TWO Radlett businesswomen have won two national food award gold star ratings this week for their tea and cooking products.

Spice Way Original, run by Karen Pomerance and Louise Caplin, has won a gold star rating from the Great Taste Awards, for their spice mix product called fast gourmet - Classic Chinese, and also their tea called Fruit Infusions - Posh Pomelo and Melon.

The national awards is organised by The Guild of Fine Food.

The two friends have known each other for more than 28 years and after a trip to Israel last summer decided to bring the spice mix and fruit infusion products they found there to this country.

Mrs Pomerance said how she was inspired by the way Jewish and Muslim people worked together at a factory when they visited a town in the north of Israel, called Bet Lachem Haglilit, that sold the products.

She said: “We attended a welcoming party there and everyone was eating together and it was great to see how they worked together.

“Of course everyone sees the news about Israel and thinks this isn’t possible but it is.

“Everything in terms of marketing the product we did ourselves. It was like we were part of the Apprentice.

“The spice mix when sold where we went in Israel is sold in bowls and so we had to think of the packaging. We had to think about creating the website. It was a lot of work but it has been a lot of fun especially since we are friends.”

Mrs Pomerance previously worked in the jewellery industry and Mrs Caplin worked as a buyer for Marks and Spencer.

Mrs Pomerance added: “It works because Louise was a buyer and I was in selling so we have both of those experiences to add to the company.”

Mrs Caplin said: “We are really happy to have received the award and glad we were able to do this together.

“We have really enjoyed creating the product and creating the website.”

To learn more about the company go to www.spicewayuk.com