By Sam Butler

Copyright newsletter

They gold winners were among around 25 food and drink products from a dozen Northern Ireland companies, mostly artisans and smaller enterprises, successful in the important business all-Ireland awards. Arguably Ireland’s most important food and drink competition, the awards are closely monitored for new product ideas by the leading retailers especially German discounters Aldi and Lidl, both of which now operate special ??? The discounters also dominated the awards, once again, in terms of products they entered. This is particularly true in major categories such a meat and dairy. Produce from Northern Ireland suppliers were included in the awards won by Aldi and Lidl. The widest range of local producers, artisans and small companies, from Northern Ireland featured in this year’s category wins which are cover gold, silver and bronze medals. Now in its 12th year, the IQFDA are renowned for being the most prestigious awards in the Irish food and Drink Industry. It’s a competition in which Northern Ireland producers continue to fare well. Many previous winners have gone on to develop worthwhile business in the Republic, the most important market for local producers outside Great Britain. Local gold winners this year included: Daily Apron, a home bakery in Lisburn for its ‘Everything Bagel’. The small bakery also won silver for its unique Morning Bun. Dundarave Estate in Bushmills also won gold for its Lemon and Champagne Marmalade; Papas Minerals in Belfast was awarded gold for its unique Dark Clove Cordial and two silvers for Pink Grapefruit Soda and Irish Sisters Non Alcoholic Fiery Ginger Wine; Jackson Roze in Tandagree gained gold for its Ginger, Beetroot and Apple Shot; Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt in Bangor won gold for its Raspberry and White Chocolate Yoghurt; Long Meadow Cider in Loughgall gained gold for its Apple Cider Vinegar in the Food Service Section. Other notable local achievers included: Irish Black Butter, Portrush, which gained silver; Get’er Brewed in Randalstown won bronzes for a range of beverages such as Belgian Triple Prime Time of Your Life beer and Silver for Frankie and Eileen’s Craft Gin. In the Breakfast categories, White’s Oats of Tandagree, Ireland’s only oat miller, won gold for its Kavanagh’s Double Oat Granola and Silver for Kavanagh’s Organic Porridge Oats, both for Aldi. Whit’s has also reached the final stages in the UK Quality Food and Drink Awards with two separate products. In Snacks, Cushendall’s Glens of Antrim’s Shindigs Rockin Irish Roots Crinkle Cut Whiskey Smoked Bacon Potato Crisps got a silver prize. Warrenpoint’s Deli Lites took a silver with Deli and Firey Turk Bagel and another silver for Foodservice Braeburn Irish Rarebit, Pulled Ham and Mature Cheddar Tosta. There was a silver award for Kilkeel’s Crawford’s Rock Seaweed Salt n Chilli Chocolate. In Drinks, Long Meadow Cider won silver for Aldi Medium Cider and bronze for Cullen’s Apple Cider.. Woodlab Distillery, Pomeroy, took a silver award for is Symphonia Irish Apple Rum that’s made from Armagh apples. In Foodservice, Long Meadow won another gold for Apple Cider Vinegar. This product was also given the Foodservice Product of the Year Award. Long Meadow, furthermore, won Silver for Pure Apple Juice. Emma Connelly from Glastry Farm Ice Cream, Kircubbin was commended in the Rising Star of the Year Category. Michele Shirlow, FoodNI chief executive, commenting on the awards, said: “I am absolutely delighted to see so many local products winning major awards for an impressive range of products. It is a demonstration of the exceptional quality, innovation and taste underpinning the local food and drink industry. “Encouragingly, most of the successful companies are members of FoodNI, and we are thrilled by their outstanding achievements in such an important food and drink event. We always promote the awards to our members as probably the best way to raise awareness of products with major supermarkets across the Republic. Alanna McKeever of Long Meadow in Loughgall said: “This is another major boost for our ciders, juices and apple cider vinegar in a market that’s becoming extremely important for us.” And Patrick Black of Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt in Bangor shared Alanna’s enthusiasm for the awards. “It’s always immensely encouraging to pick-up gold in such a significant competition that is closely monitored particularly by leading retailers across the Republic, our most important outside Northern Ireland,” he added.