Morrisons scooped an unprecedented total of nine awards at yesterday’s The Grocer Own Label Excellence Awards, with top accolades being awarded across the supermarket’s food offering, ranging from fresh in-store produced bread to the best lightly oak smoked sweetcure bacon, the best hazelnut chocolate spread with hazelnut pieces, fresh Sicilian oranges and chilled ready meals from the Fresh Ideas range.
Held at The Hurlington Club in London, the Own Label Excellence Awards is now in its fourth year. The Awards commend the most outstanding products in the own label category and this year paid particular attention to celebrating the ‘value’ of own label. This saw Morrisons competing against the other major UK supermarkets, as well as Waitrose, Marks and Spencer and Harrods.
Martyn Jones, Group Trading Director for Morrisons commented, “Winning these Awards is extremely important to us as they are voted for by consumers as well as industry experts including MasterChef’s very own Gregg Wallace. Every single entry is reviewed, tasted and rated by shoppers, so it is they who’ve decide that so many of our products are the best. With such a fantastic result of nine product wins, it just goes to prove that shoppers have got great taste and that we’re continuing to offer the best in quality as well as value.”
Lorraine Hendle, Publishing Director at The Grocer, said "This is a great achievement for Morrisons as each product is judged on taste, appearance, packaging, content, value for money and clarity of labelling. Winning 9 categories is fantastic"
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Awards Won:
Ambient grocery - sweet
Winner: Morrisons The Best Hazelnut Chocolate Spread with Hazelnut Pieces
Judges comments: “A grown up version of Nutella which has more adult flavours and at Great price. Significantly better than other product types on market. Simple ingredients well used. Great packaging which can be re-cycled.”
Bakery - savoury
Winner: Morrisons Spelt and Rye Bread
Judges comments: “This bread is authentic, balanced and versatile. Good flavour delivery, nice looking, great value, with clear communication. Great eating experience - very light and tasty with a light crispy crust, good aroma and visually stands out.”
Dairy
Winner: Morrisons Active Yoghurts
Judges comments: “Thick, creamy yoghurts with a fresh and refreshing flavour - in both flavour variants. Attractive and informative packaging. Good value for money, tastes great, really fruity, very creamy and glossy.”
Chilled Foods - TraditionalWinner: Morrisons Fresh Ideas Mustard Chicken
Judges comments: “Good quality chicken, very moist and protected by the skin. Great taste, great value for money and a well presented product.”
DelicatessenWinner: Morrisons Peppers Stuffed with Cheese
Judges comments: “Creamy cheese flavour and texture which complimented the peppers. A fresh attractive, colourful product, good value for money.”
Bacon & SausagesWinner: Morrisons The Best Lightly Oak Smoked Sweetcure Rindless Back Bacon
Judges comments: “Good, well balanced flavours, great quality and thick cut for fuller flavour with balanced levels of sweet & saltiness. Has attractive packaging. The product lived up to expectations and has an excellent aroma.”
Health & Better For YouWinner: Morrisons Free From Rocky Road Bars
Judges comments: “A good treat for a celiac, good flavour and an innovative idea at good value.”
Fresh ProduceWinner: Morrisons Sicilian Oranges
Judges comments: “Very sweet & juicy. Delicious taste and really good appearance - great colour, tangy and fresh.”
SoupWinner: Morrisons The Best London Particular Soup
Judges comments: “Remarkably good enough to convert non pea and ham soup haters with a good flavour of peas and nice to see whole peas. Nice big chunks of bacon. Offers some innovation with bacon rather than ham, this tastes fresh."