Top award for Northern Irish marmalade maker
En Place Foods in Northern Ireland has gained recognition in the UK Marmalade of the Year Awards. Judges in the Marmalade Awards gave the small company a bronze medal for its savoury Burnt Hazelnut and Orange marmalade for cheese.
Based at Cookstown in county Tyrone, En Place is a specialist in jams, chutneys, relishes and culinary oils. The artisan company had two products listed in the Top 50 Foods by the UK Guild of Fine Food this year and won the top award for an ambient product in the competition.
Peter Clarke, En Place managing director, says: "It was the first time that we entered a product in the awards. We are delighted to win a bronze at the first attempt."
En Place Foods was also recently named as an emerging brand to watch in a major survey of Best Brands by Fine Food Digest, the UK's top artisan food magazine.
Sam Rosen Nash, one of Fortnum and Mason's most experienced buyers, pinpointed two UK Great Taste Award winning products from En Place Foods, Sea Buckthorn Berry and Lime Jam and Sea Salted Caramel with Fennel Pollen, in the prestigious survey.
En Place, headed by experienced chef Mr Clarke, has won around 50 Great Taste Awards in recent years and is now established as among the UK's most innovative producers of jams, sauces, reductions and culinary oils.
Formed in 2010, En Place specialises in the development and processing of handcrafted foods designed to complement and enhance the home dining experience.
In addition to the En Place range of flavoured oils and jams, the company produces Moyallon chutneys and relishes. En Place products do not use artificial preservatives, flavours, colouring, modified starches or any other fillers or bulking agents.
More than 2,000 jars of marmalade were sent by marmalade makers to the organisers of the quirky awards and festival which were held in Dalemain Mansion near Penrith, Cumbria. Entries came from as far afield as Australia, the Philippines, South Africa, Mexico, Czech Republic, Japan, South Korea and many more.
This year also saw an increased number of artisan marmalade entries compared to last year, a sign that the awards are now setting the standard for marmalade, recognised nationally and internationally.
The award winners were announced on Saturday 1st March 2014 at the festival which place on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd March. The event kicks off National Marmalade Week which runs from 1st to 8th March and is aimed at encouraging more people to taste, buy and make marmalade.
Organiser Jane Hasell-McCosh says: "Yet again we have been amazed by the enthusiasm and support of marmalade makers all over the world for this wonderful competition."