North Yorkshire rapeseed oil producer wins Great Taste awards

A Thixendale family business that has created a range of British rapeseed oil-based products using its own farm-produced oil is celebrating a win at the Great Taste Awards 2024.

Charlie & Ivy's Lemon & Poppy Seed Dressing, Lemon & Dill Mayonnaise and Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil were awarded a gold star at the Guild of Fine Foods Great Taste Awards that were announced last week.

Often described as the ‘Oscars' of the food world, the prestigious Great Taste scheme is the world's largest and most trusted food and drink awards accreditation scheme and attracts over 10,000 entries every year.

Jason Thompson is responsible for product development at Charlie & Ivy's and is delighted with the results: "The dressing and mayonnaise are made using a base of our cold-pressed Yorkshire-produced rapeseed oil and have been developed for flavour and versatility.

"We spend a long time researching and perfecting our recipes and we're proud that the judges like the flavour profiles that we have created.

"Winning these Great Taste stars is a huge achievement and is a testament to the quality British oil that is the base for all our products, and to our great team."

Judges commented that the Lemon & Poppy Seed Dressing was ‘An enticing dressing with a strong aroma of lemons. There is an enjoyable crunch of poppy seeds. The flavour of the lemon comes through well and is balanced with the rapeseed oil. The judges loved this product'.

They also remarked that the Lemon & Dill Mayonnaise was ‘Rich and velvet-like on the palate with perfect citrus acidity. The flavour has good grassy notes from the quality rapeseed oil. A very well-made and delicious mayonnaise'. Commenting on the Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil, they said: ‘The mouthfeel is silky and buttery, and there is a rich, nutty and pumpkin seed note with a gentle, lingering pepperiness'.

The Charlie & Ivy's range also includes Bread Dippers and Marinades, which are made using award-winning cold-pressed rapeseed oil by parent company Breckenholme on the farm in North Yorkshire