Guild of Fine Food

The Guild of Fine Food Limited
TypePrivate Company
Founded1992
FounderBob Farrand
Headquarters
Gillingham, Dorset
,
UK
Number of locations
2
Websitewww.gff.co.uk

The Guild of Fine Food (GFF) is a British family-owned industry journal publisher that covers gourmet food news. It was founded by Bob Farrand in 1992.

All five directors are members of the Farrand family. Bob Farrand is the chairman, his son John Farrand is the managing director, daughter-in-law Tortie Farrand marketing director, his wife Linda Farrand a director and niece Sally Coley

GFF promotes the Great Taste Awards and also the World Cheese Awards, which were initiated in 1988.

From its base in Gillingham, near Shaftesbury in Dorset, it promotes producers and sellers of "artisan food and drink" across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Great Taste Awards

The Great Taste Awards are open to members and non-members, but only products that pay an entry fee of between £38 and £240 per product are judged. Winning products receive one, two or three stars. In 2018, 12,634 food and drink products were judged.

World Cheese Awards

The following cheeses have been named champion at the World Cheese Awards:

Year Winner Venue and other details
1988England Blue Cheshire by Hutchinson-Smith & Sons
1989England Blue Stilton by Dairy Crest
1990England Mature Traditional Cheddar by Dairy Crest
1991France Fourme d'Ambert by Hennart Frères
1992Switzerland Le Gruyère Premier Cru by von Mühlenen
1993England Double Gloucester by Dairy Crest
1994France Brie de Meaux AOC by Hennart Frères
1995England Shropshire Blue by Cropwell Bishop Creamery
1996England Lord of the Hundreds by Traditional Cheese Dairy
1997Italy Parmigiano Reggiano by Caseificio Vittorio Quistello
1998England Mature Traditional Cheddar by Dairy Crest
1999Netherlands Kollumer 18 months by Frico Cheese
2000England Mature West Country Farmhouse Cheddar by Brue Valley Farms
2001France Camembert Super Medaillon by Isigny Sainte-Mère
Republic of Ireland Mature Cheddar by Carbery
2002Switzerland Le Gruyère AOC Reserve by von Mühlenen
2003France Chevre d'Or Camembert by Eurial-Poitouaine/Eurilai
2004France Camembert de Normandie by Isigny Sainte-Mère
2005Switzerland Le Gruyère Premier Cru by von Mühlenen
2006France Ossau-Iraty by Fromagerie Agour
2007France Brie de Meaux by Rénard Gillard
2008Spain Queso Arico Curado Pimentón by Sociedad Canaria de Formento
2009Canada Le Cendrillon by La Maison Alexis de Portneuf
2010England Cornish Blue by Cornish Cheese Company
2011France Ossau-Iraty by Fromagerie Agour
2012Spain Manchego DO Gran Reserva by Dehesa de Los Llanos
2013Germany Montagnolo Affiné by Käserei ChampignonBirmingham, England; 2,777 cheeses
2014England Bath Blue by Bath Soft CheeseLondon, England; 2,600 cheeses
2015Switzerland Le Gruyère AOP by von MühlenenBirmingham, England; 2,727 cheeses
2016Norway Kraftkar by TingvollostSan Sebastián, Spain; 3,060 cheeses
2017England Cornish Kern by Lynher Dairies Cheese CompanyLondon, England; 3,001 cheeses
2018Norway Fanaost by OstegårdenBergen, Norway; 3,472 cheeses
2019United States Rogue River Blue by Rogue CreameryBergamo, Italy; 3,804 cheeses
2020No competition due to COVID-19.
2021Spain Olavidia by Qesos y Besos (Lacteos Romero Pelaez)Oviedo, Spain; 4,079 cheeses
2022Switzerland Le Gruyère AOC by Vorderfultigen GourminoNewport, Wales; 4,434 cheeses
2023Norway Nidelven Blå by Gangstad GårdsysteriTrondheim, Norway; 4,502 cheeses
2024Portugal Queijo de Ovelha Amanteigado by Quinta do PomarFundão, Portugal; 4,786 cheeses
2025 Switzerland Le Gruyère AOP by Bergkäserei Vorderfultigen Bern, Switzerland; 5,244 cheeses

References

  1. ↑ "Guild of Fine Food moves to new HQ in Gillingham Dorset". The Visitor Magazine. The Visitor Ltd. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  2. ↑ "THE GUILD OF FINE FOOD LIMITED - Overview (free company information from Companies House)". Companies House. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  3. ↑ "Meet the team". The Guild of Fine Food. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  4. ↑ "THE GUILD OF FINE FOOD LIMITED - Officers (free information from Companies House)". Companies House. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  5. ↑ "In the best possible taste – the Guild of Fine Food: Joël Lacey visits Gillingham's Guild of Fine Food". Dorset Life. Dorset Life Magazine. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  6. ↑ "Guild website: Join the Guild". Fine Food Guild. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  7. ↑ "Brochure : "Entry information"" (PDF). gff.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  8. 1 2 "Great Taste - A History" (PDF). gff.co.uk. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  9. ↑ "Los 28 mejores quesos del mundo de la historia reciente". ABC Viajar. 15 November 2016.
  10. ↑ Briggs, Fiona (13 December 2010). "Fine food boss picks eight champion cheeses for Christmas". Retail Times.
  11. ↑ "Group Captain David Hutchinson Smith". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  12. ↑ White, Emma (17 October 2008). "World Cheese Awards unveiled". Thecaterer.com. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  13. ↑ "World Cheese Awards 2009". Thegoodwebguide.co.uk. Archived from the original on 28 December 2018. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  14. ↑ "2010 World Cheese Awards: Major Winners". Cheesemonger's Weblog. 28 November 2010. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  15. ↑ "French sheep's milk cheese is champion at 2011 World Cheese Awards". Retail Times. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  16. ↑ "Manchego wins nail-biting World Cheese Awards 2012". Cheesechap.com. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  17. ↑ "World Cheese Awards Winners Announced | News | Speciality Food Magazine". Specialityfoodmagazine.com. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  18. ↑ "Bath Blue takes the highest honour in world cheese". The Guild of Fine Food. 14 November 2014. Archived from the original on 17 November 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  19. ↑ Spector, Felicity (30 November 2015). "Is this the best cheese in the world?". The Telegraph. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  20. ↑ "Kraftkar, un queso azul noruego, mejor del mundo en los World Cheese Awards 2016" [Kraftkar, a Norwegian blue cheese, world's best in the 2016 World Cheese Awards]. ELMUNDO (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  21. ↑ "British cheese named best in the world at World Cheese Awards 2017". FG Insight. 20 November 2017. Archived from the original on 19 August 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  22. ↑ Lane, Michael (2 November 2018). "Norwegian gouda is 2018 World Cheese Awards champion". Guild of Fine Food. Archived from the original on 6 November 2018.
  23. ↑ "US cheese takes top spot at World Cheese Awards 2019". Dairy Reporter. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  24. ↑ Holson, Laura M. (November 2019). "The World's Best Cheese? It's Blue and Comes From Oregon". New York Times. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  25. ↑ "World Cheese Awards rescheduled for 2021". Guild of Fine Food. 22 July 2020.
  26. ↑ "This Spanish Cheese Was Just Named 'World's Best'". Food & Wine. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  27. ↑ "The World Champion Cheese 2022 is announced: Le Gruyère AOP surchoix". Guild of Fine Food. Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  28. ↑ Ørnhaug, Elina Rydland; Hatland, Lena Erikke; Flatjord, Nora Garnes (27 October 2023). "Dette er verdens beste ost" [This is the best cheese in the world]. NRK (in Norwegian). Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  29. ↑ "Best cheese in the world – now sold out". The Portugal News. 19 November 2024.
  30. ↑ Dawn-Hiscox, Tanwen (13 November 2025). "Le Gruyère AOP wins World Champion Cheese in record-breaking year for Swiss entries". Guild of Fine Food. Retrieved 15 November 2025.