Choccie Bar wins Best Food Product

Exeter's Choccie Bar was amongst the region’s foodie elite this week as the winners of the food Reader Awards were revealed at a lavish ceremony at the headquarters of main sponsor Yeo Valley in Blagdon, Somerset.

More than 8,000 food and drink enthusiasts in the South West and beyond voted in two stages to recognise the extraordinary quality of their favourite food and drink venues and providers and, and on the night, Choccie Bar shook off the competition to win the Best Food Product award for its rather stunning chocolate ranges.

Katie Jones, Founder of Choccie Bar is thrilled by the win: “We’re all absolutely delighted by this award – we were up against incredibly strong competition. The readers of food magazine are a very discerning bunch who really know their stuff - so thanks so much to all our fabulous voters!”, she says. “We’re also incredibly grateful to the event sponsors, particularly Cheeky Cow who sponsored the Foodie Product category”, she adds.

The event was hosted by wine expert and BBC Saturday Kitchen presenter Susy Atkins, Food magazine editor Jo Rees and Managing Director of Yeo Valley, Adrian Carne.

In other categories, Nathan Outlaw walked away with the Best chef Award, while Riverford Field Kitchen won Best Restaurant against Ben’s Cornish Kitchen in Marazion, Cornwall (last year’s winner) and Paul Ainsworth at No6 in Padstow.

The evening also saw a special award presented to The Cornish Chefs Club in recognition of its charity work and support of the Cornish food industry.

Food magazine Editor Jo Rees comments: ‘If there’s one thing these awards prove is how, outside of London, the South West is clearly leading the way in the UK food and dining, for both quality and a sense of regional identity. ‘The very best businesses have been involved in these awards, and to be a finalist is no mean feat. To have won is outstanding, particularly when you look at the competition that each of the businesses was up against”, she adds.