Northern Irish food companies shortlisted for Belfast Telegraph Business Awards.

Food companies feature in the shortlist of 50 for this year's Belfast Telegraph Business Awards.

In the running for major awards are Mash Direct, Northern Ireland's award winning producer of potato and vegetable sides and convenience foods, which is based on the family farm at Comber in county Down, Copeland Gin, a Saintfield, county Down based producer of fruit infused gins, arc-net, a pioneer of blockchain technology in Belfast, Gareth Chambers, the managing director of sandwich producer Around Noon.

Northway Mushrooms of Craigavon, county Armagh, one of Northern Ireland's leading processors of mushrooms in also featured in the Excellence in Innovation category. And Northern Ireland's biggest food wholesaler, Henderson Group, is also prominent.

The awards, chosen by a panel of expert judges, will be announced on 26th April at a gala dinner.

The group of 50 businesses is a wide-ranging reflection of how the local economy is developing. It includes large, small, and very small enterprises across most categories.

The categories include one focusing on a retail outlet with the marketing and management skills which make it stand out in a very competitive world.

Food companies and individuals on Belfast Telegraph Business Awards shortlist

Excellence in Marketing

Eurospar NI/Henderson Group

Mash Direct

Excellence in the Development of Management & Leadership

Henderson Foodservice

Excellence in Innovation

Northway Mushrooms

Best Use of Digital and/or Social Media

Eurospar NI/Henderson Group

Galgorm Resort & Spa

Young Business Person of the Year

Gareth Chambers - Around Noon

Gareth Irvine - Copeland Spirits

Retailer of the Year

Cordners Spar Comber Road

Eurospar Knockchree

McBride Retail Group

Spar Madigans Court

Warden Bros Ltd

Emerging Business/Start-up of the Year

Arc-net

Copeland Spirits

Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility

Henderson Wholesale Ltd

Lidl NI