Six golds for Northern Ireland in Freefrom Awards
Six gold awards were won by Northern Ireland products at the annual Freefrom Ireland awards in Dublin, the only awards dedicated to freefrom products from companies on the island of Ireland.
The golds won by six Northern Ireland companies covered most categories. A total of 12 awards were collected by Northern Ireland producers.
The Northern Ireland winners were:
Gold for Coco Mojo, Lisburn, county Antrim in Beverages (Non Alcoholic) for its bean drink;
Rule of Crumb, Antrim, country Antrim - gold in Desserts and Puddings for chocolate eclairs, silver in Breads for par baked baguettes and bronze in Catering and Food Service for gluten free corn flakes;
Doherty's Meats, Derry gold in Meats for its gluten free meat balls, bronze in this category for gluten free burgers, and bronze in Kid's Choice for gluten free cocktail sausages;
Gold for New Found Joy, Portadown, county Armagh in Long Life for its gluten free chocolate brownie;
Gold for Pizzado, Portaferry, county Down in Parent's Choice for its DIY pizza kit
Gold for Mash Direct, Comber, county Down in Substitute Vegan and Vegetarian Products for its sweet potato croquettes and a merit award in Ready to Cook for its cauliflower cheese gratin; and
Silver for Peppup, Newtownards, county Down in Sauces for its roasted pepper and tomato sauce pasta.
The awards, now in their second year, were expanded to 44 categories and attracted 101 brands with a total of 583 products judged over 14 days, demonstrating the continued growth of the freefrom sector, with manufacturers responding to demand, be it gluten free, dairy free, wheat free or any of the 14 allergens which limit consumer's diets.
Whether food be medicine or lifestyle choice, the growth is driving the freefrom industry, and figures suggest that freefrom is not a fad, but here to stay. Ireland's Bord Bia says the Irish gluten free market is worth around £60 million, a 36 percent increase on last year.
The FreeFrom Food Awards looks for excellence and innovation in this industry, so that the bar is constantly raised in terms of quality, availability and affordability in freefrom foods.
Having originated in the UK, the Irish awards were founded by coeliac businessman, John Burke. "We are amazed at the excellence of the products that have come this year. The awards were established to promote quality, to seek out diversity, to encourage manufacturers to bring new products to the market place. The freefrom market is advancing and we're keen to see this continuing in the future," adds Burke.
Gold, Silver and Bronze are granted, along with a Merit badge for products still considered high quality by the judges.