The independent panel of judges will taste their way through more than 40 different turkey products, from premium whole turkeys to ready-to-eat cooked turkey products. Judges have the task of choosing winners for 12 different categories.
The judging panel comprises Sheena Correa, editor of consumer food magazine Eat In, Sheila Eggleston, group food and drink editor at Dewberry Redpoint, and Ed Bedington, editor of Meat Trades Journal. Joining them will be two consumers who won their place on the panel after entering a competition on the British Turkey website.
Judges commended the number of new innovative products entered into the awards this year, resulting in the Best Innovation category being split into Best Innovation Christmas and Best Innovation All Year.
Nicola Compton, chair of the British Turkey Federation’s publicity and marketing committee, said: “The producers are constantly working hard to meet the tastes and demands of consumers so it’s great to see all the new and exciting products that are on our shelves all year round. Turkey is a great choice for the weekly shop, being versatile, good value and the breast meat is low in fat so a healthy option too.”
Judging takes place in July and winners of each category will be announced at a special dinner at The Savoy in London on September 25.
Full shortlist (judges will select final three in the Christmas Traditional and Premium):
Best Meal Solution
Tesco – turkey steaks with lemon and garlic
Asda Chosen by You – turkey mini fillets with brie, cranberry sauce and bacon
By Sainsbury’s – thigh joint with a herb and cranberry crumb
Best Christmas Convenience Product
Tesco Finest – free-range bronze turkey crown with pork, bacon and chestnut stuffing, topped with oak and beech smoked dry cured streaky bacon and garnished with herbs
Sainsbury's – turkey breast and thigh joint with pork, cranberry and apple stuffing, topped with cranberry and apricot
Asda Chosen by You – turkey breast joint wrapped with bacon
Morrisons – great British stuffed turkey crown
Best Christmas Traditional Product
Aldi – fresh whole British turkey
The Co-operative – higher welfare Loved By Us whole bird fresh
Grove Smith – English Rose hen turkey
Asda – Butchers Selection standard unbasted whole turkey
By Sainsbury’s – standard whole medium turkey with giblets
Marks & Spencer – free range turkey
Morrisons – fresh basted whole turkey
Best Christmas Premium Product
Aldi – specially selected British free-range pure bred Roly Poly turkey
Tesco Finest – British free range Narragansett turkey
Lidl – deluxe British bronze free-range turkey
The Co-Operative – Truly Irresistible free-range bronze whole bird
Usk Vale – bronze free-range turkey
Kelly Turkeys – whole Kelly bronze turkey
Grove Smith – English Rose free-range bronze hen
Sainsbury’s – So Organic free-range bronze turkey
Marks & Spencer – British free-range Pembrokeshire bronze turkey
Morrisons – Signature free-range bronze whole turkey
Asda – Butchers Selection Blue Slate whole turkey
Best Innovation Christmas
Sainsbury’s – Taste the Difference Norfolk Black free-range turkey parcel –layered with chestnut, maple and thyme stuffing, cranberries and wrapped in oak smoked bacon
Waitrose – turkey breast roulade
Morrisons – great British Christmas crown
Best Innovation All Year Round
Asda Chosen by You – turkey mini fillets with brie, cranberry sauce and bacon
Asda – tomato and basil turkey sausages
Tesco – hot and spicy turkey steaks
Best Foodservice Product for Cost Sector
The UK Foodhall – ready-to-roast British turkey breast
Bernard Matthews – Big Green Tick gluten-free turkey sausages
Bernard Matthews – cooked sliced turkey breast in vegetable stock
Best Foodservice Product for Profit Sector
Mitchells & Butler – Toby Carvery – carvery turkey crown
Grove Smith – English Rose large hen crown
Bernard Matthews – Golden Norfolk carvery crown
Best Ready-to-Eat Product
Aldi – roast sliced turkey
Bernard Matthews – Big Green Tick roast turkey breast chunks
Adlington – roasted turkey breast stuffed with ham and wholegrain mustard
Morrisons – Signature butter roasted free-range turkey breast
Morrisons – butter basted roast turkey crown
Foodservice Operator of the Year
Mitchells & Butler – Toby Carvery
Greene King
Whitbread
Brakes
Retailer of the Year
Tesco
Asda
Morrisons
The Co-operative
Sainsbury’s
Aldi