The most delicious food and drink from Ireland is celebrated by Great Taste
The world’s leading food and drink accreditation scheme announces 2026 results
The Guild of Fine Food has announced the results of this year’s Great Taste.
Among the 609 award winning products from Ireland there were a total of 423 1-star awards, 153 2-star awards and 33 3-star awards assigned, including:
- Truffle & Pink Peppercorn Butter from Do Me A Flavour® www.domeaflavour.ie
- Irish Sea Salt Crisps from O’Donnells Crisps www.odonnellscrisps.com and
- Hazelnut Praline Hot Chocolate from Tara Gartlan Chocolate, www.taragartlan.com
This year, over 15,000 products were entered into Great Taste from 3,919 companies in 116 countries, a record number, including products from 9 countries entering for the first time.
Out of all this year’s entries 4,286 (28.50%) received a 1-star award, deeming them ‘simply delicious’, 1,596 (10.61%) received a 2-star award, which means the judges felt they were ‘outstanding’, and 306 (2.03%) received the highly coveted ‘exquisite and extraordinary’ 3-star award.
The much sought after, and distinctive, black and gold logo is recognised by 58% of the UK adult population. Of those adults, 74% say a Great Taste award makes a product more tempting, 73% say the logo is a trustworthy recommendation and 54% use Great Taste as a signpost for discovering new products (YouGov, December 2025).
Over 105 days, across the Guild’s judging rooms in London, Dorset, Ireland and Italy, over 800 industry experts took part in the unique judging process that makes Great Taste the most respected food and drink accreditation scheme in the world. The panel included chefs, critics, product developers, retailers, writers, and other specialists from the world of food and drink. They were presented with each product stripped of all branding, packaging and other identifying features, and had to unanimously decide what rating to give it.
Taste is considered first and foremost, followed by appearance, aroma, texture, and mouthfeel. Each entry is judged on its own merit and not compared to others in the same class. A short factual description from the producer helps guide the judgement with any relevant information.
Perhaps the least well-known element of Great Taste is the judges’ feedback which is shared with the producers irrespective of whether they have achieved a star-rating. This constructive analysis can be instrumental in product development, helping producers refine recipes, improve consistency, and understand how their products perform in a competitive market.
John Farrand, managing director, Guild of Fine Food, comments: “Food security is becoming an increasingly pressing issue across the globe, so it feels more pertinent now than at any other time in our thirty-year history to be supporting and promoting independent producers and retailers. Our directory of award recipients is a rich source of data, guiding people from all walks of life to make informed decisions about their food & drink choices. Great Taste is all about celebrating craftmanship and dedication to well-sourced local ingredients and traditional, often simple production methods which is more important now than ever.”
Ted Carty, founder and managing director, at Do Me A Flavour, recipient of a Great Taste 2026 3-star award comments: “At Do Me A Flavour, we want to make the ordinary great, simple and accessible to everyone. We have always explored how to do things differently, how to make memories with food, how to effortlessly elevate a simple dish with good ingredients. Our delicious truffle and pink peppercorn butter originated from that idea. We source world renowned Irish grass-fed butter and infuse it with our expertly selected herbs and spices to create that perfect creamy aromatic profile that works perfectly in so many dishes. We have been entering Great Taste for some time now and this is our first 3-star, we are delighted to have been recognised in this way, it really means the world to us.”
All 306 products that were accredited with a Great Taste 2026 3-star award were invited to take part in a further round of judging to identify which of them was worthy of a Golden Fork nomination. Winners of the Golden Forks, known affectionately as the ‘Oscars of food and drink’, are considered to be the most highly rated products in the world.
The Golden Fork award ceremony will take place at Battersea Arts Centre in London on 15 September, when the Great Taste 2026 Supreme Champion will also be announced.
Nominations for the Great Taste Golden Fork from Ireland include:
- Organic Cashel Blue from Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers, www.cashelblue.com,
- 25% Sour Cream from Green Pastures Donegal, www.greenpasturesdonegal.com,
- Blackcurrant Jam from Wexford Home Preserves, www.wexfordpreserves.ie.
The Golden Fork from Ireland is sponsored by Bord Bia, www.bordbia.ie
