FREEFROM Food Award Winners for 2019: Announcement and LINKS including the Overall Winner (Booja Booja) from the Gift Category that I judged…

So the results are in, the envelope has been opened and the fanfare has been sung….

It was exciting that the GOLD, SILVER and BRONZE Winners were announced last month at a prestigious Awards ceremony held at the Royal College of Physicians in London as well as selection of Top Award Winners as well as enjoying a great buffet of winning foods!

Earlier in the year, I was involved with the FreeFrom Food Awards 2019 judging the entries in several of the classes. Of course, I really enjoyed the Chocolate & Confectionery category (I wonder why!? All those Chocolates and Sweet Treats!) as well as the Breakfast class and the Gifts class. The FreeFrom Food Awards, were founded and are run by FreeFromFoodsMatter, the web’s most comprehensive resource for free-from food, celebrate the innovation and imagination shown by the food industry in creating foods that are free of wheat, gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, soya, sulphites and other allergens. Over the last eleven years the awards have become one of the most important fixtures in the FreeFrom year. And over those years the bright yellow awards logo has become recognised as the mark of quality for FreeFrom foods, widely displayed on winning, commended and shortlisted products on sale everywhere from supermarket shelves to on-line specialist suppliers.

It was great to be part of the NEW category for 2019: FreeFrom Gifts Sponsored for 2019 by Tesco which included “Anything and everything freefrom – as long as it would make a good gift!”  which was interesting to judge: it’s not just about the taste, but also the look, the price point, the joy of giving as well as the joy of receiving the said item! And then for this Category Winner to go on and be the overall winner of the FreeFrom Food Awards 2019:

Booja-Booja – The Wonder Box
Winner of the FAIR trophy for the Best FreeFrom Food 2019

‘Amazing selection of unusual and distinctive flavoured truffles – fabulous quality. Toffee strudel, Espresso and Rhubarb to die for. Lovely creamy texture – I WANT to be given this Wonderbox…..’

Long established chocolate truffle makers extraordinaire, Booja Booja have celebrated their 20th year of making mouth wateringly wonderful ‘freefrom’ truffles by winning top spot at the 2019 FreeFrom Food Awards. The Judges praised not only the fabulous quality and amazing flavours in the Booja Booja Wonder box – Toffee strudel, Rhubarb and vanilla fool, Cherry cognac, Fine champagne, Honeycomb caramel…. But Booja Booja’s long commitment to freefrom and to the highest ethical and gastronomic standards in their products.

Booja Booja were only one of over 30 winners to be presented with their certificates before nearly 300 guests at the Royal College of Physicians at the FreeFrom Food Awards super popular annual networking party. Other category winners included BFree, Coyo and Nairn’s; start ups included low FODMAP saucemakers Belly Goodness and a range of Indian meals from Chef Akila. Among the supermarkets, Tesco won Retailer of the Year for the fifth successive year – but Asda, Marks and Spencer and Aldi were also all represented. (See below for full list.)

‘The Freefrom category continues to grow and to surprise us each year’, said Michelle Berriedale-Johnson, director of the awards, ‘as freefrom manufacturers adventure further and further into the realms of ‘normal’ foods and explore the huge opportunities offered by naturally freefrom foods. Meanwhile, the quality just keeps on getting better.’

GOLD & SILVER Winners for the categories which I judged include…

BREAKFAST CATEGORY: Sponsored by London Brunch Fest

Gold Winners:

BFree Muesli Morning Rounds Cranberry and Sultana ‘Unusual product. Really tasty with a nicely crunchy crust and a lovely sourdough flavour. Interesting range of high fibre flours – unusual breakfast concept, if relatively expensive.’

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Delicious Alchemy Gluten & Dairy Free Berry with a hint of Cinnamon Muesli ‘Great mix of nutritious ingredients. Lovely aroma and texture – the best muesli I have had in some time – and nut free. So unusual for a muesli. Would make a great porridge!‘

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Silver Winners

Delicious Alchemy Gluten & Dairy Free Red Apple, Date & Sultana Muesli

‘Good flavour. Not too sweet, loved the seeds. A simple thing, done well done and at good price.’

FREEE by Doves Farm Chocolate Stars

‘Wonderful ‘normal’ product for kids – creates a good chocolate milk, really crunchy and the stars look very pretty.  Be even better if it could also be fortified.’

Marks & Spencer Made Without Wheat 2 Chocolate Twists

‘Look absolutely great – totally ‘normal’. Slightly dense in texture but excellent given how challenging a product this is to make gluten free. Fabulous option for those on GF diets.’

MOMA Dairy Free Porridge Sachets – Almond Butter & Salted Caramel

‘Creamy, sweet, good porridge with reasonable amounts of carbs and protein – be even better if fortified! Mild aroma very deliciously nutty although struggled to taste the salted caramel.’

Raw Gorilla Cacao Crunchies

‘Great chocolate flavour – make a brilliant snack. Not too sweet although quite high in sugar – lovely product – but expensive.’

Tesco Free From Branflakes

‘Smell wholesome! Quite strong flavoured but very good and crunchy. Great nutritional profile in terms of both fortification and fibre.‘

Tesco Free From Choco-Nut Pillows

‘Love the hazelnut flavour and delighted that they are milk free as well as gluten free – and fortified, although it would be good to have more fibre. Excellent kids look-a-like cereal.’

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 CONFECTIONERY & CHOCOLATE:  – Sponsored by Wellaby’s

Gold Winners

Booja-Booja Honeycomb Caramel Chocolate Truffles ‘Nice shape and presentation; very creamy truffle but with the subtle crunch of the honeycomb – how did they do that?… Excellent flavour – would outshine any ‘real cream’ truffle.’

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Retrocorn Rhubarb and Custard Popcorn ‘Lovely innovative idea. Great aroma and crispy texture; the rhubarb really comes through and stops it being too sweet. Normally I hate sweet popcorn – but I love this…’

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Silver Winners

CHOC CHICK Plantain Bites

‘Great ingredients and look great. Nicely bitter chocolate and plantain flavour not overpowering. Interestingly varying in size although small ‘bites’ deliver very little plantain – nearly all chocolate.’ 

CHOC CHICK Quinoa Pops

‘Quinoa gives a great crisp texture although not much flavour of quinoa – which does not really matter as the chocolate is good and carries them, flavourwise, on its own.’

Truffle Pig Double Chocolate Truffles

‘Lovely looking  truffles. Creamy, sweet and rich without too much crunch. Smooth, delicious and more-ish.’

VEGO Whole Hazelnut Chocolate Bar Bio Fairtrade

‘Massive fairtrade bar. Very creamy and smooth chocolate with a subtle but delicious hazelnut flavour running through it.’ 

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FREEFROM GIFTS:– Sponsored by Tesco

Gold Winners:

Booja-Booja The Wonderbox: Fine de Champagne, Honeycomb Caramel, Rhubarb & Vanilla Fool, Almond Salted Caramel, Espresso, Toffee Strudel, Cherry Cognac, Hazelnut Crunch ‘Amazing selection of unusual and distinctive flavoured truffles – fabulous quality. Toffee strudel, Espresso and Rhubarb to die for. Lovely creamy texture – I WANT to be given this Wonderbox…..’

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Plamil Organic dairy free milk chocolate alternative hearts ‘Lovely occasion gift pack – at a very good price. Nice, creamy milk-free ‘milk’ chocolate, not too sweet. Excellent product.’

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Silver Winners

Asda Extra Special FreeFrom Truffle Collection

‘An excellent gluten and milk free selection for a remarkably good price. Not grande luxe truffles but a very acceptable gift.’

Bak’dcake Honeycomb Crunch Kit

‘If you want to give a gift which involves a bit more than just eating – this is it. A fun do it yourself kit which produces a great gooey brownie with crunchy honey comb crunch.’ 

Morris Cookies Salad Cookies

‘What an unusual idea! Very crisp and light – almost meringuey although egg free. A sharp lemongrass kick. A fun gift.’

FULL WINNER LISTINGS (including BRONZE Awards) is include on the FreeFrom Food Awards Website. CLICK HERE.

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This information was correct as of April 2019.

But as I am learning, ingredients do change and therefore you should always read the label and check for yourself whether it is GLUTEN FREE or not!