NO husband or wife would ever want to forget their wedding anniversary and thanks to the Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards, 17 July is now a date that’s indelible in the minds of one local ice-cream producing couple.
In this, the last in a nine-month long series looking back at those who’ve taken the various titles since the competition began nine years ago, the focus is on Lauren and Ian Horton at Ganders Goat in Cottingham near Corby, co-winners of the One To Watch award last year, to hear why their special day now carries even greater significance in their lives.
“We were in only our second year of trading when we decided to enter one of our goat milk ice creams into the Artisan Local Sweet Product of the Year category and while we were very proud of what we were producing, we never really expected such early success,” said Lauren.
“So when we received the news on our anniversary that our gooseberry and elderflower gelato had made the shortlist, we had particular cause to celebrate that night, and what was even funnier is that exactly the same thing happened when we were announced as a finalist this year.”
It was that boost in confidence that then prompted the couple to enter the One To Watch category, sponsored by Whitworth Bros Ltd Flour Millers, designed for new businesses to recognise their potential for major growth, their future significant impact on the market and thereby raise the profile of Northamptonshire at a regional or national level.
With a carefully constructed business plan, a fantastic product range and an obvious passion to ensure success, the judges were bowled over and indeed, although the ice cream went on to be named a runner-up in its category, it was taking that One To Watch title which meant all the more, as Ian explained: “Having the ice cream do so well was great but winning this category was a real stamp of approval for Ganders Goat as a whole and it’s certainly helped to open a few doors for us, whether with potential stockists or with large event organisers who were clearly impressed with the now familiar black and white winners logo.
“The other element that helped us massively was the judging process itself because, in essence, it was a mentoring session with senior executives from some of the biggest companies in the sector here in the county and they gave us plenty to think about, including querying our branding at the time, which we then went on to change.”
“Add to that the labelling advice that was provided by Trading Standards, meeting a creative designer through the Made In Northamptonshire networking group, as well as the other support that that offers in putting us in touch with other like-minded producers, we’ve come a long way in the last 18 months, all thanks to entering the awards,” said Lauren.
So, now proud to be the country’s first ice cream makers whose entire takeaway retail range is made with fully-compostable packaging, and having taken on three further part time staff to cope with the increase in production of their delicious treats, do they wish they’d entered the competition sooner?
“Absolutely not,” said Ian emphatically.”Given the massive impact of our victory, I just don’t think we would have coped with the extra demand and it might have been the end of us before we’d barely even got started.”
Which is great news for surely Northamptonshire’s luckiest six-year-old, Lauren and Ian’s son, William, who’s no doubt hoping that, with just days to wait to learn if their apple with a blackberry ripple ice cream wins this year – it’s a finalist in the ‘Artisan Local Sweet Product of the Year’ category, sponsored by Moulton College – his mum and dad might let him celebrate with an extra-large bowl of his favourite – vanilla!
The results of all the categories in this year’s Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards will be revealed at the Awards Dinner taking place on Wednesday 7 November at Northampton’s Royal & Derngate, in the presence of special guest, chef, writer, restaurateur and Masterchef winner, Thomasina Miers.
For more details, please visit www.northamptonshirefoodanddrink.co.uk or call Rachel Mallows on 01933 664437 or email rachel@themallowscompany.com
You can also follow the Awards on Twitter and Instagram at @foodawardsHQ and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/foodawards
Meanwhile for more information about Ganders Goat, including details of their wide range of seasonal and regular flavours and stockists, please visit www.gandersgoat.com or call 07969 183426 or find them on Facebook.
