North Devon Artisan Drinks producer wins award

North Devon+ is congratulating local artisan drinks maker Hayes Meadow Drinks Ltd for winning two prestigious regional food and drink awards for its outstanding products just months after it became a limited company.

Hayes Meadow Drinks Ltd has just won two Taste of the West Awards for its bespoke drinks which are made at its family based business near Chulmleigh.

Hayes Meadow Beetroot Juice with Apple won the Taste of the West Silver Award and one of the company's most popular drinks the Hayes Meadow Lightly Sparkling Elderflower Fizz has won a Taste of the West Bronze Award.

The company produces a range of hand made drinks which are made in small batches and which only contain the finest high quality ingredients. The range includes; apple juices, Lightly Sparkling Elderflower Fizz, Blueberry and Apple Pressé, Elderflower and Apple Pressé, Raspberry and Apple Pressé and Beetroot with Apple Juice.

Company founder, Neil Spencer says that he is thrilled that Hayes Meadow Drinks have been recognised for their taste and quality; "We first began making drinks from our kitchen table back in 2008 but now we have progressed to produce around thirty thousand bottles a year and we became a limited company in March of this year. We strive to produce the very best in terms of taste using apples from our own and other South West orchards as well as other locally sourced high quality ingredients. We are delighted to receive the awards which are a fantastic endorsement of the quality and flavour of our drinks."

Neil first set up the company after seeing many neglected old apple orchards and kilos of apples being left to rot and go to waste. He uses apples from his own orchards as well as those at Wembworthy, Black Torrington and Cheriton Fitzpaine. Neil is also committed to saving old varieties of Devon apples grafting old varieties onto root-stock in his own orchard.

Hayes Meadow drinks are made using old West Country varieties of apple such as Tom Putt, Cornish Gilliflower, Gascoyne's Scarlet and the Devonshire Quarrenden, a very old variety which was first recorded as a West Country apple in 1450.

The Marketing Manager of North Devon+ Laura Holt says that Hayes Meadow Drinks success is well deserved and that the company represents all that is great about the local food and drink industry; " Hayes Meadow Drinks reflect a growing trend amongst local food and drink producers in North Devon who produce fantastic tasting and high quality products. We congratulate them on their hard work and dedication and in their efforts to preserve local orchards and ancient apples varieties for the posterity."

Hayes Meadows Drinks also adopt a sustainable approach in their production process, implementing solar powdered energy to produce the drinks and recycling as much as they can to reduce the impact of their business on the local environment.

You can experience Hayes Meadows Drinks for yourself at FoodFest on October 16th at Barnstaple Pannier Market. 75 of North Devon's finest food and drink suppliers will be on show, alongside five of the South West's leading chefs on the demonstration stage. Foodfest, sponsored by Mole Valley Farmers is now in its fourth successful year, and serves up a veritable treat of local produce, ales, ciders and live music.

For chef demo timings click here