Taste Awards highlight what’s best for your kitchen

March 5th, 2012

Appliance News Kitchen

Mainland cheese and Nuttelex margarine were some of the top picks in Canstar Blue’s inaugural Taste Awards.

Thousands of Australians have been asked to rate their satisfaction with the taste of a specific branded food or drink accross a number of categories.

This is what a "taste bud" looks like

Big brands including home brands from Aldi, Coles, and Woolworths have also been included in the taste test. Taste is determined by how sweet or bitter or sour or salty food is.

Did you know?  The fifth taste is called “umami”. It is an originally Japanese word for “meaty” or “savory“, and MSG works by producing a strong umami taste.

Interestingly, the survey has found that the majority of respondents prefer premium food brands – regardless of price. This was especially true of snack foods.

According to the manager of Canstar Blue, Rebecca Logan, this means the supermarket price war on staples may not make it’s way into snacks.

“The findings show most consumers simply won’t compromise on taste when it comes to snack foods which suggests the savage price cuts between the major supermarkets impacting milk, fresh fruit and vegetables are unlikely to extend to the snack food market,”  said Rebecca Logan, manager of Canstar Blue .

The most unwilling to compromise taste for cash are coffee connoisseurs. Of the instant coffee customers:

• 64 per cent of respondents choose taste over price for instant coffee
• 85 per cent think premium brands taste better than generic brands
• 22 per cent won’t choose healthier options if they don’t think they taste as good

“Another interesting survey finding was the emergence of Baby Boomer respondents as the generation most loyal to their snack food brand, topping the charts when it came to consistently buying the same brand of instant coffee, potato chips, cheese and ice cream.”

So, who were the winners in the Taste Awards?

What do you think? Do these brands set your world on fire?