FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD COMPETITION TO LAUNCH AT THE COTSWOLDS DISTILLERY 

4th Sep 2019 16:00 PM

 
Co-op Midcounties in association with Happerley and The Growth Hub will officially launch the return of its Food Glorious Food competition on Tuesday 10th September at the Cotswolds Distillery.
 
Co-op Midcounties is on the hunt for the very best of local food and drink in the Cotswolds and is calling all food and drink producers from across the county to put their produce to the test in the pursuit to be crowned the 2020 winner.
 
The competition seeks to highlight all that is great about Cotswold food and drink and is open to existing producers and farmers looking to diversify or anyone with a great idea.
 
Budding entrepreneurs that enter could be in with the chance of securing a £10,000 cash injection and an exclusive listing in selected Co-op Midcounties Food stores as part of the ‘Best of our Counties Range’.
 
The lucky cherry-picked finalists will go head-to-head in a ‘Dragons’ Den’ style competition where they will pitch their best ideas to a panel of industry experts, including the likes of BBC Countryfile’s Adam Henson and celebrity chef, Phil Vickery.
 
Phil Ponsonby, CEO Co-op Midcounties, said: “Supporting locally produced food and drink will always be a strong commitment of ours and the Food Glorious Food competition provides a great platform for the most creative minds in the Cotswolds to showcase their innovative new ideas or existing products.
 
“We’re looking forward to spotting the next big food and drink products and supporting the producers on their exciting journeys. We’d encourage all entrepreneurs ready to take the next step to enter, to be in with a chance of giving their existing products a boost or turning their concepts into a reality on our shop shelves.”  
 
Last year’s winning products came from local producer Deborah Flint, owner of Cinderhill Farm in Lydney with her ‘Sausage Roll of Exceeding Enormity’ and ‘Foggy Pasty’, which are now on the supermarket’s shelves, as well as Midcounties’ stores in Gloucestershire.
 
Deborah Flint of Cinderhill Farm said: “The Food Glorious Food competition was a really fantastic initiative to be involved in and has been a key part in fuelling the growth of our business. The £10,000 investment has meant we’ve been able to hire four more members of staff to respond to the increase in demand for our products.” 
 
 
 
If you would like to enter the Food Glorious Food competition apply online at https://www.bestofourcounties.coop/food-glorious-food/food-glorious-food-form/
 
The launch event on the 10th September begins at 6pm at; the Cotswolds Distillery, Phillip’s Fields, Whichford Road, Stourton, Shipston-on-Stour, CV36 5HG. For more information about the evening please email [email protected].