Northern Irish Beef and chicken innovators rewarded

Unique salt-aged beef and chicken masala tickled the taste buds of judges in the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Awards 2013.

Moy Park, Northern Ireland biggest food business, gained the Best New Product in the Large Company Category, while salt-aged beef from Hannan Meats, county Down, was named as the small company category winner.

The awards were organised by industry body the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association to help showcase the outstanding contribution of food and drink to the local economy, an industry which generated a record £4 billion in 2012 in sales including business won in Great Britain, the Republic of Ireland and other global markets.

Moy Park, part of the Brazilian Marfrig Group and based in Craigavon, county Armagh, also gained a top award for its investment in management development. In addition, Moy Park was highly commended in the Best New Product category for its chicken kievs.

Hannan Meats, Moira, county Down, was recognised for its investment in a unique Himalayan Salt Chamber used to give beef a distinctively rich flavour and tender texture.

Hannan Meats, a catering butchery business, also gained a series of awards during UK Bacon Connoisseurs Week and is the current Supreme Champion in the UK Great Taste Awards for its Italian style bacon.

Other Northern Irish food processors also gained awards in the event, the most prestigious competition for the local food and drink industry, which employs around 20,000 people in processing plants and is a leading exporter.

Two companies - Holy Chow Soup, Belfast, a recently established business, and Thompson's Family Teas, also based in Belfast, for its Titanic Tea - were highly commended in the Best New Product category.

Dunbia, Northern Ireland's biggest locally-owned red meat and port processor, was highly commended in the Food and Drink Excellence Award for its leadership and growth programme.

The Service Sector Award went to one of the region's smallest businesses, Yummy Bakes of Newtownabbey, for its shortbread and flakemeal biscuits.

The Supply Chain Excellence Award was won by Northway Mushrooms of Craigavon for its marketing of mushrooms. Highly commended in this category was Linden Foods, Dungannon, another major meat processor, for its Rose Veal. Elaine Willis, Linden's Innovation Manager, was named Future Leader. Linden's Frank Foster also gained the Meat Educational Excellence Award.

Tayto, based at Tandragee in county Armagh, a market leader in crisps and snacks gained two awards - the Northern Ireland Good Food is in Our Nature Award, which was chosen by popular vote, and the Environmental Excellence Award for its success in developing renewable energy systems and complete diversion of waste from landfill for re-use. Mash Direct, Comber, county Down, a specialist in quick-service potato and vegetable products, was highly commended in the Environmental Excellence Award.

The judges also voted Del Toro, Lisburn, county Antrim, as Northern Ireland's Best Restaurant.