FROM cider to pies, Herefordshire has taken home 33 Great Taste Awards this year.

These winning artisan companies have received awards ranging from one to three stars from Great Taste, which is one of the world’s largest food and drink accreditation schemes.

Products from Herefordshire have won one three-star, 15 two-stars and 17 one-stars.

The only winner of a three-star award was Willy’s, for its firecracker apple cider vinegar (ACV).

This organic, unfiltered and unblended pure ACV contains a blend of raw ingredients and is designed to be a natural remedy for boosting the immune system. It’s produced on the family-owned Mother Farm near Ledbury by a small team, without artificial pesticides or fertilisers.

A spokesperson for Willy’s told Hereford Times: “We’re absolutely delighted with the results from the Great Taste Awards for our firecracker ACV. Our goal at Willy’s is to invigorate the gut with vibrant flavours and a healthy dose of probiotics. These awards show that we’re doing just that and reflect the commitment and expertise of our fantastic team. This is a hat trick for founder Will Chase, following the success of his former brands Tyrells and Chase Distillery.”

Less than two per cent of all entries receive one of the “extraordinarily tasty food and drink” three-star awards.

Willy’s also won four further Great Taste Awards, both two-stars and one-star.

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The rest of the two-star awards were won by Twigs & Dough, White Heron, Oakchurch Farm Shop, Myrtle’s Kitchen, Pips Cider, Gun Dog Gin, Hedonist Bakery, Broadfield Farm, and Two Farmers. These awards are won by 11 per cent of entries overall and are categorised as “above and beyond delicious”.

Oakchurch Farm Shop, Myrtle’s Kitchen, Pips and Hedonist Bakery also received one-star awards for more of their products.

Other winners of the one-star awards included Hay Distillery, Black Mountain Roast, Wild by Nature, Just Rachel, and Sir Woofy Woofingtons.

A group of more than 500 judges conducted blind taste tests on 14,195 entries which were submitted from 109 different countries. This judging process took almost three months to complete. Every entry also receives feedback on their submissions from an array of food experts.