A fudge maker and ice cream producer have picked up a host of awards at a blind-taste testing at the world’s largest food and drink awards.

Fudge Kitchen took home four prizes at the Great Taste Awards for its sugar-free sea salted caramels, sugar-free peanut brittle, ginger liquid fudge and “ridiculously enjoyable” juniper & kaffir lime dry gin fudge.

The new gongs brings its total haul from the event over the years to 15.

Meanwhile, luxury brand Simply Ice Cream picked up two awards for its brown bread ice cream flavours and a one star for its mint choc chip flavour made at its at its factory in Bonnington, near Ashford.

It has taken 32 stars at 19 Great Taste Awards.

Fudge Kitchen’s sugar-free varieties use Zùsto, a substitute from Belgium, which has four times less calories than granulated sugar.

The company, based in Lyminge, near Folkestone, started as Jim Garrahy’s Fudge Kitchen in Blackpool in 1983.

In 1995, it was bought by Sian Holt who has expanded the retail business into eight thriving shops in Canterbury, Bath, York, Cambridge, Windsor, Edinburgh, Birmingham Selfridges and Oxford.

Today it exports to 20 countries after developing its butter fudge range in 2012, with a shelf-life of six months, produced at its factory in Aylesham, near Canterbury.

Managing director Sian Holt said: “It is a great honour to have been awarded four more Great Taste Awards.

“These are the ultimate differentiating rubber stamp for fine foods.

“Our products have always been about the quality of the ingredients, texture and flavours and the authenticity of our production techniques, so to be judged on these alone and to be recognized for our efforts is particularly thrilling.”

Simply Ice Cream is stocked in Waitrose and John Lewis.

Managing director Sally Newall, who founded the brand in 2005, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive more Great Taste Awards this year.

“It’s been such a fantastic year for Simply, we have seen our distribution rocket and we have launched many new exciting flavours.”