AN AWARD-WINNING Somerset farm shop is celebrating once again this year after its Taste of the West Gold award-winning bacon went on to be crowned champion (September 2022).
Rumwell Farm Shop’s unsmoked back bacon won Gold in the Taste of the West awards earlier this year (May 2022) and has this month won the overall Champion Bacon title.
Anne Mitchell, Joint Owner of the Farm Shop on the A38 between Taunton and Wellington said: “This is absolutely fantastic news. Our unsmoked back bacon winning Gold in the Taste of the West Awards was brilliant, but to now find out it has been named champion out of all the other winners, is wonderful.”
Back in May Rumwell Farm Shop won nine Gold awards for its traditional pork sausage, unsmoked back bacon, homemade faggots, runner bean chutney, spinach, mushroom and feta quiche, granary loaf and jam doughnut.
It also took a silver for its new gluten free doughnut and was commended for its pear and almond tart.
Anne added: “Our traditional dry cured unsmoked back bacon is made in our Butchery here from free-range pigs that we hand-rear on our farm just four miles from the shop. I’d like to say a huge ‘congratulations’ to our Butchery Manager, Terry Tarrant and his talented team in our Butchery for all their hard work. Also, a big ‘thank you’ to our colleagues at the farm who work so hard to rear our pigs and ensure they are cared for using the highest of welfare standards.
“The bacon is a part of our Made at Rumwell range, which features hundreds of products we make onsite. These often also showcase ingredients we raise on our farm or come from Somerset and the South West.”
Taste of the West, established in 1991, is the regional food and drink trade organisation for the South West of England.
It rewards the region’s exceptional food and drink identity and works to develop the very best of the area’s industry.
Back at the start of the year (January 2022) Rumwell Farm Shop also won Gold in the Taste of the West Awards in the Farm Shop and Café/Tearoom categories.
Anne continued: “We received excellent feedback from the judge who visited our shop and commented on the exceptional number of products that are sourced or made on our premises and how knowledgeable and enthusiastic our staff were. Feedback from the café visit included how much they liked our homemade produce, our good portion sizes and how much choice we have, which were all comments that we are overjoyed to hear.”
Rumwell Farm Shop is an independent, family-run, award-winning business owned by the Mitchell family. It was originally a potato store, when David and Anne Mitchell began selling their potatoes and free-range eggs at the gate 25 years ago.
Due to customer demand, the range of products soon increased, and the farm shop grew into the place it is today. David and Anne’s sons, James and Jack, are now also involved in the business, as well as daughters-in-law Sophie and Donna.
Rumwell Farm Shop has a traditional Butchery counter selling its home-reared and free-range pork and Rumwell Angus beef. There is also a Delicatessen, Bakery, Jam Kitchen, Food Hall, Wine Cellar and Gift Room on-site.
The Rumwell Café is a large and spacious building. The food prepared in the Café kitchen is sourced from the Farm Shop, the Mitchell family farm, which is just four miles away, and other regional suppliers.
Families are welcome to the Café and there is a menu especially for children. It also serves afternoon teas, Sunday carvery and is licensed to sell alcoholic beverages.
For more information, please call Rumwell Farm Shop, which is located in Rumwell between Taunton and Wellington, on 01823 461599 or visit www.rumwellfarmshop.com.
