Bord Bia has revealed the winners of the National Organic Awards, which took place in the Bord Bia Global Hub, Dublin.
The National Organic Awards, held in association with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, celebrate the achievements and high standards of the increasing number of organic growers, producers, and manufacturers in the country.
Among the winners on the day was county Clare’s Burren Smokehouse, which took home the Best Irish Organic Product Award for its Burren Smoked Irish Organic Salmon. This was one of seven awards presented on the day.
Burren Smokehouse is an artisan smokehouse of 100% Irish organic salmon and offers experiences and educational experiences at its visitor centre. Burren Smoked Irish organic salmon comes in a variety of hot smoked and cold smoked options in sizes ranging from 90g to 1 Kg. In addition, the producer also has a range of smoked salmon that features marinades like seaweed, honey, lemon & dill, honey whiskey & fennel.
Commenting on the winning producers, Minister of State, Pippa Hackett, said: “It’s a pleasure to be here today at the National Organic Awards, and to see the quality, innovation and creativity happening within the organic sector in Ireland. Today’s award-winners represent the very best of the high standard of organic food and drink production that this country has to offer.
From my own experience of organic farming, I know the amount of work that goes into producing high quality organic produce but also how rewarding it is, and I want to congratulate everyone who was shortlisted for playing an important role in helping the Irish organic sector to thrive. Bord Bia play a vital role in delivering market access for our premium organic product. I’m hugely grateful for their commitment and am looking forward to their increasing investment in the organic sector.”
Emmet Doyle, Organic Sector Manager in Bord Bia, said: The quality of submissions for this year’s National Organic Awards was exceptionally high, and this is evident in the success of today’s winners. They are proof that the organic sector in Ireland is thriving, and the dedication and hard work of ourproducers is key to this success. The National Organic Awards are a fantastic way of recognising this hard work and highlights our appreciation for the pioneers working within this sector. We would like to extend our congratulations to the winners today and thank all who entered this year.”
Award Winners
The winners were selected from a shortlist of 16 Irish companies, competing across seven categories, which were judged by a panel of industry experts. As industry champions, they will receive a one-to-one session with Bord Bia’s Client Capability team, who will help develop a bespoke package of supports to meet individual company needs up to the value of €5,000.
Awards Judges
Judging took place at the National Organic Food Fair in Merrion Square, Dublin, on Saturday, August 31st. The lineup of judges included chef Clodagh McKenna, food writer Suzanne Campbell, chef Janine Kennedy, food consultant Annie Dunne, and retail expert John McDonagh.