Hedgehog Habanero Wins Great Taste Award

We're absolutely thrilled to announce that our beloved Hedgehog Habanero Chilli Sauce has been awarded a prestigious 1-Star Great Taste Award for 2025! Making that a grand total of 8 Great Taste Awards now.

He might be "a bit of a prick," as we like to say, but everyone really does like him, including the discerning panel of Great Taste judges who recognized what makes our hedgehog so special.

What the Judges Said

The Great Taste judges were impressed by several key aspects of our sauce:

"This is a lovely little sauce with a carrot juice appearance and a nose that sings of habanero. The spice level is well-judged, and the fruitiness and acidity are well-matched."

They particularly appreciated our commitment to creating a fully savory sauce without added sugar, something that came directly from feedback we received in March 2020 from 20 dedicated taste-testers. The judges noted that "the concept is great and we applaud the fact that there is no added sugar," validating our decision to create a proper chilli 'chilli' sauce.

The Story Behind Our Hedgehog

Our Hedgehog Habanero isn't just another hot sauce. It's the result of five years of dedication, countless tweaks, and relentless fine-tuning. I can hardly believe it's been that long since we first started developing this little prickly character back in March 2020, when we ran a survey with 20 willing taste-testers who gave us invaluable feedback on our original recipe.

Their honest opinions led to crucial changes that shaped the product we're celebrating today, and we remain eternally grateful for their input. But that was just the beginning. We've tweaked and fine-tuned this recipe so many times over the years, perfecting everything from the 12% habanero content to the precise balance of supporting flavours.

One of the most significant changes from that original feedback? Creating a fully savory sauce with no added sugar. We've combined delicate white wine vinegar with freshly squeezed sweet carrot juice, roasted garlic, and a fresh twist of lime to create something that tastes authentically Mexican but works beautifully across cuisines.

Whether you're adding it to a Chinese stir-fry, drizzling it over Italian pizza, or spicing up a classic full English breakfast, our hedgehog adapts to whatever you throw at him. That versatility, that ability to enhance rather than overwhelm, is exactly what caught the judges' attention.

What Makes Great Taste Special

For those unfamiliar with the Great Taste Awards, they represent the ultimate benchmark for food and drink quality in the UK. Often called the "Oscars of the food world," these awards see over 14,000 products judged blind by more than 500 experts including food critics, chefs, restaurateurs, and food writers.

A 1-Star award means our Hedgehog Habanero was deemed to have "a food or drink that delivers fantastic flavour," no small feat when you consider the calibre of competition.

The Perfect Balance

The judges noted the sauce's "heady roasted garlic on the nose" and how "the level of heat grows and lingers on the palate." This progression of flavour, from that initial aromatic hit through to the building warmth, is exactly what we aimed for when developing our recipe.

At 3/6 heat level, our Hedgehog delivers enough kick to satisfy chilli lovers while remaining accessible to those who appreciate flavour over pure fire. The carefully calibrated 12% habanero content provides authentic heat, while the fresh carrot juice and lime add brightness and balance.

Looking Forward

This recognition validates what we've always believed about our prickly little friend: that great hot sauce should enhance your food, not mask it. It should tell a story with every drop, taking your taste buds on a journey from that first aromatic encounter through to the satisfying warmth that follows.

We want to hear how you use your Hedgehog Habanero! Whether it's in a family recipe passed down through generations or an experimental fusion creation, share your culinary adventures with us on social media. After all, the best sauces are the ones that inspire creativity in the kitchen.

Thank you to everyone who has supported our hedgehog's journey to this Great Taste recognition. Here's to many more delicious adventures ahead!

Available in 150ml bottles, our award-winning Hedgehog Habanero Chilli Sauce contains no added sugar and is suitable for multiple dietary requirements. Find your perfect heat level and taste the difference that quality ingredients make.

Hedgehog Habanero Chilli Sauce

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