A HAMPSHIRE woman is taking her marshmallows to the food experts.

Belinda Clark has beaten hundreds of applicants and been shortlisted to win the title of Britain’s Next Top Supplier.

She entered the competition, launched by ocado.com, with her hand-made sweet treats and caught the judge’s eye with pretty packaging and gourmet flavours like vanilla, coconut and salted caramel.

Belinda Clark Confectionary, based in Old Bridge House Road, Bursledon, will be presented to a culinary panel by the business owner in a Dragon’s Den-style pitch this month.

The panel includes Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge, Ocado chairman Lord Stuart Rose and last year’s winner, Hannah Rhodes, founder of Hiver Bee’s.

Together they will look at five shortlisted products, including Belinda’s, to find the winner and offer them a £20,000 marketing package and a secure listing on ocado.com.

Belinda said: “I am totally blown away to have been selected as one of the final five. We want to bring the very best gourmet marshmallows to Ocado’s lovely customers and can’t wait to see what the judges make of our MellowMallows.”

Belinda Clark Confectionery will go up against Atom Beers, brewed in Hull, Foraging Fox, from Bishop’s Stortford, Meg River’s Bakery, based in Shipston on Stour, and Manfood, from Huntingdon.

The winning product will be announced in May.