A COMPANY which started on a kitchen table and now employs 30 people stands to win the ultimate accolade for its award-winning vinegar.

Garners Foods, in Pershore, was started 12 years ago in Judy Garner's kitchen.

Now the firm, based on Pershore's Racecourse Road Trading Estate, has just won gold, silver and bronze medals for its vinegar, salad dressing and pickled onions, at the British Great Taste Awards.

The company's products will be on display today and tomorrow at the International Food Exhibition at Olympia, in London, and the gold-winning Special Vinegar is in the running for the overall title of Supreme Champion.

"Competitions like the Great Taste Awards help to widen your perspective on your own product and compare it to others on a national scale," said Mrs Garner, who was "very happy" about the wins.

"We have always prided ourselves on the way we make our pickles, chutneys and dressings - in the traditional way to retain all the wonderful flavours," she added.

Garners foods is a member of Heart of England Fine Foods (HEFF) - the speciality fine food group set up in 1998 to support regional food and drink producers in Worcestershire and Herefordshire.

Members are represented at the prestigious International Food Exhibition for the first time this year, thanks to a grant from Defra under the England Rural Development Plan.

"Being at such important shows is a great boost to producers and offers an international platform to promote food and drink with regional flavours," said HEFF chief executive, Karen Davies.

She said she was "very proud" of members who had won a Great Taste Award, which she called "an accolade of the highest standard".

Herefordshire herb and spice-infused oil company, Castle Aromatics, also shone in the awards, with two golds for its basil oil and lime leaf oil, and two silvers for its garlic and chilli oils.

Owners James and Emma Lambe started the company six years ago and now employ 20 people in the blending and bottling plant on their farm.

"We knew we had a wonderful product but it is great to be recognised," said Mr Lambe.

Winning the medals means both companies can display the awards logo on their packaging and their win will be recorded in the Fine Food Digest.