UK rural business recognition for Mash Direct

Mash Direct, the Northern Ireland manufacturer of potato and vegetable sides and convenience meals, has won an important award in the Rural Business Awards.

The company, based on a family farm near Comber in county Down, has been named runner up in the Best Rural Food and Drinks category in the prestigious awards.

Mash Direct has become one of the most successful farm diversification businesses in the UK.

Created by husband and wife team Martin and Tracy Hamilton Mash Direct began producing mashed potato dishes more than a decade ago. It now has a range of over 40 products, many of which have won UK Great Taste Awards. The company was also gained the Food Manufacturing Excellence Award in 2016.

Created and set up by directors and co-founders Jemma Clifford and Anna Price, the aim of the Rural Business Awards is to recognise businesses operating right across the rural sector, businesses fitting into three broad categories - Land Based businesses, Land Related Businesses and Other Businesses located in rural areas.

It aims to draw together businesses from across these three broad areas to acknowledge the breadth and depth of opportunity presented by the UK countryside, as well as to celebrate the achievements of rural businesses, from engineering through to artisan food producers and professional services organisations.

The awards are organised by rural business for rural business and judged by people who understand the rural sector. Businesses operating in the rural sector employ in excess of 3.4 million people within over 600,000 businesses, and the sector is growing rapidly. Mash Direct now employs over 200 people in a rural community.

The 13 award categories were chosen by an independent panel of judges drawn from the rural business sector, official agencies and rural charitable organisations.

The aim is to grow The Rural Business Awards to become the UK's most prestigious and respected awards for rural businesses.