One of the joys of the Dalemain World Marmalade Awards has always been welcoming entries from all around the world. We love celebrating the growing global communities of marmalade makers, and being introduced to new types of citrus fruits. Over the past few years, Dalemain has supported the development of other Festivals around the world.

The Senegalese Marmalade Celebration, Senegal

In 2020 we welcomed an incredibly exciting addition to the marmalade family, with the launch of the first ever Senegalese marmalade celebrations.

In January 2020, a number of Women’s Co-operatives across Senegal took part in the Dalemain World Marmalade Awards, sending their marmalade to Dalemain to be judged by our expert panel. These Co-operatives hope to sell and export their products, made using local ingredients, and were excited to receive feedback.

To celebrate these entries a small festival was held in Ziguinchor, in the Casamance area of Senegal. With speeches, music, dancing and – of course – marmalade tasting, it was the perfect send off for these precious pots.

These Women’s Co-operatives have been assisted in their marmalade making ambitions by Georgina Regàs, who is herself an Award-winning producer from Barcelona, Spain. Georgina visited Senegal in 2010 and was in high demand from interested parties in Dakar and Sanghe for assistance in their jam production.

In 2015 she met Mamadou Saliou, of Diandé Africa and joined their experience and vital force to develop a project that gives work to women in the Casamance region in order to finance the education of their sons and daughters. She assisted in the founding of a number of Women’s Co-operatives in Senegal, with the aim of producing and selling high-quality local products.

Dalemain Australian Marmalade Awards & Festival
Melbourne, Australia

Jane Hasell-McCosh has always felt a strong connection to Australia, and hopes to use the Awards to champion the Australian citrus industry here in the UK. The family have ties to Australia through Martindale Hall, which was built in Australia in the 1800’s by the descendant of a Steward of Dalemain in a failed attempt to win the heart of Frances Hasell, daughter of the house. She never wanted to leave Dalemain and so he built Martindale Hall, near Adelaide, in its likeness but by the time he was able to return, she was too old and it was too late. While fighting to keep this house in the hands of the Australian people, Jane gained close connections with the Australian National Trust, and the idea of developing a second Marmalade festival ‘down under’, to champion Australian heritage, was born. Today the festival is being run by a group of citrus enthusiasts based just outside Melbourne at Birregurra and is sponsored by preserve makers, Beerenberg Farms.

The Australians have a Marmy Army who love marmalade and each year the town of Buninyong collects marmalade from all over Australia to enter in the ‘Marmal-Ashes’, an Australian cricket team of marmalade sent to challenge the English, who send up their finest team in response. The winning ‘Marmal-Ashes’ trophy is kept safely behind lock and key in Buninyong court house, where Jane visited it in 2010. The Australian Marmalade Festival helps to raise money and awareness for the South Australian National Trust and End of Life Care.

Dalemain Japanese Marmalade Awards & Festival
Yawatahama, Japan

The Dalemain Japan Marmalade Awards take place annually in Yawatahama, Ehime, in partnership with Dalemain. As the love of marmalade spreads around the world, the popularity of this competition has grown. Last year, The Dalemain Japanese Marmalade Awards received over 2,000 homemade entries, and hundreds of artisan jars, with combinations of fruit that make the Japanese awards unique.

The iconic English grocer Fortnum & Mason, sponsors of the Awards in Japan, will be co-branding the winner with Dalemain and it will be sold in their stores in both the UK and Japan.

Yawatahama City is located in western Shikoku, which is an island in the southwest of Japan, approximately 4-5 hours from Tokyo by plane and train. Yawatahama is one of the leading citrus producing areas in Japan, with more than 40 varieties of citruses.