News - Blas na hEireann

Delivering to Dingle for Blas na hÉireann Finalist Showcase 2024

August 22, 2024 by Irish Food Awards

For those of you who are through to the finalist stages of Blas na hÉireann, you can deliver either in person, with courier or with An Post, etc. Once it gets to us safe and sound on the dates/time requested!

Products should be delivered as they are presented in their packaging to the customer. Samples will be displayed in their shop ready state. Products do not need to be delivered by the producer. Courier deliveries can be accepted. Dates for delivery as follows….

Chilled & short shelf life samples Deliver to The Blas Village, Green St, Dingle, Co. Kerry V92RR76 Deliveries accepted on Wednesday 2nd October only 9am – 4pm
Please note that Soul Food are offering a chilled courier service from Dublin in a shared delivery. If you are interested please email bill@soulfood.ie for more details
Ambient & long shelf life samples Deliver to Blas na hÉireann, Dykegate Lane, Dingle, Co. Kerry, V92 H365. Deliveries accepted Mon 23rd – Friday 27th September 9am – 5pm.
Please be sure to send any ambient / longer shelf life samples in this week to our office address.
The showcase build is busy and the more prep we can do in advance the better it is for the display!

If you are using a courier and need chilled delivery…

Soul Food are delighted to offer a courier service to Finalists.

Collection/aggregation will be in Dublin on Tuesday 1^st Oct 2024

between Noon and 3Pm, with some potential to facilitate outside these times and by agreement.

Delivery to Dingle on 2^nd Oct arriving approx. 11.00 Am

Cost per box up to 15Kg is 60 euro plus vat where applicable.Booking essential by latest date Sept 6^th

Drop details on booking.

Please contact bill@soulfood.ie for booking enquiries.Contact Bill on 0858582384 or email for any clarification.

Thank you

Bill Roche
Soul Food Ltd

For all deliveries….

When sending, remember…

It is vital that the entry number is included clearly (Example 1a-24-10123)
Please include this on the back or underneath every sample so that display products appear at their best.
Two samples of each product (Note, if your product exceeds 1 kg per sample in this case 1 samples will suffice) Best Before date must be included on each sample. All chilled products should arrive at the correct temperature for storage Sampling & Display in The Marquee
The finalist products will be displayed in their shop ready state. The Blas team will prepare this display.
Please note that we will not be able to offer space for display stands, leaflets or sampling.
We do not have the space or facilities to allow producers to offer samples of the products. We may select some products which our team will prepare and offer as samples to buyers and press. This is a very limited amount, based entirely on the facilities, space available and food samples ease of preparation (essentially ‘open & serve’).

2024 Delivery Dates

May 13, 2024 by Irish Food Awards

Find our 2024 Delivery Dates & Locations below

Conor Spacey, Culinary Director of FoodSpace and kitchen sustainability advocate, is named this year’s Blas na hÉireann Producers’ Champion 2024

April 29, 2024 by Irish Food Awards

This year’s Blas na hÉireann Producers’ Champion is Conor Spacey, chosen for his dedication to championing the best of everything Irish, independent and sustainable.

The Producers’ Champion is selected annually by Blas na hÉireann producers, based on a survey that goes out to the entire Blas network — a network that covers every county in Ireland with producers from all across the food industry. Nominees for Producers’ Champion are put forward early in the year, when producers are asked to nominate those they believe are representing and supporting their produce and that of other Irish food makers and growers in an effective and helpful way.

Conor has been involved in the food industry for over 34 years, having worked across Ireland and the UK in bistros and bars, hotels, banqueting and fine dining. For the past eight years, he has been the Culinary Director of FoodSpace, an award-winning and sustainable on-site food service & hospitality management company, which has grown to over 20 locations throughout Ireland and the UK.

Conor has always had a passion for local and seasonal food, beginning with ensuring that all the food he was serving was grown, produced or farmed within a 50-mile radius of his kitchens. But this was just a starting point for him, as he delved deeper into making professional kitchens more environmentally friendly, removing and replacing unsustainable practices, and becoming one of the industry leaders in zero waste kitchens.

He recently collaborated with Chef’s Manifesto, a global network of chefs driving action for a sustainable food system, and with the United Nations on their sustainable development goals for the global food system. An advocate and speaker on sustainability, Conor published his first book, Wasted, in July last year and his latest project is building a first-of-its kind sustainable cookery school, farm and café in Gambia, creating a totally circular economy within the villages, training people in the hospitality industry, and creating employment across the entire food system.

“I am delighted to be announced as this year’s Producers’ Champion,” said Conor Spacey. “Food sustainability has become more than a passion of mine, it’s a way of life and it’s something I feel everyone can be doing, on a small or large scale. To be nominated by a group of food and drink producers who understand the importance of what I’m doing makes me even more proud to win this award. Thank you to all the producers and industry folk who strive to do better — this is what it’s all about.”

“We are thrilled to announce Conor Spacey as this year’s Producers’ Champion,” said Artie Clifford, founder and Chairman of Blas na hÉireann. “Conor has contributed to the food industry for many years and his passion is second to none. His determination to change the way we talk about food, consume it, and work with it, to leave our planet a better and happier one, is inspiring and something everyone in the food world should be working toward. And most importantly, he has shown it is possible. Congratulations to Conor on this extremely well-deserved award.”

Conor Spacey joins the exclusive Blas na hÉireann Producers’ Champions roster that now includes Simon Coveney TD, Neven Maguire, John & Sally McKenna, Shane McArdle, Kai’s Jess Murphy, Darina Allen, Rory O’Connell, Rachel Allen, Brian McDermott and last year’s winner Kate Ryan.

Final call for entries to Blas na hÉireann 2024 – closing date is 16th May. For more details visit www.irishfoodawards.com

Best in Laois Award at Blas na hÉireann

April 18, 2024 by Irish Food Awards

Entries for Blas na hÉireann 2024, the Irish Food Awards are open. Blas na hÉireann is the largest blind-tasted food awards on the island of Ireland, designed to recognise and celebrate the very best Irish food and drink. Entries are open to producers across all categories of food and drink. There is also an opportunity for a producer to be awarded in every county with Best in Laois supported by Laois LEO.

“Local Enterprise Office Laois is delighted to support the 2024 Blas na hÉireann awards. In Laois we are dedicating to promoting the Food & Drink Sector through the Laois TASTE brand, locally, nationally, and internationally. Our aim is to promote local provenance, strengthen the Laois food industry and transform Laois into one of Ireland’s top food destinations.” Evelyn Reddin, Laois LEO

Entries will finally close for this year’s awards on May 16th, with judging happening over the summer months and the awards announced on Friday 4th of October. After a wonderfully successful year in Dingle in 2023 celebrating Irish food and drink producers, the excitement for the upcoming awards this October is already building.

“It’s hard to believe we are now in our 17th year running the awards,” says Artie Clifford, Blas na hÉireann Chairman. “Looking back to when we started and had just under 400 applications to where we are now with nearly 3,000 entries last year, it is testament not only to the fantastic food and drink producers of Ireland, but also to the measurable impact these awards have on small artisan businesses. Since creating the Blas village, we have seen even more momentum and opportunities for producers with high engagement between them and key industry buyers. We are very much looking forward to seeing what this year brings and welcoming new producers participating right across the island.”

In 2023 there were 9 Laois businesses which made it to the finalist stage, Abbey Farm Foods, Aghaboe Farm Ltd, Ballykilcavan Brewing Company, Cocoa Couture, ÍON Oil, Mueller & O’Connell Bakery, Temptation Chocolates, The Village Dairy and Valeo Foods.

Together with the Food Science Dept of UCC and the University of Copenhagen, the team at Blas na hÉireann have developed a blind-tasting judging system that is now recognised as an industry gold standard worldwide.

Winners and finalists are always the best Blas ambassadors — something to which many hundreds of small producers, farmers, growers, bakers and artisan food makers who have won a Blas na hÉireann award and proudly put the winner’s sticker on their product can attest. Research has shown that the Blas na hÉireann accreditation has the highest recognition among Irish consumers and having the award logo on products encourages shoppers to buy – it is a recognised guarantee of a top-quality Irish product.

Key dates for 2024

16th May – Deadline to enter www.irishfoodawards.com
June/July – Judging with UCC
Mid August – Finalists Notified
4th October – Blas na hÉireann awards presented
(Blas Village with Networking, Showcase, Awards & Eat Ireland in a Day running from 4th – 6th Oct)
2024 Categories
2024 Delivery Locations & Dates for Judging
2024 Entry Form

A look back at 2023 Laois winners

Name: John, William and Andrew Back row: David and Lisa Walsh-Kemmis Company: Ballykilcavan Brewing Company Town/County Stradbally Co Laois receiving their award from Artie Clifford, Chairman, Blas na hEireann in Dingle, County Kerry. Photo: Don MacMonagle More info: info@irishfoodawards.com

Best in Kildare award at Blas na hÉireann

April 18, 2024 by Irish Food Awards

The finalists for Blas na hÉireann, The Irish Food Awards, 2024 have been announced and the countdown is now on for another exciting and joyous awards weekend in the pretty seaside town of Dingle. The three-day event will take place from Thursday 3rd October to Saturday 5th October.

The excitement is already building and the Blas team are hard at work preparing for the arrival of food and drink producers from across Ireland to celebrate the very best of Irish.

Now in its 17th year, Blas na hÉireann saw another record-breaking year across all categories along with many new producers entering the awards for the first time this year. During the judging, which took place in June and July, over 3,000 entries were judged, testament to the number of brilliant producers across the country.

Kildare County Council , Head of Enterprise, Jacqui Mc Nabb commented: “We are delighted to see 11 finalists in this year’s Blas na hÉireann and are proud to be sponsoring, for the very first time, Best in Kildare to celebrate the food provenance, taste and above all the passion and talent of our Kildare food & drink producers.”

The finalists shortlisted from Co. Kildare across a range of different categories are Bird’s Eye frozen foods, Coghlan’s Artisan Bakery, Couverture Handmade Desserts & Cakes, Daisy Desserts (Dessert trailer), Firecastle (artisan grocers, delicatessen, bakery and café), Killadoon Milk, (pasteurised, non-homogenised whole milk from their single source jersey-cross herd, using reusable glass bottles), O’Brien Fine Foods (premium cooked meat)s, Pro-Bars Ltd, (Harte’s of Kildare Restaurant) Rye River Craft Brewing, The Brown Bread Guy, and Beara Bitters, handmade cocktail bitters.

Speaking as the finalists were announced, Blas na hÉireann Chairperson, Artie Clifford said, “I started the awards after 30 years in the food industry, and I knew there was a need to celebrate the amazing food and drink being produced on the island of Ireland. 17 years later, it continues to delight me the number of new producers entering each year along with so many familiar faces returning year on year. We are an island of phenomenal producers and should be very proud of that, being able to showcase the very best of the best in Dingle each year is a real privilege for the whole Blas team.”

This year’s Blas na hÉireann awards in Dingle will see the return of Eat Ireland in a Day market and the Blas Village where the 2024 finalists will get the opportunity to showcase their products, engage with customers and meet key industry buyers. This year’s focus will be on sustainability with a commitment to encourage zero-waste throughout the three days of the awards in line with the Dingle Food Festival ethos. One new element at Blas will be the removal of any single use cups and the introduction of the first electric van delivering food and drink to the awards from across the country. These new initiatives are supported by Bank of Ireland in partnership with Blas.

With over 3,000 products entered in this year’s Blas na hÉireann, making it as a finalist is a huge achievement and one to be very proud of. The competition ramps up year on year, meaning those producers who are shortlisted as finalists really are the crème de la crème of Irish food and drink.

For finalist producers it is not just their exceptional food and drink which will be celebrated in Dingle but the people themselves, the passionate producers who make the very best of Irish will be recognised and rewarded making Blas na hÉireann 2024 a food event not to be missed!

Notes to Editors:

Blas na hÉireann, the Irish Food Awards, are the largest food awards on the island, open to all 32 counties. Judging took place during June and July and awards will be announced on 4th October.

For more information or imagery contact:
Hattie Wrixon
Host & Co
E: hattie@hostandcompany.ie
M: 087 189 1360

Name: Mark Bergin and Siobhan Deasy Company: Bergin’s Family Foodstore Town/County Kildare pictured receiving their award from Artie Clifford, Blas na hEireann and Terry O’Dwyer Sponsor Cross Rental Services.

Free Branding Event for Irish Food & Drink producers

April 16, 2024 by Irish Food Awards

FREE BRANDING EVENT
Are you ready to dial up your food or drink brand? 🚀

🌟 There is an exciting NEW BRANDING EVENT for Irish Food & Drink producers to Dial Up your Food Brand! This FREE EVENT is fully funded by Taste 4 Success Skillnet. and is designed by Annie Dunne of the art of GRATE food, in association with Blas na hÉireann.

Join us for an educational day on unlocking the secrets of brand building to elevate your business.
Hear insights from industry experts, including brand specialist Pat Kinsley (founder of design agency Neworld), entrepreneur Richard Cullen (founder of the Jelly Bean Factory), marketing & communications specialist Sharon Noonan, and consumer insights expert Michelle Frawley of mykidstime

📅 DATE: 22 May 2024, 10.00am-2.30pm
📍 VENUE: Bia Innovator Campus, Athenry / or you can join VIRTUALLY
🌐 Sign Up here t4s.ie/BrandBiteReg

This event is open to ALL Irish Food & Drink Producers.

BUT WAIT, THERE IS MORE!

Attendees will have the chance to apply for the BrandBite Training Programme, receiving a comprehensive brand workshop, a full brand toolkit, new packaging design, and more! The BrandBite Training Programme is significantly funded by Taste 4 Success Skillnet and Skillnet Ireland to support food/drink companies to build their food brand. T&C’s apply.

Eligibility for the Training Programme is subject to the following criteria:

Has attended Building Your Brand for Business Success on 22 May
Producer has been a Blas finalist or winner in the past 3 years
Demonstrates a strong business case and ambition for growth
Is consciously working to help the climate, local community and/or has an ESG plan in place
Product is in a new or developing category
Product is produced in the Republic of Ireland
Participant is available for the 12 week duration of the programme (average 2-3 hours per week)
Participant agrees to contribute 25% of the programme fee (€4,997)

Backyard on the Road “Buyer Focus”

March 20, 2024 by Irish Food Awards

The Backyard on the Road was back again this Spring. As always it was a space to hear from industry experts, both in learning presentations and discussion panels and network with your fellow food & drink producers. This year’s sessions are focussed on the buying process….

Sessions covered…

Understanding the Buying Process
Distribution & Routes to Market
New Product Development

Plus…

Dealing with Buyers
Research & Meeting preparation
Negotiation & maintaining the relationship

Speakers will include our mentors Annie Dunne (The Art of Grate Food), Brian McDermott and Malachy O’Connor (Food First Consulting) who will be delivering presentations as well as chatting with panellists representing buyers from across the industry (retail & food service) including Aldi, Holland & Barrett, Lidl, Marks & Spencers, Odaios Foods, Sysco Foods, Tesco alongside Bank of Ireland and Bord Bia

Update…

This event has now taken place and was a sell out event. If you missed it on the day you can sign up to follow up content, to register to receive this content drop us a line to events@irishfoodawards.com

Best in Cavan Award at Blas na hÉireann

March 19, 2024 by Irish Food Awards

The Blas na hÉireann 2024 finalists are announced with another strong year for producers shortlisted from Co. Cavan, sponsored by Cavan LEO

The excitement is already building and the Blas team are hard at work preparing for the arrival of food and drink producers from across Ireland to celebrate the very best of Irish.

“Local Enterprise Office Cavan and Created in Cavan are delighted to see 9 finalist producers representing our county at the Blás na hÉireann awards this year. Cavan’s previous success and continued presence is indicative of the great work done as well as the growth in the sector. LEO and Created In Cavan are committed to supporting this growth to continue and we are proud to be sponsoring the overall Best in Cavan award.” Dermot Gallagher, Food Strategy Co-ordinator, Cavan Local Enterprise

The finalists shortlisted from Co. Cavan across a range of different categories are Aine Chocolates Ltd, Carleton Cakes, Cullys Craft Bakery, Drummully Boxty, Ice Cream Treats, Liffey Meats, Manor Farm, Morans Megajam Ltd, Terra

Notes to Editors:

Blas na hÉireann, the Irish Food Awards, are the largest food awards on the island, open to all 32 counties. Judging took place during June and July and awards will be announced on 4th October.

For more information or imagery contact:
Hattie Wrixon
Host & Co.
E: hattie@hostandcompany.ie
M: 087 189 1360

“Creates a great buzz around your product and is also great for social media engagement. We are still being congratulated by local people and it gives your product recognition” Drummully Boxty

Name: Brian Cully, Siobhan Mulligan, Cavan County Council and Barney Cully from Cully’s Craft Bakery, Arva County Cavan winner of the Best In county award at Blas na hEireann in Dingle, Kerry. Photo: Don MacMonagle further information: info@irishfoodawards.com

Key dates for 2024

A look back at 2023 Cavan winners

Name: Siobhan Sheils accepting on behalf of Morans Mega Jam, Cavan from John Sheehy Blas na hEireann and Debbie Zabetaki, Impact Labelling, sponsors. Photo: Don MacMonagle further information: info@irishfoodawards.com

Best in Westmeath award at Blas na hÉireann

March 17, 2024 by Irish Food Awards

Head of Enterprise Christine Charlton “LEO Westmeath are delighted to once again work with Blas na hÉireann to award the best of Westmeath food producers. Over the last number of years, there are a number of new and exciting entries from our food businesses producing innovative products.”

“Participating in Blas na hEireann has greatly impacted our business profile in the most positive way. The ongoing benefits of winning the awards are something that Bon Chocolatiers will always be so grateful for.” Bon Chocolatiers

Key dates for 2024

A look back at 2023 Westmeath winners…

Name: Anthony Gilsenan and Claire Gilsenan Company: Killua Castle Town/County Westmeath pictured receiving their award from Artie Clifford, Chairman and Sponsor David Henderson Total Food Machines. Photo: MacMonagle, Killarney

Best in Roscommon award at Blas na hÉireann

March 17, 2024 by Irish Food Awards

Louise Ward, head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office Roscommon are delighted to support our food businesses through Blas na hEireann and would encourage you to enter for 2024. The Blas Na HEireann journey is very rewarding and highly recognised.

“Our first win at Blas was in 2013 and we have continued to win several awards since then. Consistently Winning these awards is a huge sense of achievement for the Waldron Family team for our consistent hard work & dedication. Most importantly, it indicates to our customers that we are a reputable producer & our products are up there with the best of the best. It also gives us the confidence to focus on further growing our product range. Displaying the Blas Logo on our products is also an added bonus when it comes to Export opportunities indicating to retailers that our products are as good as we say they are. Attending the Blas backyard sessions provides us with key information regarding business trends that prove beneficial. Being part of the Blas community over the years has provided us with valuable opportunities to meet other producers whom we have developed strong relationships with.” Waldron Family Meats

Key dates for 2024

A look back at 2023 Roscommon winners…