Local Food Companies Shortlisted for Bord Bia Awards
Margaret (Founder) & DJ Kelleher (MD) |
Riverview Eggs, Glenmar Shellfish, Irish Atlantic Salt and
Irish Distillers are the four Cork based food and drink companies who have been
shortlisted in Bord Bia’s Food and Drink Awards (2013). The awars recognise
excellence in export development; branding; innovation; sustainability;
entrepreneurship, success on the domestic market and use of consumer research.
· Irish Distillers’ Jameson Irish Whiskey, with an expanding and
renowned distillery in Midleton, has been shortlisted for two awards; the
Export Award and the Innovation Award. Jameson reached the milestone of 4
million cases sold globally in 2012 and is the No. 1 Irish whiskey in the world
sold in 108 markets. In terms of innovation, the Yellow Spot 12 Year Old, within
the Single Pot Still Whiskeys of the Midleton range, is unique to Ireland and
to the Midleton Distillery in particular. The whiskey is produced annually in
batches of 500 cases, making it a true collectors item and is available in
limited quantities in Ireland, France, the UK and Germany.
· Alongside Jameson, Union Hall’s Glenmar Shellfish have also been shortlisted for the Export Award. The company is
currently exporting 550 tons to markets such as China, Hong Kong, Korea, Italy,
Spain, France and Croatia.
Irish Atlantic Salt - Michael and Aileen O'Neill |
· Watergrasshill based, Riverview
Eggs, have been shortlisted for the Consumer
Insight Award for their use of consumer research to develop the Amazing Egg
brand. Faced with the challenge of innovating in a competitive and commoditized
category, the company invested in extensive category research from which they
use the insights to inform their strategy. The result of which is that the
Riverview brand is now the second largest brand by market share in the Irish
egg market (Kantar, July 2013).
· Irish Atlantic Sea Salt, located
on the Beara Peninsula, has been shortlisted for the Entrepreneurial Award. The
O'Neill family developed this range of organic, gourmet Irish sea salt
products, using the highest quality waters surrounding the Peninsula to create
the only Irish-made white sea salt products available.
This year’s awards will be presented at Bord Bia’s Annual Brand Forum end of
year event taking place in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin on Thursday, 14th November. Paul Duffy, Chairman and CEO of The
Absolut Company, will be the keynote speaker on the night and the Minister for
Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney T.D. will present the awards. RTE presenter Keelin Shanley will be MC for the evening.
In total, Bord Bia received over 150 entries across the
seven categories. The three shortlisted companies under each category are as
follows: