Wild Country Organics scooped the Soil Association award for Fresh Food for its mixed salad, with online retailer Ocado winning the supermarket category, it was announced last night.
The winners of the organic industry awards were announced at the Soil Association’s annual conference, held in Swindon yesterday (8 October).
This year’s awards, which have been running for 28 years, involved consumers in the voting process for the first time, and over 11, 000 online votes were registered after entries had been shortlisted by the judges.
Also new for this year was a more high-profile judging panel, including Telegraph newspaper food writer Xanthe Clay, ethical entrepreneur and organic farmer Liz Earle and Michelin-starred chef Josh Eggleton.
The range of categories also increased to include organic fashion, restaurants, health and beauty products and holidays.
Managing director of Wild Country Organics, Adrian Izzard, said: “We were one of the first people to do this organically on a commercial scale and winning the Soil Association award for the salad is a great way of distinguishing the quality and novelty of the leaves we grow.”
Lucy Fry, organic buyer at Ocado, said the company’s two packing locations means it can source from smaller suppliers in low volumes, enabling it to sustain a 2,800-strong organic range. “We can deliver all of our customers the best organic produce right to their kitchen table, even if it’s from a farmer who runs a tiny organic farm in Devon, or a specialist organic soap supplier in Scotland.
“It’s a great achievement for us to be recognised as Best Supermarket, it makes all the hard work we put into sourcing the best organic produce worthwhile, and it also gives us something to talk to prospective organic suppliers and customers about,” she said.
Richard Hampton, COO at head sponsor Organic Milk Suppliers Co-operative, said the awards will be key in stimulating further market growth in organics.
“OMSCo have been proud to be involved with the judging and promotion of these leading industry awards, which this year play an even more important role in driving consumer awareness of the high quality and innovative organic products available,” he said.
Supporting sponsor was G’s Fresh organic branded range O’live, available in Whole Foods Market stores.
Helen Browning, chief executive of the Soil Association added: “This year’s Organic Awards were the most outstanding yet. The level of engagement and interest was tremendous with over 11,000 votes and a huge amount of support on social media.”
The other award winners included:
· Farm visit: Mary Arden’s Farm
· Box Scheme: Monthly Meatbox for Four by Swillington Organic Farm
· Store cupboard: Porridge Oats by Pimhill Farm
· Non Alcoholic Drink: Marley Coffee One Love Medium Organic Arabica Roast Coffee by Blue
Mountain Coffee (Europe) Limited t/a Marley Coffee UK
· Alcoholic Drink: Davenport Horsmonden dry white by Davenport Vineyards
· Independent retailer: BigGreenSmile
· Health and Beauty: HayMax Pollen Barrier Balm by HayMax Ltd
· Fashion: Steam Engine T-shirt by Kite Clothing
· Eating out: The Hive, Growhampton
· Places to Stay: Treberfedd Farm
