Hawkshead Relish strikes Gold at the 2025 Free From Christmas Awards

Lake District producer Hawkshead Relish secured two accolades in this year’s competition, with its Ultimate Festive Chutney earning Gold and its Christmas Ketchup taking Bronze.

Now in its fifth year, the Free From Christmas Awards celebrate excellence in Christmas and seasonally themed free-from products. They form part of the Free From Food Awards, the UK’s only industry awards dedicated exclusively to food and drink made without one or more of the top 14 allergens.

Founded in 2008 by the allergy website FoodsMatter, the Free From Awards are judged by panels of chefs, nutritionists, manufacturers, and people living with allergies or intolerances. Products are blind-tasted, and feedback from the judges has played a key role in driving innovation and quality across the free-from market.

This year’s Free From Christmas Award categories included Advent Calendars, Gifting & Stocking Fillers, Party Food, Christmas Dinner, Drinks, and Mince Pies, alongside special accolades for Christmas Food Product 2025, Christmas Drink Product 2025, Christmas Brand 2025, and Christmas Range 2025.

Maria Whitehead MBE, co-founder of Hawkshead Relish, expressed that this recognition highlights the company’s enduring commitment to quality and the free-from community.

“Our products are handmade in the Lake District using the finest ingredients and traditional open pans,” she explained. “They are nut-free, suitable for vegetarians, and most of them are vegan-friendly. We have always believed that those with dietary restrictions shouldn’t miss out, and everyone should be able to enjoy delicious food together, especially during Christmas. We take pride in this commitment, and we are thrilled to have received both a Gold and a Bronze award. We couldn’t be prouder of our team.”

Ultimate Festive Chutney is a new offering in the 2025 festive range, crafted to capture the flavours of the holiday season. This chutney features a blend of dried fruits and spices, along with a generous amount of sherry. It pairs perfectly with a Christmas cheeseboard, cold meats, or pork pie.

Christmas Ketchup is a fruity and savoury sauce created to enhance festive dishes. It combines the sweetness of fruit with flavours of ginger, garlic, cloves, orange, cinnamon, and star anise. This sauce pairs wonderfully with pigs in blankets, baked Camembert, turkey, or bacon sandwiches, and can also be used for dipping chips!

Hawkshead Relish’s award-winning products are available online at www.hawksheadrelish.com and through selected retailers nationwide.

ENDS

For product enquiries, please contact sales@hawksheadrelish.com for more information about Hawkshead Relish. Visit www.hawksheadrelish.com or call 015394 36614.

Editor's Notes:

The Hawkshead Relish Company is a family-run business and a renowned artisan producer of award-winning Relishes, Pickles, Preserves & Sauces. All are made by hand using traditional open pans.

Based in the heart of the English Lake District, in a beautiful 16th-century barn on the edge of Esthwaite Water, the company's distinctive range boasts the finest locally sourced ingredients, handmade and free from gluten and nuts, as well as being suitable for vegetarians.

The company is known for its innovative range, which holds over 80 ‘Great Taste’ Awards and ‘Speciality Producer’ Awards from the Guild of Fine Food, and a World Innovation Award for their creative “Original Black Garlic Ketchup”. The distinctive range has a discerning following from celebrity chefs to Royalty.

The family-owned and operated company celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2024.