A COMPANY that sells handmade jam is enjoying the sweet taste of success after replicating the winning entry from a global awards ceremony.

Thursday Cottage, based in Tiptree, is proving the best 'jar none' after reproducing the best-in-show winner at the World Original Marmalade Awards.

The Seville orange and orange blossom marmalade was made by talented nine-year-old Flora Rider, from the Isle of Wight.

She saw off thousands of entries from more than 30 countries, including Canada, Australia, Japan, Kuwait and Brazil.

Thursday Cottage has replicated the winning marmalade for years and some of the lucky winners have been able to visit its factory, seeing it made with the same attention to detail but on a larger scale.

Flora received her award at Dalemain country house, in Cumbria, where she met marmalade expert Walter Scott, chairman of Wilkin & Sons and representing Thursday Cottage.

Thursday Cottage director Donna Smith said: "Replicating the winning marmalade is a challenge our team in the kitchen enjoy, as we trial the marmalade for Flora’s approval before it's made in quantity to be sold at Dalemain and in Fortnum & Mason in London and Hong Kong.

Maldon and Burnham Standard:

Creative nine-year-old Flora Rider         Picture: Hermione McCosh Photography

"Her winning combination of oranges and orange blossom resulted in a very unusual floral marmalade and she deserves every congratulations.”

Fifty pence from the proceeds of each jar sold will go to Hospice at Home.

Thursday Cottage is based in small premises on Factory Hill and a separate entity to famous jam-maker Wilkin & Sons, also in Tiptree.

It started in a Somerset kitchen in 1963 before moving to Essex in 2002.

Its products, handmade in small batches and cooked in traditional pans, are not stocked in supermarkets but instead in farm shops, delis, foodhalls and garden centres across the country and also exported worldwide.