Cracking crab wins top accolade

FAMILY fishing firm Favis of Salcombe are celebrating after their crab meat was voted Supreme Champion Product in the Taste of the West Awards 2015.

The prestigious accolade was given to them after judges described their white crab meat as “outstandingly high quality.”

Favis of Salcombe have been sustainably fishing crab and lobster off South Devon since 1972. Last year they branched out into cooking and handpicking crab at their factory just outside Kingsbridge, before distributing it to some of the finest chefs and restaurants in the UK.

John Sheaves, Chief Executive of Taste of the West, said: “White crab meat is incredibly difficult to get just right as a product but this company really has managed it and it is truly superb in flavour and texture. It is a world class product that really does show off what the South West can do.”

Celebrity Chef Peter Gorton, who led the judging panel, was effusive about the Favis crab meat:“I could not stop eating,” he said. “It was absolutely delicious, from the moment I opened it up and started trying it I just couldn’t stop eating it - so much so that I took a whole lot of stock home and then ate it all at home. It was absolutely delicious.”

The Taste of the West Judging Panel said of Favis’ white crab: “An absolutely brilliant product - cannot be faulted. Very fresh, excellent texture; delicious. One of the best, if not the best, quality crab products tasted. The chef judges on the panel commented that it was hard to find really top-notch fresh, very well hand-picked, crab meat! An outstanding, high quality product that sums up the very best of the South West.

Thousands of west country food and drink producers were entered into the awards which is the region’s biggest annual ceremony for the industry. The finals were held at a jam-packed Somerset Cricket Club where Favis of Salcombe also won in the Champion Fish category for their white crab meat.

“We are beyond delighted with the awards we have been given today,” said Pippa Favis. “It really is the highest honour to be recognised in this way by such a prestigious organisation as Taste of the West and such an incredible panel of judges.

“We are very proud of the crab and lobster we supply. We are a family firm who have been supplying fresh, sustainable shellfish since 1972 and pride ourselves on supplying the very highest quality. This recognition of what we do is priceless and we are all absolutely thrilled and enormously grateful for this wonderful endorsement of our dedication and hard work.”

For more information or to order your own crab and lobster please visit www.favis-os.com