Wales Names Three Finalists for Great Taste Golden Fork 2026

Key Points

• A total of three Welsh products are in the running to win the Great Taste Golden Fork from Wales 2026 award.
• The shortlisted products include Passion Fruit Sorbet from Fire and Ice, 100% Grass-fed Leg of Welsh Lamb from Hindwell Farm Meats and Enchilada Paste from Kursat’s.
• Each of the products has earned a three-star rating in the Great Taste Awards 2026.
• The winner of the Golden Fork from Wales will be revealed at Battersea Arts Centre, London on 15 September 2026.
• The winning Welsh product will go up against other products for the Great Taste Supreme Champion title.
• This comes after an unprecedented year for the Great Taste Awards featuring more than 15,000 products from 3,919 companies in 116 countries.
• This included 169 Great Taste awards for Welsh producers including eight three-star awards.
• The Golden Fork from Wales award is backed by Food & Drink Wales.

Wales (Wales Times) September 13, 2026 – Passion Fruit Sorbet from Fire and Ice, 100% Grass-fed Leg of Welsh Lamb from Hindwell Farm Meats and Enchilada Paste from Kursat’s are competing for the Great Taste Golden Fork from Wales 2026 award.

Three Welsh products shortlisted for Golden Fork 2026 have been named among the leading food and drink products recognised by the Great Taste Awards, with the regional winner due to be announced in London on 15 September.

The shortlist was reported by Herald.Wales and confirmed by Business Wales’ Food and Drink Wales programme. The three products were selected after receiving the highest three-star rating in the 2026 Great Taste Awards.

The award recognises the leading product produced in Wales among those that achieved the competition’s top rating. The winner will be announced during the Great Taste Golden Fork Awards ceremony at Battersea Arts Centre in London on 15 September.

The Welsh winner will also progress to the competition for the overall Great Taste Supreme Champion title.

Which Welsh producers are on the shortlist?

Fire and Ice Passion Fruit Sorbet

Fire and Ice, a Pembrokeshire-based producer, has been shortlisted for its Passion Fruit Sorbet. The product received a three-star Great Taste award and is the only sorbet among the three Welsh nominees.

The nomination adds to the company’s profile within Wales’ specialist food and drink sector. Other coverage of the Great Taste results identified the sorbet as a product made by Fire and Ice in Narberth.

The sorbet was also highlighted by regional coverage of the wider Great Taste results in south-west Wales. That reporting noted that only a small proportion of the products entered into the national competition received the highest three-star rating.

Hindwell Farm Meats Welsh lamb

Hindwell Farm Meats is represented by its 100% Grass-fed Leg of Welsh Lamb. The product’s name highlights its production method and its connection with Welsh farming.

The lamb is one of the three Welsh products to have received the top Great Taste rating before being considered for the Golden Fork regional award.

Hindwell Farm Meats’ nomination places a traditional Welsh agricultural product alongside the sorbet and enchilada paste. The shortlist therefore covers different parts of the Welsh food industry, including livestock farming, frozen desserts and prepared ingredients.

Kursat’s Enchilada Paste

Kursat’s has been shortlisted for its Enchilada Paste. The product is the third Welsh nominee competing for the regional Golden Fork.

Its inclusion shows the range of products recognised in the Welsh shortlist. Alongside the lamb and sorbet, the paste represents a prepared food product with an international flavour profile made by a Welsh business.

Business Wales said the three products are in contention for a title celebrating the finest food and drink products produced in Wales.

When will the Golden Fork winner be announced?

The winner of the Golden Fork from Wales will be announced on 15 September 2026 at Battersea Arts Centre in London.

The ceremony will also announce the overall Great Taste 2026 Supreme Champion. The Welsh regional winner will compete alongside other regional and category winners for that wider title.

The Guild of Fine Food organises the Great Taste Awards. The Golden Fork awards are often described by the organisation and food industry coverage as the “Oscars of food and drink”, although the formal award is based on the judging process used by Great Taste.

The announcement will determine which of the three Welsh products becomes the country’s representative in the next stage of the competition.

How were the Welsh products selected?

The three products first had to achieve a three-star Great Taste award. All 306 products that received three stars in the 2026 competition were invited to take part in an additional judging round to identify the Golden Fork nominees.

The Great Taste Awards received more than 15,000 entries from 3,919 companies in 116 countries in 2026. Products from nine countries entered the competition for the first time.

The judging process took place over 105 days in judging rooms in London, Dorset, Ireland and Italy. More than 800 people from the food and drink industry took part, including chefs, critics, product developers, retailers, writers and other specialists.

According to coverage published by Business News Wales, products were judged without their branding, packaging or other identifying features. Judges considered taste first, followed by appearance, aroma, texture and mouthfeel.

Each product was judged on its own merits rather than directly compared with other products in the same category. Producers also supplied a short factual description to provide relevant information about the entry.

The Guild of Fine Food said judges’ feedback is shared with producers whether or not they receive a star rating. That feedback can help businesses review their recipes, consistency and product development.

What did Wales achieve in the Great Taste Awards?

Welsh producers received 169 accolades in the 2026 Great Taste Awards, according to Business Wales and industry coverage.

The total included 125 one-star awards, 36 two-star awards and eight three-star awards, as reported by Nation.Cymru and Food & Drink Technology. The three Welsh Golden Fork nominees were among the products that received three stars.

The 169 awards covered producers and products from across Wales. The results included food and drink businesses working in areas such as baking, dairy, meat, preserves, sauces, alcoholic drinks and desserts.

Llyr Gruffydd MS, Welsh Government Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability, said the results demonstrated the “exceptional quality, passion and innovation” within Wales’ food and drink industry.

In comments reported by Business News Wales, Gruffydd said recognition in a global competition could help showcase Welsh products internationally, open opportunities in new markets and strengthen Wales’ reputation as a producer of high-quality food and drink.

The minister also described food and drink as one of Wales’ important industries and congratulated the businesses recognised in the competition.

Why does the shortlist matter to Welsh food businesses?

The shortlist gives the three producers an opportunity to receive further national and international attention. A Golden Fork win can provide an additional point of recognition for businesses already carrying a three-star Great Taste award.

The Great Taste logo is widely used by food producers and retailers as a sign of quality accreditation. Business News Wales reported that research cited in connection with the awards found that 58 per cent of UK adults recognised the Great Taste logo.

The same report said 74 per cent of adults familiar with the logo considered a Great Taste award to make a product more tempting, while 73 per cent viewed it as a trustworthy recommendation. It also reported that 54 per cent used Great Taste as a signpost for discovering new products.

These figures relate to the wider recognition of the Great Taste scheme rather than a guarantee of sales for any individual producer. However, the visibility associated with the award may support conversations with retailers, wholesalers and consumers.

For small and independent producers, recognition can also provide evidence of product quality when entering new markets or seeking distribution opportunities.

What did the Guild of Fine Food say about the awards?

John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food, said food security had become an increasingly pressing issue across the world.

As reported by Business News Wales, Farrand said the organisation’s work supporting independent producers and retailers was particularly relevant during its 30th anniversary period. He also described the directory of award recipients as a source of information that could help people make more informed food and drink choices.

Farrand said the awards celebrate craftsmanship, well-sourced local ingredients and traditional, often simple, production methods.

His comments placed the Welsh shortlist within the wider purpose of the Great Taste Awards. The competition is not limited to large manufacturers and includes products made by independent and specialist businesses.

How does this year’s result compare with earlier coverage?

The Welsh shortlist was reported in several stages.

The Guild of Fine Food’s shortlist announcement identified the three Welsh nominees in July. Later coverage of Wales’ overall results reported the country’s 169 awards and confirmed that the three three-star products would compete for the Golden Fork from Wales.

Business Wales published the shortlist on 4 September, describing the three products as outstanding Welsh food and drink products. Herald.Wales also reported the development in its coverage of Powys and mid-Wales, while Tenby Today separately highlighted Fire and Ice’s nomination in Pembrokeshire.

The reports agree on the three products, the three-star ratings and the 15 September ceremony date. No confirmed winner had been announced in the material available for this report.

Background: What is the Great Taste Golden Fork?

The Great Taste Awards are organised by the Guild of Fine Food and assess food and drink products submitted by producers from different countries.

Products are awarded one, two or three stars. A one-star product is considered “simply delicious”, a two-star product is described as “outstanding”, and a three-star product is rated “exquisite and extraordinary”, according to information reported by Business News Wales.

The 2026 competition involved more than 15,000 products. Of those entries, 4,286 received one star, 1,596 received two stars and 306 received three stars.

The three-star products then became eligible for additional judging for the Golden Fork awards. The regional awards identify products that stand out among the highest-rated entries from particular parts of the United Kingdom and other participating areas.

The Golden Fork from Wales is sponsored by Food & Drink Wales. The sponsor is part of the Welsh Government’s support and promotion work for the country’s food and drink industry.

Prediction: How could the shortlist affect Welsh consumers and producers?

The shortlist is likely to increase attention on the three products among Welsh consumers, food retailers, hospitality businesses and visitors looking for Welsh-made food and drink.

If one product wins the Golden Fork from Wales, the producer may gain additional publicity and stronger recognition in retail, foodservice and tourism-related markets. The result could also encourage consumers to look for the products or other Welsh items carrying Great Taste recognition.

The wider effect will depend on the producers’ ability to meet any increase in demand, maintain product consistency and secure suitable distribution. A shortlist alone does not confirm commercial growth, but it gives the three businesses a recognised platform before the 15 September announcement.

For the Welsh food and drink sector, the nominations may help demonstrate the variety of products made in Wales and support the industry’s efforts to reach customers beyond the domestic market. The immediate next development will be the announcement of the Welsh Golden Fork winner and the subsequent competition for the overall Great Taste Supreme Champion title.