We’re so excited to announce that our prized product, the Alta Expresión de Los Pedroches Dry-Cured Acorn-Fed 100% Ibérico Pork Ham, was just given the Diamond Taste Award by the International Taste Institute at the Superior Taste Awards. Not only that, but it was the only product in 2023 to win such prestige.
This diamond distinction is only given to products that have been given three stars seven times in a period of ten years. And this year, this delicious ham and our other Alta Expresión Dry-Cured Acorn-Fed 100% Ibérico Pork Ham were given three stars once again.
About the International Taste Institute
The International Taste Institute was founded in Brussels in 2005 and analyzes and evaluates food and drinks from all around the world. The jury is made up of 200 expert chefs and sommeliers across Europe. These folks conduct rigorous and objective sensory evaluations every year, following a blind tasting methodology and anonymous product sampling to avoid any scoring bias. When they analyze food and beverage products, they provide highly detailed comments and feedback and even offer pairing suggestions.
Some of the main qualities they highlighted in the Alta Expresión de Los Pedroches 100% Dry-Cured Acorn-Fed Ibérico Pork Ham were the flavor, texture, aroma, and carefully detailed presentation. The 120 professional chefs and sommeliers at the event gave this delicious piece of artisanship a score of 95%. The Alta Expresión Dry-Cured Acorn-Fed 100% Ibérico Pork Ham scored a close 94%.
Alta Expresión de los Pedroches is a Commitment to Quality.
Our cured Los Pedroches ham— this diamond of a product—comes from the 100% Ibérico breed of free-range pigs that feed under the centuries-old holm oak trees in the Los Pedroches dehesa (Spanish meadow), an area covering 750,000 acres. It’s here in Los Pedroches that COVAP was founded, in the southern Spanish town of Pozoblanco, Córdoba.
With more than 60 years of history, the cooperative continues to be led by generations of dedicated and experienced farmers united by a common goal: to preserve the unique ecosystem of the Córdoba dehesa and to continue the economic and social development of the environment through producing and marketing a high-quality local product. It’s this unique traceability model and commitment to quality that has put COVAP a step above the rest and awarded us not only the Diamond award but the AENOR Conform Animal Welfare certificate.
These awards demonstrate more than our traceability model and our commitment to animal welfare and food safety. They highlight the ceaseless dedication of our farmers and master ham makers to consistently deliver the best cured ham in the world. To say we are proud is an understatement. But when you believe in a product, it doesn’t come as a surprise. We knew it was a diamond from the beginning.
