A BASINGSTOKE business that makes spirits has been honoured at a special awards ceremony in Portsmouth.

Gorilla Spirits, based in Manor Farm Yard in Upton Grey, won the Global Conservation award at the Hampshire Street Food Awards.

It won the award for using bottles made from 100 per cent recycled glass for all of their products.

READ MORE: Harvester self-service salad bar returns following customer backlash

In addition, £1 from every bottle they sell is donated to The Gorilla Organisation - an international, community-based gorilla conservation organisation. 

It was founded by Andy Daniels, who has won the CSR Excellence Award in 2019 for his company's social commitments.

Gorilla Spirits was one of the 18 businesses that won various awards at the event held to recognise small businesses that serve food and drink in Hampshire.

Hampshire Street Food Awards founder and event organiser Jeremy Gaskin presented the winners with a certificate and a unique duck-shaped trophy to recognise the selfless contribution to the community that modern street food represents. 

The duck-shaped trophies were created and contributed by Southsea Duck Company to further celebrate the talented business in Hampshire. Each trophy was personalised to suit the award category - for example, the drinks award was a wine bottle holder in the shape of a duck.

The winners celebrated by indulging in food from Inside Out Food Court while mingling with foodie-fanatics alike. 

All winners were crowned by a panel of expert judges including MasterChef semi-finalist Luke Bryan, Britain’s Best Home Cook quarter finalist Katie Davies and ITV’s Britain’s Best Dish Susie Carter.

The overall winning vendor of The Big Eat festival was Down D’Islands which produces delicious and traditional Trinidadian food. 

Event organiser Jeremy said: “It was a fantastic evening celebrating and recognising the brilliant food vendors right on our doorstep in Hampshire. 

“Huge congratulations goes out to all of the vendors crowned as winners, but especially Down D’Islands who won Overall Street Vendor. We are yet to confirm the date for next year but the Big Eat will definitely be back, even bigger and better.”

Jeremy set up the Hampshire Street Food Awards in 2019 with the goal to celebrate and reward all of the hard work that goes on in the Hampshire food industry.

SEE ALSO: Basingstoke teenager to raise money for Marie Curie by playing non-stop snooker

The Big Eat festival which took place in June at the Royal Victoria Country Park fed nearly 8,000 visitors and the hugely popular event is set to return in 2023. 

The award winners were:   

  • Best Overall Street Vendor sponsored by Island Tea & Coffee Co. - Down D’ Islands
  • Best Dessert sponsored by Winchester Vintage Catering - The Cookie Queen UK
  • Best Burger sponsored by Merlin Mortgages - Fine Dining Catering
  • Best Pizza sponsored by Briscoe PR - Arty-Stan Pizza
  • Best Hot Drinks sponsored by Asembl Group- Partners In Coffee
  • Best Savoury Dish sponsored by The Thatched Cottage Holiday let - Pirate Pasties
  • Best Gluten Free Cuisine - Hey Spud
  • Best Vegan Cuisine - Roots Vegan
  • Best Vegetarian Cuisine - Down D’ Islands
  • Best Bar Vendor sponsored by Green Frog Promotions - Portsmouth Distillery 
  • Best International Street Food Vendor sponsored by Winter Comms- Phat Chicken
  • Best Looking Street Food Vendor - Focaccia Co
  • Noisy Neighbour sponsored by 50 Blue - Fries Love 
  • Community Contribution Award sponsored by Solent Energy Solutions - Bakers and White 
  • Fan Favourite sponsored by Buzz People Recruitment - Tuck Inn
  • Best Innovation sponsored by GHS - Awesome Gelato
  • Global Conservation sponsored by MLD Event Group - Gorilla Spirits 
  • Best Pudding - Potty for Puds

A message from the editor

Thank you for reading this article - we appreciate your support.

Subscribing means you have unrestricted access to the latest news and reader rewards - all with an advertising-light website.

Don't take my word for it – subscribe here to see for yourself.

Looking to advertise an event? Then check out our free events guide.

Want to keep up with the latest news and join in the debate? You can find and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.