Farmer Ifor takes gold at UK awards

Abermule farmer Ifor Humphreys, who produces a range of meats and and products from his 'beer' fed Wagyu cattle, has scooped five Gold Stars at the annual UK Great Taste Awards for three of his Wagyu products.

Ifor’s Welsh Wagyu Fat impressed the judges winning the maximum possible Three Gold Stars. It has a healthier profile than other beef fats and is great for cooking superb roast potatoes - an ideal alternative to goose fat. Ifor, who’s Wagyu – also known as Kobe - is processed and distributed in partnership with Alternative Meats of Wem in Shropshire, were also Gold winners with Welsh Wagyu Rib-Eye steak and Welsh Wagyu minute steak.

Ifor said: "This is the first year we have entered the awards and to come away with five Gold stars is a great achievement and one I am very proud of. Wagyu is special and different and is about to become big in the UK.

As a specialist producer of the only beer fed Wagyu in the UK I hope these awards based on taste and provenance will enable me to be to stay ahead as Wagyu becomes increasingly available on menus throughout the country.”

The Great Taste Awards, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, are now in their 18th year. Almost 8,000 products were entered from 1600 companies for the 2011 Great Taste Awards. It took 350 experts 34 days to blind taste all the entries and decide which entries would achieve the coveted one, two and three-star Gold Awards.

The Great Taste Awards judging standards, devised by The Guild of Fine Food, are the most rigorous in the UK. To achieve the three-star rating a minimum of 20 – more often 30 – judges need to be in complete agreement that the food delivered that indefinable "wow" factor.

Bob Farrand, chairman of The Great Taste Awards, said: "Winning Gold in the country’s largest and most respected independent food accreditation scheme is a massive pat on the back for any producer – independent proof their products are of the highest quality.

"We provide constructive feedback from our expert judging teams and for many, winning 1, 2 or 3-star Gold is exactly what’s needed to help grow their businesses, even during a recession. Every winner should feel very proud that their hard work has been rewarded."