A Bovey Tracey toymaker is in the running to win the UK’s best gift award with a game based on a popular dessert.
The House of Marbles has been shortlisted for the ‘Novelty, Tech and Gadgets’ category of the Gift of the Year Awards with its Cheese and Crackers game.
The game, which is designed for post-dinner fun at parties or family gatherings, involves wind-up cheeses and crackers racing against each other across the table. The winner is declared the ‘Big Cheese’ and receives a rosette.
Described as ‘a unique, somewhat eccentric, race that pits dairy against savoury in an epic battle of speed’, Cheese and Crackers is designed to spark ‘joy and friendly competition’.
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Cheese and Crackers was created by House of Marbles chief executive Andrea Harkin and product designer Olly Oliver. The pair came up with the idea at a weekly product development meeting where they ‘were talking about the concept of biscuits growing legs and running away’, a House of Marbles spokesperson explained.
‘After discussing the concept, Olly sketched the idea to send off to get moulds produced, then went on to the entertaining package development,’ the spokesperson added. After redesigning the moulds to ensure the crackers had enough ridges on the side and the Emmental cheese had enough dimples, the product was ready.
Cheese and Crackers will now be judged at the retail and buyers trade show, the Spring Fair, in Birmingham at the beginning of February where judges, buyers and retailers will get the chance to try out the game.
The House of Marbles has previously been shortlisted in the Gift of the Year awards with its Flying Cowpat disc, which is made from recycled plastic and chewing gum. It was also a finalist and received a ‘highly commended’ for its Sunshine Print Paper Kit at last year’s Gift of the Year awards.