Mash Direct In Running For Top New Food Product Award
Northern Ireland’s Mash Direct, a specialist in vegetable sides and ready meals, has been shortlisted for the final stage in the prestigious Grocer New Product Awards.
The panel of expert judges listed Mash Direct’s Salt and Chilli Wedges for the finals in the Meal Accompanimentscategory in the national competition which showcase and celebrate innovation on the UK food manufacturing and retailing industry.
The product from Mash Direct, which is based on a family farm in Comber, county Down, is made from hand-cut potato wedges tossed in a salt and chilli seasoning, ready for baking by home cooks.
The family-run farm, which is a Food NI member, exports almost 70 percent of its award- winning vegetable accompaniments to major supermarkets in Britain, the Republic of Ireland, other parts of Europe, the US and the United Arab Emirates.
The farm business, which is owned and managed by Martin and Tracy Hamilton and sons, Lance and Jack, has also collected a string of prestigious awards for excellence in innovation and exporting including the Food Manufacture Excellence Award and the Gold Award for Innovation from SIAL Middle East in Abu Dhabi.
Mash Direct, which was formed in 2004 initially to produce champ, has also won a series of awards including Great Taste Awards, Quality Food Awards, Grocer New Product Awards, Free From and Blas na hEireann Irish Food Award over the past decade.
The Grocer New Product Awards has become the symbol of innovation in the UK FMCG sector, the winners of which will be announced on line on 18thNovember.
The panel of expert judges will evaluate the entries based on texture, aroma, value for money and clarity of labelling.
