Top Ten Tips for entering the Great Taste Awards

Winning the Great Taste Awards

The Great Taste Awards are the world’s largest and most trusted food and drink accreditation scheme. It opens for entries in early December and closes in January (or when the entry cap is reached). This means it is important to get in early to avoid disappointment.

The 2026 competition is now closed, and winners will be announced on 28 July.

Top 10 tips for Entering the Great Taste Awards

  • Goes without saying – and the clue is in the title – these awards are ALL about the taste. You need an exceptionally good tasting product, as it is the taste and texture of your food that will be judged not the packaging.
  • Not sure which one of your products to enter? Use events/tradeshows to get feedback about flavours – if once sampled people buy and come back to buy again – you know you are onto a winning flavour!  Also, use sales data and be honest about which are the most popular flavours.
  • Before starting to complete the entry go through the entry criteria carefully and make sure that you meet all the requirements.
  • Make sure your product descriptor is accurate – if you say your product has a strong kick of chilli for example, this is what the judges will expect!
  • Ask colleagues to check what you’ve written – it’s much easier to spot someone else’s mistakes/omissions than your own!
  • Check you’ve attached any supporting info required.
  • Always leave your entry for a day or two and come back and re-read before you send it off.
  • Make sure you enter the Great Taste Awards as early as you can. Whilst there is a closing date, if they have reached the maximum number of entries before that date, entry will be closed early – so definitely worth entering as soon as you can.
  • Make sure that when you are asked for samples, you send them in a timely manner, ensuring they are pristine and packaged perfectly so that they arrive in tip-top condition.
  • Research past winners and look at what made their products stand out. This could provide insights into the expectation of the judges.

If you need any help with completing the entries just drop me an email at jo@relish-marketing.co.uk or call me on 0772 335 1884.

Relish Marketing iconJo Densley, Food and drink marketing expert can help with Great Taste Award entry

If you need help with your Great Taste Awards entries, I have lots of experience and can help you hone and edit, or even submit them for you

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