Third major national award for That Protein’s super foods

That Protein, the Belfast-based producer of vegan superfood powders, has won a Nourish UK award for the third successive year.

The small company, owned and managed by Darlene McCormick, a qualified nutritionist, gained the top award in the Raw and Superfood category for its novel Chirpy Chirpy Choca Moca Organic Super Protein.

The original powder was also commended in the High protein and Sports Nutrition category.

The company has already won awards for separate products in 2018 and 2019 in what is regarded as one of the world’s most important awards for healthy foods.

Ms McCormick, a vegetarian, commenting on the award, says: “I am thrilled to win this significant recognition for what is a new product that I’ve developed from an original recipe I’ve created in the past year.  Such endorsement is particularly important for a small producer like That Protein because it highlights our successful development of highly innovative products.

“It’s quite an achievement too for a small Northern Ireland producer to have won major awards three years in a row. This helps to increase awareness of our work and, of course, our novel products,” she adds.

The enterprise is fast becoming an international leader in plant-based foods that slot perfectly into vegan, vegetarian and other healthy diets.

 “Using organic ingredients is something we’ve done since day one in our small business. We’ve never used any chemical ingredients in our super proteins and never will do. And so it’s wonderful to get this important industry recognition especially at this very challenging time for everyone.

“Our award winning mocha super protein has a delicious taste of chocolate and is a vegan product free from sugars. It’s high protein, rich in fibres, minerals and a great plant-based source of energy. It’s tremendous to be creating a position for Northern Ireland is this dynamic and fast growing sector. I’ve chosen quirky branding for all my products to set them apart in the marketplace and to add a bit of fun to the category. Plant-based foods don’t have to have boring or serious branding.”

That Protein, which she established in 2014, is based on her long-time dedication to a vegetarian diet and her training as a clinical nutritionist.

Ms McCormick brought a successful career in management in communications in Belfast, including a stint with UTV, and in Dublin to her innovation-led business. Her impressive management CV also includes running an international PR operation.