Northern Ireland's Moy Park listing in Irish retail awards

Poultry processor Moy Park, Northern Ireland's biggest food manufacturing business, was listed in the finals of the eighth annual Checkout FMCG Awards in Dublin.

Moy Park, based at Craigavon in county Armagh, was a finalist in two categories - Best Product Launch and Best Advertising Campaign - at the prestigious retail industry awards. The company has recently been sold to US processor Pilgrim's Pride.

The Northern Ireland company, the only one in the region with a turnover in excess of £1 billion, was recognised in the Best Product Launch for its breaded chicken range and in the Best Advertising Campaign (On-line and Digital) for the Ride the Roost Roadshow.

The Checkout awards follow the company's success in the recent Blas na hEireann, Irish National Food Awards in winning silver for its BBQ breaded chicken drumsticks.

Around 200 of Ireland leading brand managers and marketers were in attendance for the Checkout gala lunch and awards ceremony, in which 23 awards were given out.

The FMCG Awards acknowledge excellence in the areas of new product development (NPD), best-in-class merchandising and sales support, innovation in advertising and marketing, and successful sponsorships and brand associations.

This year's winners include names like Mars Ireland, Heineken Ireland, and Beiersdorf.

Speaking about the awards, Checkout editor Jenny Whelan said: "The judges had a tough job choosing between the incredibly strong entries to the FMCG Awards this year.

"Each of our finalists and winners should be proud of their achievements, and for the hard work they consistently put into supporting Ireland's grocery retailers."