Oddono’s Gelati wins “Best Speciality from the South East” Award

Oddono’s Gelati from South Kensington (London) is celebrating after winning a prestigious Great Taste Award. Oddono’s Gelati has been presented with a much-desired

“Best Speciality from the South East Award” for its Nocciola Piemonte Ice Cream at a glittering awards ceremony at Kensington’s Royal Garden Hotel last night.

Oddono’s Gelati Italiani, with over 10 point of sale in the London area, including shops in Bute Street, Selfridges Oxford Street and Whiteleys, started trading in July 2004

in Bute Street (South Kensington - London). Our mission is to offer fresh, natural Italian gelato. The company was set up by Christian Oddono, whose Grandmother

used to make the most delicious homemade gelato in Italy. Christian, with the help of Marco Petracchini, Mirko Scolari and Federico Peruzzi, turned the lack of good

quality gelato in London, into a business opportunity. All the gelato is produced in our Artisan Laboratory in South Kensington on a daily basis, using in-house recipes.

We produce our gelato from scratch, adding each ingredient individually. Oddono’s supplies several Restaurants, Hotels, Cafes and Delicatessens nationwide.

Christian Oddono, Managing Director of Oddono’s said “We are delighted and thrilled with this award. Winning a 3 star Gold Award was great, but winning the

“Best Speciality for the South East Award” has been fantastic”. Marco Petracchini, co-founder of Oddono’s, said “This is a reward for all the hard work,

passion and belief we have put since we started the company 4 years a go. We would also like to thank the whole Oddono’s Team for their continuous dedication

and support.

The Great Taste Awards, which is organised by the Guild of Fine Food and often referred to as the Oscars of the food industry, is this year celebrating its

15^th anniversary. A Great Taste Award is the authoritative, independent standard for Britain’s fine food sector: more and more consumers recognise

the gold & black logo as the benchmark for independently proven fine food. However, winning a coveted Great Taste Award is much more than recognition

for excellence; it is one of the most powerful tools to help grow business in the speciality food sector.

The awards generate huge business for those who achieve the gold standard. In just three weeks last September, the excitement created by the 2007 results

increased sales to the tune of £640,000 in 524 Guild members’ stores. Over the past five years, they have generated over £2.6 million additional sales

and 19,900 new listings. Last year’s Supreme Champion winner was a free-range pork pie from Walter Smith’s butchers in Birmingham. Before Walter Smith’s

won the Supreme Champion award, pork pies made up less than 1% of their sales but they now represent over 10% and their pies are now sold through Selfridges.

The Great Taste Awards judging standards, devised by the Guild of Fine Food, are the most rigorous in the UK. Every entry is blind tasted by teams of experts.

By the time it earns gold, it will have been assessed by at least three different teams. All the judges’ comments are made available to producers. If no gold is

awarded, they need to know how and why. This year’s judges include Alex James, farmer, journalist and bass player with Blur, Mark Hix, the chef’s chef,

Charles Campion from Evening Standard & The Independent, Tom Parker-Bowles of UKTV Food’s Market Kitchen and national food journalist Fiona Sims.

Bob Farrand of the Guild of Fine Food, said: “These awards have been running for 15 years now and are a recognised mark of excellence that consumers can

trust and rely on.

“The winning products have been through a thorough judging process and we are able to assure consumers that the Great Taste Award logo, which all award

winners can use, signifies genuine, proven fine food. It’s not just a supermarket premium marketing slogan that bears almost no relation to the quality of the

food in the packet.

“The Great Taste Awards reflect what is happening in the fine food halls, delicatessens and farm shops throughout the UK and during judging we tasted some

fantastic gourmet delicacies from all over the world.”

Food critic Charles Campion comments “This competition has really come of age, and year by year the standard of entries gets higher and higher.

To win a gold at the Great Taste Awards is a terrific achievement.”

-Ends-

Notes to editor:

The judging process

Judging this year took place over several weeks in May and June in London, Hampshire and at the Guild headquarters in Wincanton. Irish entries were judged

over three days in Belfast in May. No awards were confirmed at this stage, the judges simply decided which products should go through to the next round.

The suppliers of potential Gold Award winners were contacted for more information about provenance of key ingredients, product availability and so on.

These entries were judged a second time early in July at the Pillar Hall at London’s Olympia by 29 teams of experts before Gold award were confirmed along

with the coveted one, two or three star status. All foods confirmed as achieving three star gold went forward to the final round in Wincanton on 19th July

when a team of 12 leading chefs, food writers and retailers decided the regional and national winners along with the Supreme Champion 2008. These

results have remained a closely guarded secret until they were announced at a glittering awards ceremony at Kensington’s Royal Garden Hotel last night.

Testimonials for the Great Taste Awards:

‘The GTA represent the gold standard of British food production. They are a sign of the highest quality, where taste is more important than the quick buck.'

Tom Parker Bowles

‘It’s no longer a food trade issue. The British public now demand proven standards. We are giving it!’

Bob Farrand

'The Great Taste Awards is the best benchmark of quality in food today - look for their stamp when you shop'

Matthew Drennan, Editor, Delicious Magazine

Date: 09 September 2008

For more information: Christian Oddono, Managing Director, 020 7052 0732, christian@oddonos.com

The Great Taste Awards Press Office:

Sarah Lewis (sarahl@completemediagroup.co.uk)

Gemma Massey (gemma@completemediagroup.co.uk