Fab 50 set for Blas awards
Cork has managed to land 50 nominations finalists for Blas na hÉireann, The Irish Food Awards that honours the very best of Irish food!
The finalists were picked from more than 3,000 entries and the three-day event will take place in Dingle from Thursday 3 October to Saturday 5 October.
Now in its 17th year, Blas na hÉireann saw another record-breaking year across all categories. During the judging, which took place in June and July, over 3,000 entries were judged.
“I am delighted to see that Cork has 50 finalist producers in the Blas na hÉireann awards this year, showcasing a fantastic array of locally produced food & drink available from both east and west of the city and county,” said Deirdre O'Mahony, Cork Local Enterprise Offices.
“The Local Enterprise Offices in Cork city & county are committed to growing the food sector in the county and supporting food producers as they start-up, expand and export to new markets. The Blas na hÉireann awards are a celebration of best in class for these food businesses and we are delighted to be involved by sponsoring the overall Best in Cork award.”
The 50 finalists shortlisted from Cork across a range of different categories are: Bakestone Cafe & Pantry, Bandon Vale, Bantry Bay Seafoods, Barry Fitzgerald Butchers Ltd, Beara Distillery Ltd, Blackwater Honey, Carbery Group, Clóna Dairy Products Ltd, Clonakilty Gluten Free Kitchen, Cowboy Dust, Cully & Sully, Follain, Fudge Delights, Gloun Cross Dairy, Hassetts Bakers & Confectioners Ltd, Horgan's Delicatessen Supplies Limited, Irish Yogurts Clonakilty, Joe's Farm Crisps, Keohane Seafoods, Kepak, Kinsale Mead Co, Kinsale Spirit, M & T O’Donovan, Macarons Studio, Macroom Buffalo Cheese Products Ltd, Malay Kitchen, McCarthy's of Kanturk, North Cork Creameries, O'Keeffes Bakery/ Irish Country Cuisine, On The Pigs Back (La charcuterie Irlandaise Ltd), Original 7 Beverage Co, OTOFU, Rebel City Distillery, Regale Biscuits, Ryes & Shine, Sage2goLtd, Second Street Bakeshop, Shannonvale, Silver Pail Dairy, Skeaghanore West Cork farm, St Patrick's Distillery Ltd, Stonewell Cider, The Good Fish Company, The Lost Valley Dairy, The Sibly Food Company, Tom Durcan Meats Ltd, Tongue tied hot sauce, Toons Bridge Dairy, Velo Coffee Roasters and Wildberry Bakery.
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 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.