Nominations have opened for this year’s Taste of Kent Awards which Southern Co-op proudly sponsors.

Taste of Kent Awards is in its 18th year and celebrates the tastiest food and drink of Kent, shining a spotlight on the region’s excellence in producing fine-quality British produce.

Open to any food and drink business located in Kent and Medway, Taste of Kents Awards are the longest-running and most prestigious food and drink awards in the South Event.

The nominations opened on February 1st and for the first-time food and drink businesses can now self-nominate in all categories.

Matt Elliott, Southern Co-op’s Retail Buying & Services Manager, said: “We’ve been proud to support the Taste of Kent Awards for three years and have seen some incredible talent in that time.

“This is echoed in our retail stores as we stock a range of regional food and drink in our Local Flavours range including several of the award winners! We’re looking forward to seeing what this year holds and finding even more businesses working together for a more sustainable future.”

The award ceremony has been completely revamped and is extended to include a Taste of Kent Festival in the afternoon and an Oscar Style Awards Ceremony in the evening at the University of Kent’s Gulbenkian.

Finalists will be able to sample and sell their products at the daytime festival which is open to the public and guests of regional and national buyers, leading into an exclusive evening-time ticketed awards ceremony.

Southern Co-op and its Kent Co-operative Food stores sponsors two categories – Kent Savoury Pantry Product of the Year and Kent Confectionary Product of the Year.

To find out more about the awards, visit https://tasteofkentawards.co.uk.