Zaytoun olive oil crowned Nation’s Favourite

Organic Palestinian extra virgin olive oil wins public vote for quality and inspiring work with growers, while new categories recognise best in small and large organic farms at annual BOOM awards.

Palestinian food brand Zaytoun’s extra virgin olive oil has been crowned the Nation’s Favourite organic product in a publicly-voted category at the annual organic industry awards.

The BOOMs (Best Of Organic Market) saw entries from across organic food, drink, business and beauty, with the Nation’s Favourite as one of two public categories receiving 10,000 votes.

Seeing off tough competition from nine other finalists including organic veg box company Riverford, organic dairy brand Yeo Valley and specialist chocolatiers Booja Booja, Zaytoun won the category for its “extremely high quality oil and inspiring work with Palestinian growers”.

Zaytoun
Zaytoun imports organic Fairtrade olive oil and other products from Palestine. 

The second publicly voted category, Organic Ambassador, was won by co-founder of clothing brand Superdry, Julian Dunkerton, for “his belief in helping Indian farmers to cultivate land using organic methods.”

Other finalists in the category included a joint nomination for Riverford founder Guy Singh-Watson and founder of organic pub The Bull Inn, Geetie Singh-Watson, cook and sustainability influencer Melissa Hemsley and organic farmer Ben Andrews.  

Two new categories recognised the importance of organic farming for 2021, won by Godminster Farm (and home to the well-known Godminster Cheddar) in the Best in Organic Farms (over 10 hectares), and Fife-based Falkland Kitchen Farm scooping the Riverford-sponsored Best in Organic Farms (under 10 hectares) for being “true stewards of the environment.”

The awards were attended by guests at a small in-person ceremony in central London, as well as by hundreds of organic businesses and enthusiasts logging into the virtual ceremony from across the country.

Soil Association business development manager, Clare McDermott, said: “The return of the BOOM awards in 2021 has landed at a time when the organic market is simply booming.

“It’s clear that habits made in the last year’s first lockdown – for example with demand in organic veg and fruit box schemes soaring, people increasingly chose to shop in their local independent retailers or buying direct online for choice – have stuck.”

Other winners on the night included Dragonfly Foods for its organic marinated tofu in the best vegan product category and Cropwell Bishop Creamery for its blue stilton in the best dairy.

Best organic supermarket was won by Waitrose; Coombe Farm Organic took the gong for best box scheme; best innovation was won by plastic free and refill beauty brand UpCircle Beauty; Abel & Cole scooped the prize for best sustainable packaging; and Neal’s Yard Remedies took home the trophy for best skincare.

Maddocks Farm Organics won the ‘winner of winners’ award and a listing at e-retailer Ocado for its organic floral salad.

6 Comments

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  1. Zaytoun? Never heard of them – some nations favourite eh? I wonder how much of that score was down to the problems Palatine are going through at the moment – whatever well done for even trying let alone winning that catorgory – even if some of know who should have won 😉

    As for the other catorgories, a nice spead across the board but as in most things I’m sure there will be many who have different views there. The nice thing is the fact that the “contest” has been held – this to me at least indicates that general organic farming and fairtrade in general is alive and kicking! Great news! Perhaps there is some hope for the world after all!!

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    1. Hi Walrus,
      Zaytoun is well known to all of us who visit Oxfam shops, either to shop or to donate, or to do both. Worth a look. They produce a broad range of interesting foods. I’m currently enjoying their zaatar seasoning, and as I am very keen to avoid supporting the songbird slaughter of industrial olive oil harvesting, I’m planning to try their oil if I can afford it. I wonder if that factor also contributed to their win?

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    2. Thanks for the information sallyo, sorry I just don’t visit Oxfam shops in any way or form. I disagree with their attitude – any so called charity who’s head office (in Rome – Oxfam? I thought they were named after Oxford which last time I looked was not in Rome) it appears covers some “5 blocks” prime land – or it did when I was a lad and I’ve not seen any changes since.

      As for the songbird slaughter during industrial olive harvesting, sadly the majority of so called “industrial practices” involve either the death of many wild creatures or their torture at least . . . . . not nice. Finally I wonder what zaatar is? Guess I could use a search engine I suppose?

      Again many thanks for your input – the Walrus

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  2. I have tried the dates and they are delicious! Lovely with a coffee in summer with friends. I would like to make date jam with them in my partner’s bread machine… but how will I remove the stones without eating half the box first?

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    1. Date jam sounds gorgeous – but agree they re very more-ish as they are with a coffee, hard to resist!

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