Northern Ireland's Mash Direct wins UK innovation award

Northern Ireland's Mash Direct, a specialist in potato and vegetable convenience meals, has been named 'Most Innovative Small company of the Year' in the prestigious Food Manufacturing Excellence Awards (FMEA).

The company, a farm diversification business based at Comber in county Down, was among some of the UK's top food companies such as Premier Foods, Allied Bakeries, United Biscuits, named in the country's most influential competition for manufacturers. The awards are organised annually by Food Manufacture magazine.

The awards recognise the very best food and drink manufacturing companies. They honour and reward those companies that have displayed progress and achievements through their manufacturing process in this competitive and fast moving industry.

Two other Northern Irish companies were shortlisted in the awards - Avondale, a Lurgan, county Armagh-based manufacturer of salads and soups in the Chilled and Fresh Foods and Supply Chain Initiative, and Moy Park, Craigavon, county Armagh in Meat, Poultry and Seafood. Moy Park is a UK leader in poultry products.

Rick Pendrous, editor of Food Manufacture, said: "The FMEAs go from strength-to-strength each year in recognising top achievement in the field of food and drink manufacturing. "

Mash Direct processes a range of quality quick-serve potato and vegetable products and is now among Northern Ireland's most successful food businesses with an impressive track record in new product development.

Mash Direct, a family business owned by Martin and Tracy Hamilton, now leads the market producing an innovative range of mashed potato, vegetable and cabbage products.

The company has won a series of Great Taste Awards from the UK Guild of Fine Food.

An emphasis on provenance and traceability means that the family farm produces the majority of the raw materials with the rest being meticulously sourced throughout the UK and Ireland to produce a range free from artificial additives, preservatives or colourings.

All Mash Direct vegetables are steam cooked and packaged on the family farm and distributed throughout the UK, Ireland, other parts of Europe and the US.