Northern Ireland food and drink win Irish quality awards
More than 30 products from 22 Northern Ireland companies, both largeand small and across most sectors, were successful at the recent
Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards 2015 in Dublin.
The prestigious awards involving major retailers and discounters
from across the island of Ireland saw clean sweeps for Northern
Ireland in key categories including Cereals-Porridge (Whites Oats,
Tandragee, county Armagh), Breads - Wheaten and Soda (McErlains,
Magherafelt, county Derry and Linwood's Bakery, Armagh), Dairy -
Yoghurts (Clandeboye Estate, Bangor, county Down), Cold Beverages - Soft Drinks (CocoMojo, Lisburn, county Antrim), Eggs (Cavanagh Free Range Eggs, Newtownbutler, county Fermanagh), and Ciders (DJ Juices and Ciders, Lisburn, county Antrim, Kilmegan, Dundrum, county Down
and Mac Ivors, Craigavon, county Armagh.
Other category winners from Northern Ireland included Moy Park,
Craigavon, county Armagh in Poultry, Linden Foods, Dungannon, countyTyrone in Meat, Burgers and Meatballs, Willowbrook Foods,
Killinchy, county Down in Salads - Prepared, TS Foods, Castlewellan,county Down in Side Dishes, and Glens of Antrim Potatoes in
Vegetables - Unprepared.
Among successful newcomers in the 2015 awards were New Found Joy of Craigavon, county Armagh specialising in small cakes and traybakes, Kilmegan Cider of Dundrum, county Down, Cavanagh Free Range Eggs,
Newtownbutler, county Fermanagh, and Niche Drinks, Derry with its
recently launched The Quiet Man single malt and blended Irish
whiskies. Niche was also highly commended for its Irish cream
liqueur produced for Tesco.
Other major Northern Ireland companies winning awards were Dale FarmDairies, Cookstown, county Tyrone, for its cheddar cheese, Hovis,
Belfast for its breads.
The Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards are the most important eventin the retailing food and drink industry in Northern Ireland and
the Republic of Ireland.
The Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards were launched in 2013 for
the retail sector. They are based on the Quality Food Awards in the UK, launched in 1979. Expert judging panels are comprised of chefs, chef-lecturers, home economists, food writers, and consultants,
restaurateurs, food technologists and representatives from regional food groups, all of whom bring their extensive knowledge to bear
in the process.
Northern Ireland successes at Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards 2015
TESCO SMALL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Highly Commended - Madagascan Vanilla Greek Style Yoghurt -
Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt, Bangor, county Down.
Bagged Snacks
Commended - Cinema Style Sweet Popcorn / Golden Popcorn,
Newtownabbey, county Antrim.
Bread - Small Breads and Rolls
Highly Commended - Lidl Connell Bakery White Baps/ WD Irwin & Sons, Craigavon, county Armagh.
Bread - Wheaten and Soda Breads
Winner - SuperValu Sean's Brown Par-Baked / McErlain's Bakery,
Magherafelt, county Derry
Highly Commended - SuperValu Brown Soda Quarter / McErlain's Bakery,Magherafelt, county Armagh
Commended - Aldi Stores Buttermilk Soda / Linwood's Bakery, Armagh, county Armagh.
Cakes and Morning Goods - Small Cakes
Highly Commended - Lidl Connell Bakery Buttermilk Pancakes / Hovis, Belfast
Commended - Lidl Connell Bakery Mini Pancakes / Hovis, Belfast.
Cereals - Porridge
Winner - Lidl Deluxe Organic Wafer Oats / Whites Speedicook,
Tandragee, county Armagh
Highly Commended - Aldi Stores Instant Oat Sachets / Whites
Speedicook, Tandragee, county Armagh
Commended - Aldi Stores Organic Porridge / Whites Speedicook,
Tandragee, county Armagh.
Cheese - Hard Cheese
Highly Commended - Lidl Rathdaragh Irish Extra Mature Cheddar / DaleFarm Dairies, Cookstown, county Tyrone
Highly Commended - Lidl Rathdaragh Irish Vintage Cheddar / Dale FarmDairies, Cookstown, county Tyrone
Cold Beverages - Soft Drinks
Winner - CocoSoul / CocoMojo, Lisburn, county Antrim
Highly Commended - CocoPassion / CocoMojo, Lisburn, county Antrim
Dairy and Milk Products - Yogurts
Winner - Greek Style Yoghurt / Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt, Bangor,
county Down
Highly Commended - Madagascan Vanilla Greek Style Yoghurt /
Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt, Bangor, county Down
Dairy and Milk Products - Eggs
Winner - 6 Very Large Free Range Eggs / Cavanagh Free Range Eggs,
Newtownbutler, county Fermanagh.
Desserts and Puddings
Highly Commended - Lidl Deluxe 4 Pack Shot Glass Chocolate Dessert /Cottage Catering, Dromore, county Down
Free From - Sweet
Highly Commended - Caramel Square / New Found Joy, Craigavon, countyArmagh.
Fruit
Commended - Dunnes Stores Irish Apple Tray / P. McCann & Sons,
Craigavon, county Armagh
Meat - Burgers and Meatballs
Winner - Lidl Inisvale Selection Irish Hereford Cheddar and Onion
Beef Burgers / Linden Foods, Dungannon, county Tyrone
Meat - Poultry
Winner - Good Kitchen Roast in the Bag / Moy Park, Craigavon, countyArmagh
Quiches, Pies and Pasties
Commended - Lidl Chef Select Single Serve Premium Beef and Stout
Pies / Daily Bake, Armagh, county Armagh.
Salad - Prepared
Winner - Aldi Stores Specially Selected Mediterranean Salad Bowl
/ Willowbrook Foods, Killinchy, county Down
Highly Commended - Aldi Stores Specially Selected Summer Green SaladBowl / Willowbrook Foods, Killinchy, county Down.
Side Dishes
Winner - Aldi Stores Specially Selected Cranberry, Apricot and
Orange Stuffing / T.S Foods, Castlewellan, county Down
Vegetables - Un Prepared
Winner - Russet Potatoes / Glens of Antrim Potatoes, Cushendall,
county Antrim
Irish Quality Drink Awards
Ales and Beers
Highly Commended - Maggies Leap / Whitewater Brewing Co, Kilkeel,
county Down
Ciders
Winner - Tempted? Strawberry Cider / dj's juice and cider, Lisburn, county Down
Highly Commended - Irish Farmhouse Cider / Kilmegan Cider, Dundrum, county Down
Highly Commended - Traditional Dry Cider / Mac Ivors, Craigavon,
county Armagh.
Liqueurs and Speciality Spirits
Highly Commended - Tesco Irish Country Cream / Niche Drinks, Derry, county Derry
Whiskies
Highly Commended - The Quiet Man 8 Year Old Single Malt Irish
Whiskey / Niche Drinks, Derry, county Derry
Commended - The Quiet Man Blended Irish Whiskey / Niche Drinks,
Derry, county Derry.