LONDON, UK. September 4th, 2025 – Hundreds of food and drink producers from the European Union have been recognised for their passion and dedication in this year’s Great Taste Awards – with 81 products awarded the prestigious three stars.
Founded and organised by the Guild of Fine Food, Great Taste is the world’s largest and most trusted food and drink accreditation scheme. This year, 14,340 food and drink products from suppliers all over the world were rigorously blind tasted by a panel of food industry professionals over a three-month period. A total of 5,680 were accredited with a 1, 2 or 3 Star.
The award scheme states that to be awarded three stars, a product must meet strict criteria: ‘A product must display no minor or major faults and be produced from excellent quality raw ingredients using production techniques that complement the ingredients to produce an entry of outstanding quality. In the case of primary products such as meat or fish, a high competence in sourcing or husbandry must be evident with the product presenting balanced taste, aroma and texture’.
The EU’s 81 three-star winning products represent a wide range of categories from Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden. Examples of the diverse winning products include:
- Two Aceto Balsamico di Modena PGI (Balsamic vinegars) from Italy
- A Brie de Meaux PDO from France
- A Cecina de León PGI (cured beef) from Spain
- A Gorgonzola PDO from Italy
- A Los Pedroches PDO (ham) from Spain
- A Mangalitza Pork Lard from Hungary
- An oak and flower honey from Greece
- A 70% Single Origin Chocolate made in Sweden using Maya Mountain cocoa
- A 100% Pistachio Paste from Poland
Fourteen of the EU’s three-star winners have also been nominated for a Golden Fork and will be celebrated at an illustrious event on Tuesday 9th September, when the supreme champion will be announced at the Battersea Arts Centre in London.
Last year, the Supreme Champion title was awarded to a raw honey made in the village of Ligaria in Crete. The 2025 Golden Fork nominees include Parmigiano Reggiano PDO matured for 48 months from Italy, Queso Castellano PGI from Spain, Organic Mountain Feta PDO from Greece, a chocolate spread from Slovakia and a virgin pumpkin seed oil from Hungary.
According to the Guild of Fine Food, the Golden Forks celebrate the very best producers; those who take care to ensure their products embody the principles of trusted raw ingredients, simple production methods, and food and drink that has personality, but ultimately, that tastes great. Such criteria drive the longstanding traditions and merits of many EU products, leading to these well deserved nominations. With quality, authenticity, safety and sustainability at the core of EU food and drink production, it is no surprise to have so many of its products recognised in these illustrious awards.
A total of 1,920 EU products achieved a Great Taste Award in 2025. Stars were awarded for beer, baked goods, confectionery, dairy, fresh meat, fruit & vegetables, processed meats and spirits & wines. The most successful category was dairy, with 318 dairy products awarded one star or more, followed by processed meat products (114) and fresh meat (117).
ENDS