Great British Food Christmas 2024

“When we went over there in 2011, this rise in speciality coffee had led to a rise in speciality coffee roasteries, independent coffee shops and super passionate baristas – much like the UK’s ever-growing coffee scene now, it’s just Australia was doing it before it was cool! “Aussie-style coffee is known for its distinct characteristics that make it different from other coffee cultures,” he adds. “One of the notable features is the emphasis on milk- based espresso drinks. Australians have perfected the art of creating silky smooth and velvety microfoam, resulting in lots of tasty drinks including the flat white.” Quality is king The Lost Sheep team are proud to source the finest, fully traceable beans from around the globe for their own coffee, ensuring that each one tells a unique story. These beans are then carefully precision-roasted in small batches at their dedicated roastery in Whitstable, Kent, where every step is executed with love, care and attention. “Our point of difference focuses on the absolute quality of our product and the utilising of our industry-leading speciality coffee expertise,” Stuart says. “We do all the hard work behind the scenes so you don’t have to – all you need to do is sit back and relax!” And now their hard work has been recognised with two Gold awards at the Great British Food Awards 2024. The first was for their flagship and best-selling Get To The Hopper blend, which boasts a super smooth and incredibly chocolatey caramel flavour profile. “This chocolate caramel sweetness is all thanks to the finest beans from Colombia and Brazil. One half is from the lush region of Huila in Colombia, where these carefully selected speciality beans thrive at altitudes ranging from 1500 to 2000 meters above sea level,” says Stuart. “And complementing these Colombian beans is the amazing coffee from Mr Barbosa’s farm in the Paranaiba region in Brazil, where they grow at an altitude of 1100 meters above sea level.” This blend certainly impressed the Great British Food Awards judge Jack Bond – the owner of Michelin-starred Cumbria restaurant The Cottage in the Wood. “This is a smooth brew with great notes coming through,” he said during the testing process. “The packaging is eye-catching and nicely designed and it’s easy to find out additional information on the product.” The second Gold award was for the company's new ready-to-drink iced mocha, blended with the Get To The Hopper coffee and demonstrating a rich, smooth and chocolate flavour that coffee lovers adore. “This is very smooth with a good aroma for an iced coffee,” said Jack, after testing. “The coffee isn’t too sweet and the flavour comes through and isn’t lost in the milk which can be a problem with some other brands.” Lost Sheep also won a Bronze award for their Iced Latte Coffee - further proof of their commitment to quality. An ever-growing range These three award-winning products are just part of a carefully thought-out range that offers something for everyone. As well as their flagship Get To The Hopper blend, Lost Sheep offers a Big & Bold roast (showcasing dark chocolate notes), a Brazil roast (with a rich nutty toffee flavour), a Colombia roast, as well as decaf and filter coffee options and many many more. Beans can be bought ground for espresso or filter or as wholebeans, and pods are also available. Their new ready-to-drink canned iced coffee range has gone down a treat too. “This is brewed exclusively using our own award-winning speciality coffee blend Get To The Hopper, which is expertly hand-roasted by ourselves. Because we roast the coffee that is used in every one of our ready to drink cans, we can achieve something no one else is able too; we can trace the coffee used in each can from the coffee origin to the can on the can in your hand,” says Stuart. “This level of traceability and expertise is unique in the UK ready to drink coffee market as the vast majority of ready-to-drink coffee cans currently consumed in the UK market are made using instant coffee (yes, even brands you would not expect!), which results in a below average taste experience at a high price point.” As with all of the best food and drink brands in Britain, Lost Sheep offers much more than just a great tasting product – it’s a celebration of true quality, with every stage in the process carefully considered (including their environmental impact), and the results speak for themselves. “At the end of the day, we understand that the coffee experience goes beyond just a beverage,” Stuart says. Now that’s something we can all raise a glass – or cup of coffee – to! To find out more or to buy Lost Sheep coffee visit lostsheepcoffee.com 151 greatbr i t i shfoodawards.com GBF PROMOT ION