While the rest of the world had its eyes on the sky this month for a rare lunar eclipse, we'll admit the only star we've ever been truly obsessed with is a smaller, gold one - the kind that shows up on packaging: a little black-and-gold star sticker that certifies what's inside is carefully made and genuinely outstanding. In an era of sleek packaging and marketing campaigns made to sway our buying habits, it stands by a simpler standard: how good something actually tastes.
As the culinary industry grew in the 20th century, exceptional small-scale food makers had difficulty standing out on a global stage without massive advertising budgets. Enter modern taste competitions. The story starts in Britain in the early 1990s, a difficult time for independent food producers and retailers. Discount supermarket chains were expanding rapidly across the UK, competing almost entirely on price. Artisan, quality-focused food shops were closing at an alarming rate.
In 1994, the Guild of Fine Food launched what would become the Great Taste Awards, initially conceived simply as a way to give producers honest, constructive feedback on their products and encourage higher standards across the industry. That modest beginning grew into what some in the industry now call the "Oscars of food and drink." Today, tens of thousands of products from more than 100 countries are entered every year, each one blind-tasted. Judges assess flavour and quality alone, with no knowledge of the brand, price, or packaging behind what's on their plate.
Great Taste isn't alone. Similar accreditation schemes have grown up around the world for wine, cheese, chocolate, and beyond. The underlying idea is the same everywhere: strip away marketing and reputation, and simply ask whether something tastes exceptional.
Quick bites:
From local to global
https://www.theblackmorevale.co.uk/good-is-good-great-is-better/
The perspective of a judge
https://www.specialityfoodmagazine.com/content/news/the_great_taste_awards
Great Taste case studies
https://gff.co.uk/great-taste-case-studies/
