Juice companies Wobblegate, RH & JC Elgie and NC de Quincy have been announced as winners in the first annual Juice Competition to be judged in april.
The competition, run by the National Fruit Show, has previously taken place during the show in October, but has been moved after producers pointed out it was not the right time of year for the first press fruit.
West Sussex-based Wobblegate scooped gold in Class 42, the fruit-based blend category, with its Cox Apple and Concorde Pear juice. Second place went to previous class winners RH Elgie with an apricot combination, who also came top in Class 40 with a Bramley and Russet blend.
New exhibitor NC de Quincy won Class 41 single variety category with a Discovery juice. This year also saw the first placing for Pershore College, which came third in Class 40 and third in Class 42 with an apple and elderflower blend.
Results were announced at the Marden Fruit Show Society’s annual AGM, held at Hadlow College last week, and winning juices will be on display at this year’s National Fruit Show on 21 and 22 October 2015.
Vice-chairman and juice competition organiser Robert Oliver said: “The National Fruit Show is not the right time of year for the first press fruit. Many of the entrants have wanted a change for a number of years and we felt that this would be exactly the right year.
'While we announce the winners the trophy presentation will be on Thursday 22nd October along with the other prizes.”