this year, these awards are a great opportunity to celebrate our members and their amazing craft. We’d also like to thank our sponsors and supporters for their continued backing.’
The winners can now proudly display their trophies, product stickers and digital logos on their award-winning products and digital platforms.