Congratulations from us here at the Scottish Seafood Association.
One of our members, Portsoy based traditional smoked fish producer, Sutherlands of Portsoy has been named among the top food and drink producers globally this year, picking up a highly prized 3-star Great Taste award for its Cold Smoked Steelhead Trout.
Tasted by the experts, Cold Smoked Steelhead Trout from Sutherlands of Portsoy is awarded a Great Taste 3 Star Award in 2022
More than 14,000 products were put through the competition’s rigorous blind judging process; and Sutherlands of Portsoy was dubbed a “beautiful, vibrant colour and cut. Firm yet melt in the mouth creamy. A gentle sophisticated smoke and the peatiness from the whisky are perfectly balanced with the trout. The trout is lifted, not overpowered – a joy to taste” at the world’s most coveted food and drink awards. 4,078 products were awarded a Great Taste 1-star – ‘food and drink that delivers fantastic flavour’, 1,237 were awarded a Great Taste 2-star – ‘above and beyond delicious’, and 241 were awarded a Great Taste 3-star – ‘extraordinarily tasty food and drink’.
Described as “a triumph”, this Cold Smoked Steelhead Trout was a big hit with the Great Taste judges.
Made with Steelhead Trout sourced from the cold waters around Oban and farmed by Kames, the Cold Smoked Trout was one of 5,556 products to receive a Great Taste award in 2022 (which is only 39.1% of the total products entered).
What is Great Taste?
Recognised as a stamp of excellence and actively sought out by food lovers and retailers alike, Great Taste, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, values taste above all else. All products in the line-up for judging are blind-tasted: every product is removed from its packaging so it cannot be identified, before entering a robust, layered judging process.
This year, the judging took place over 90 days across two judging locations (Dorset and Londowith a panel of more than 500 judges. This year’s line-up saw food and drink products submitted from a staggering 110 different countries from across the world.
John Farley, Managing Director from Sutherlands of Portsoy comments: “We are delighted to have won a Great Taste award for our Cold Smoked Steelhead Trout. I have dreamt of this moment and am so proud to be adding the iconic black and gold Great Taste logo to our Cold Smoked Steelhead Trout Range.
“Originally a trading customer of Salire Ltd our salmon trading company, we identified that Sutherlands of Portsoy had an outstanding product range but lacked investment. Pre pandemic we negotiated to purchase the company from the family whose forefathers had built up over five generations. Within six months we won a coveted Opportunities North East Award which spring-boarded a huge investment in new product development. Prior to us taking over the company had won a 2-star Great Taste Award for Smoked Haddock and last year we won a 1-star award for our traditional kippers. In addition to the highest accolade we could achieve this year, we have also been awarded a 1-star Great Taste Award for our Peppered Mackerel. We sit in a highly competitive market place, so it is essential we stand out in this crowded space, whilst remaining entirely Scottish in every part of the process. We have embraced the tradition of the company so it’s wonderful to be where we are today amongst the elite of the food and drink sector”
“Being recognised with a Great Taste 3-star means so much to independent producers such as myself, as it makes all the hard work and determination worth it! Great Taste is the most recognised accolade for taste and quality in the food and drink world, so it really is a big win! John Farley concludes.
Our Cold Smoked Steelhead Trout is a great addition to our Traditional and Innovation Smoked Fish Range.
The Cold Smoked Steelhead Trout is available from selected farm shops and delis across the North East. Or via our website www.sutherlandsofportsoy.scot
For more information about Sutherlands of Portsoy, visit www.sutherlandsofportsoy.scot or call our sales team on 01261-842-448
For more information, imagery or interview opportunities, contact John Farley at jf@sop.scot or John Kelly at johnkelly@sop.scot
Check us out on socials facebook.com/suthofportsoy
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Twitter.com/suthofportsoy
Linkedin.com/company/sutherlands-of-portsoy-gourmets-choice-ltd/
Editor’s notes:
Established in 1994, Great Taste is organised by the Guild of Fine Food and is the world’s largest, longest standing and most respected food accreditation scheme for artisan and speciality food producers.
The full list of this year’s winners and where to buy them can be found at www.greattasteawards.co.uk and a wide range of the award-winning products are available to buy in delis, farm shops and independent retail outlets across the country. As well as Great Taste, the Guild of Fine Food is known for publishing the industry-leading magazine, Fine Food Digest, running the annual Fine Food Show North in Harrogate and the global phenomenon, that is the World Cheese Awards. Plus, further events including award ceremonies and Great Taste markets, training sessions and member initiatives throughout the year.
