Top European Steak Awards for Northern Irish Processor

'Mighty Marbled', a new sirloin developed by award-winning Northern Irish meat supplier Hannan Meats has been voted the best sirloin in the annual European Angus Steak Tasting Competition.

Hannan Meats, in addition, secured Supreme Champion for the best steak in Northern Ireland, and the Best Fillet awards, both sourced from its Glenarm Shorthorn supplier, in the European awards held recently in Northern Ireland.

Peter Hannan, managing director of Hannan Meats, a leading supplier of beef, pork, lamb and poultry to hotels and restaurants in Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, says: "Winning the three top awards in such a prestigious European competition is a tremendous endorsement of the quality and, above all, the succulent taste of our meat.

"The competition is a marvellous showcase of the superb quality of beef available from suppliers in Northern Ireland in particular."

The company, which achieved a record number of gold stars in last year's UK Great Taste Awards, includes restaurants owned by Mark Hix in London among its clients. It is based at Moira, County Down and sources much of its beef from a shorthorn herd in Glenarm, County Antrim.

Celebrity chef Mark Hix will be serving 'Mighty Marbled' sirloin as the Signature Dish on the menu of his new Tramshed restaurant in London.

The prestigious European Angus event, now in its second year, attracted a 300 per cent rise in entries this year from meat processors and butchers. The event aims to showcase quality beef suppliers. European Angus Cattle Society secretary, Harry McGaffin, commenting on the awards said: "The standard of entries this year was very high in all categories but in the steak tasting Hannan Meats came out on top both in the blind tasting and with a celebrity judge."

Hannan Meats currently employs 25 people and is expanding its factory and offices. It supplies foodservice customers in Great Britain, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland with a broad range of fresh and processed meats including high quality fillet, sirloin and rib-eye, pork and bacon, burgers and sausages.