A COMPANY that began life harvesting sea salt from the waters of Cwm yr Eglwys and processing it in a home kitchen just a mile away has just won its fifth and sixth Great Taste Awards.

Pembrokeshire Sea Salt was set up in owners' Sherrill Evans and Josh Wright's home kitchen in 2016 when the couple began hand harvesting sea salt from the waters of nearby Cwm-yr-Eglwys.

The company has grown in range and popularity and is now celebrating yet another accolade from the Great Taste Awards.

Its Pembrokeshire sea salt with chilli has been awarded two stars while its brand new and previously unreleased pink peppercorn Sea Salt was awarded one star.

The judges said that the chilli sea salt was a 'beautifully coloured pale orange salt which looks delicate and intriguing'.

"It also has a lovely sweet pepper nose to it, which is really inviting. The flavour is quite incredible.

"The salt on its own has a beautiful, clean nature to it. The level of heat builds and gives a lip-tingling heat with a lovely hint of sweetness and a well-rounded heat.

"We can think of many applications for this salt. Good examples of innovative and well-made products like this are so few and far between, that when you find one, it's a real treat."

The judges also praised the salt's expert balance of flavours, and its moreish qualities.

"A properly clever product that would absolutely enhance anything it is added to," they said.

"Clean finish with a satisfying lingering heat. It is remarkable how much we are enjoying sitting here eating salt crystals like a snack. Hats off to the producer."

Pembrokeshire Sea Salt's pink peppercorn sea salt, which until now it had only been released to chefs and friends, was also awarded one star, with the judges saying:

"Beautiful large flakes of sea salt ingrained with pink peppercorns.

"The salty crystals are sharp and crunchy and release the wonderful pink peppercorns on to the tongue leaving warm pink pepper and pinecones notes on the tongue with hints of citrus at the end. Beautifully made and a real delight to eat.

"Beautiful shards and pyramid structure crystals speckled with vibrant pink peppercorn pieces. Heady and aromatic on the nose with pungent milled pink peppercorns and citrus peel freshness.

"A rich and intense burst of flavours and zingy lemon spice in the mouth tail off gently to a mellow and rounded finish. A delightful addition to the condiments cupboard and appetisingly attractive among condiments in any place setting."

These are the company's fifth and sixth Great Taste Awards in three years.

The company has also received awards for its natural sea salt; Sichuan pepper sea salt; its locally foraged wild garlic sea salt and its ethical sargal saffron sea salts.

Because Pembrokeshire Sea Salts has won back-to-back awards for the last three years, it is now recognised as a Great Taste Producer.

"This is an accolade we could only have dreamt about back in 2016 when we were still trying to find waders that don't leak, deciphering tide tables and analysing salinity data to create the perfect flake," said Josh and Sherrill .

"The Great Taste Awards are the world's largest and most trusted food and drink awards, so to be recognised in this manner by the food and drink industry is both humbling and gratifying.

"We would like to thank every single customer, business and fellow producer who has supported our business since its conception and over this most stressful and unforgettable of years, and the amazing chefs who recognised and believed in us, and encourage us continually to create more exciting flavours and keep us on top of our game."