Sussex Taste Collective is a forum for quality food and drink producers in Sussex to share their passion for great taste with like-minded people. Started by four award-winning producers in 2023, the Sussex Taste Collective places a high value on:
- Provenance – we focus on food and drink made in Sussex that’s locally or ethically sourced.
- Quality – we welcome other producers who are as passionate as we are about excellence.
- Sustainability – we are committed to sustainable production and sharing our expertise in order to continually evolve and improve the way we produce and package our products.
We’re building a programme of events for people who like good food and drink to meet the makers, taste their wares and enjoy a lovely atmosphere at one of our member locations. Events remaining for 2023 include:
Christmas event at Albourne Wine Estate Saturday 2nd December 11am until 4pm
Christmas Market at Trenchmore Farm on on Saturday 9th December 11am until 4pm
Please follow us on social media to keep informed about event information and offers.
At our events you can expect to enjoy:
- Food, drink and live music
- Try and buy from 15 of the best food & drink producers in Sussex
- Food trucks and a local bar
- An hour long farm walk (12-1pm) with regenerative farmers Andrew & Nev (Trenchmore Farm)
Our markets are free to attend for individuals, couples and families.
The founding members of the Sussex Taste Collective are:
Liz Wakefield from Sussex Gourmand
Sussex Gourmand is a multi award-winning Great Taste Producer that makes bresaola – cured air-dried ethical meats that graze naturally and in the wild in Sussex. Unlike most cured meats, they are produced without sulphites or sulphates, using natural, hand-harvested sea salt from the ancient salt pans of Trapani – produced without additives, bleaches or preservatives. This salt-based cure is flavoured with organic spices, home-grown herbs and foraged fruits.
Their Sussex Beef Bresaola and Wild Venison Bresaola is paired with pestos and thins to create exquisite Canapé Kits that reflect the Sussex landscape. These kits form the basis of a unique range of Sussex hampers that showcase other high quality artisan food and wine from Sussex. Hampers are carefully curated for the best taste experience and delivered nationwide by courier in sustainable packaging.
More at sussexgourmand.com
Annys Kirkpatrick from Rowdy & Fancy
Rowdy and Fancy’s Chocolate is a family run chocolatier business based in the Sussex countryside. With an emphasis on quality ingredients, unique flavours and planet friendly packaging, these chocolatey delights benefit everyone involved.
Their small team hand makes and wraps everything in a tiny workshop in Sussex and their love and passion is present in every product. Trust a chocoholic to make good chocolate!
Find your favourite flavour bar, or chocolate covered goodie and treat yourself or someone you love to the gift of chocolate at rowdyandfancyschocolate.co.uk
Rachel Knowles from Trenchmore Farm
Trenchmore Farm is a family-run farm in Cowfold, West Sussex. The father & daughter team are trying to restore nutrients and wildlife back to their land through regenerative farming practices, and produce award-winning Sussex Wagyu beef, orchard hen eggs & farmhouse cider for their local pubs, restaurants and the farmyard shop.
The Trenchmore herd is grass-fed & slow-grown, producing a well marbled & flavourful beef, whilst their hens roam the cider orchard, adding nutrients back to the land and eating the grass down around the apple trees.
Silly Moo Cider is a full-juice farmhouse cider, stocked in some of the best pubs in the county.
Their yard shop & cider tap is open every Saturday 11-4pm. To find out more about their farm and see upcoming events visit trenchmore.co.uk
Tom Martin-Wells from Slake Spirits
Slake Spirits is an independent Sussex distillery that works with nature to create hand-crafted quality spirits.
Forager and distiller Tom harnesses the sun to power their stills and seeks out the very best ingredients to thoughtfully produce the finest artisan gin at the crossroads of science and nature.
Slake is a Great Taste Producer, having won three awards and a Golden Fork for their Sussex Dry Gin. Other products include a Hedgerow Gin and Wild Elixir – a unique range of aperitifs made using local grapes and Sussex Dry Gin, oak-aged in ex brandy casks.
For more information about Slake, upcoming events and distillery tours visit slakespirits.com