Gold for 13 Northern Irish products at Irish Food Awards
Thirteen food and drink products from Northern Ireland were awarded gold medals at this year's annual Blas na hEireann, Irish Food
Awards.
Overall, almost 40 products from Northern Ireland companies were
awarded medals at the prestigious awards held as part of the annual Dingle Peninsula Food Festival in county Kerry. Northern Ireland
cider producers captured most of the awards in this category,
strengthening the region's reputation as Ireland's centre for
cider production.
There were awards for Northern Ireland producers in most categories including bakery, meat, poultry, convenience meals, ice cream and
accompaniments. Dart Mountain Cheese in Dungiven emerged successfulin one of the most hotly contested categories for Irish cheese.
The gold winners from Northern Ireland are:
• Broighter Gold Rapeseed, Limavady, county Derry for Thai
Infused Rapeseed Oil
• Corn Dolly Foods, Newry, county Down for Large Floury Bap
• DJ's Ciders and Juices. Lisburn, county Antrim for Tempted? Sweet Cider
• Dart Mountain Cheese Company, Dungiven, county Derry for
Sperrin Blue Cheese
• Free'ist, Belfast for Sugar-Free Caramel Crunch Popcorn
• Glastry Farmhouse Ice Cream for Blackcurrant Sorbet
• Hannan Meats, Moira, county Down for Smoked Chicken Breast
• Heatherlea Bakery, Bangor, county Down for Rich Fruit Loaf
• Hovis, Belfast for Connell Bakery pancakes
• Linden Foods, Dungannon, county Tyrone for Inishvale Irish
Hereford Fillet Steak (entered by Lidi)
• Maud's Ice Cream, Carrickfergus, county Antrim for Salted
Caramel Ice Cream
• White's Oats, Tandragee, county Armagh for Porridge Pots
with Golden Syrup
• Willowbrook Foods, Killinchy, county Down
Hannan Meats also gained an award for the export potential of its
successful chicken breast product.
Now in its eighth year, Blas na hEireann, The Irish Food Awards is
the biggest competition for quality Irish produce on the island of
Ireland. Over 2,500 products were entered into this year's
competition to win Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards in over 90 food
and drink categories as well as key awards such as Supreme Champion and Best Artisan Producer.
A total of 47 Northern Ireland products were shortlisted for awards across a number of categories.
Artie Clifford, Blas organiser, says: "Research has shown that the
Blas accreditation has the highest recognition amongst Irish
consumers and using the award logo on packs encourages shoppers to
buy these products. It is their guarantee of a top quality Irish
product."
The Blas awards are the biggest blind tasting of produce on the
island, and the criteria on which the product is judged as well as
the judging system itself, which was developed by Blas na hEireann
with the Food Science Department of UCC, is now recognised as an
international industry standard.
The Blas Awards is a non-for profit organisation and was founded so that quality benchmarks could be established for Irish produce on a level playing field.
Awards.
Overall, almost 40 products from Northern Ireland companies were
awarded medals at the prestigious awards held as part of the annual Dingle Peninsula Food Festival in county Kerry. Northern Ireland
cider producers captured most of the awards in this category,
strengthening the region's reputation as Ireland's centre for
cider production.
There were awards for Northern Ireland producers in most categories including bakery, meat, poultry, convenience meals, ice cream and
accompaniments. Dart Mountain Cheese in Dungiven emerged successfulin one of the most hotly contested categories for Irish cheese.
The gold winners from Northern Ireland are:
• Broighter Gold Rapeseed, Limavady, county Derry for Thai
Infused Rapeseed Oil
• Corn Dolly Foods, Newry, county Down for Large Floury Bap
• DJ's Ciders and Juices. Lisburn, county Antrim for Tempted? Sweet Cider
• Dart Mountain Cheese Company, Dungiven, county Derry for
Sperrin Blue Cheese
• Free'ist, Belfast for Sugar-Free Caramel Crunch Popcorn
• Glastry Farmhouse Ice Cream for Blackcurrant Sorbet
• Hannan Meats, Moira, county Down for Smoked Chicken Breast
• Heatherlea Bakery, Bangor, county Down for Rich Fruit Loaf
• Hovis, Belfast for Connell Bakery pancakes
• Linden Foods, Dungannon, county Tyrone for Inishvale Irish
Hereford Fillet Steak (entered by Lidi)
• Maud's Ice Cream, Carrickfergus, county Antrim for Salted
Caramel Ice Cream
• White's Oats, Tandragee, county Armagh for Porridge Pots
with Golden Syrup
• Willowbrook Foods, Killinchy, county Down
Hannan Meats also gained an award for the export potential of its
successful chicken breast product.
Now in its eighth year, Blas na hEireann, The Irish Food Awards is
the biggest competition for quality Irish produce on the island of
Ireland. Over 2,500 products were entered into this year's
competition to win Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards in over 90 food
and drink categories as well as key awards such as Supreme Champion and Best Artisan Producer.
A total of 47 Northern Ireland products were shortlisted for awards across a number of categories.
Artie Clifford, Blas organiser, says: "Research has shown that the
Blas accreditation has the highest recognition amongst Irish
consumers and using the award logo on packs encourages shoppers to
buy these products. It is their guarantee of a top quality Irish
product."
The Blas awards are the biggest blind tasting of produce on the
island, and the criteria on which the product is judged as well as
the judging system itself, which was developed by Blas na hEireann
with the Food Science Department of UCC, is now recognised as an
international industry standard.
The Blas Awards is a non-for profit organisation and was founded so that quality benchmarks could be established for Irish produce on a level playing field.