Mash Direct shortlisted in Grocer New Product Awards

Mash Direct, a specialist in meal accompaniments and convenience dishes, is the only Northern Ireland company to have a product short-listed in the prestigious Grocer New Product Awards 2017.

The company, which is based on a family farm near Comber in county Down, has been shortlisted for its Sweet Potato Fries. The product is among 136 shortlisted from producers across the UK in 29 categories. The Mash Direct product is one of five listed in meal accompaniments.

The Grocer New Product Awards celebrate outstanding innovation in the fast moving grocery sector across the UK. Categories cover adult soft drinks to sweet snacks and annually attract entries from most of the UK's leading manufacturers.

This year the competition attracted almost 250 entries which were trimmed to 136 by a panel of expert judges over a period of three months.

The winners will be announced on 6th October at a gala dinner in London, one of the biggest events in the annual grocery calendar.

Mash Direct is a family business launched by Martin and Tracy Hamilton on their farm in county Down as a diversification project that began by processing potatoes to create a creamy champ. The business was established in 2004.

Mash Direct last year won the coveted title Most Innovative Small Manufacturing Company of the Year in the industry Oscars - Food Manufacture's Food Manufacturing Excellence Awards. The small business, in addition, has won a string of UK Great Taste Awards and Irish National Food Awards.