Food NI Members Win UK Quality Food and Drink Awards
Four Food NI member companies were successful winning coveted UK Quality Food and Drink Awards in London.
The awards
Launched in 1979, the Quality Food Awards recognise and reward the best in retail, wholesale and foodservice food and drink products available in the United Kingdom.
Seeing the blue Q logo on pack alerts consumers to how special a product is, given that this is an independently verified mark of quality.
The awards are also monitored closely by major UK retailers seeking new suppliers with a track record for quality and innovation.
The Quality awards are based on a rigorous judging process which is entirely independent and comprises over 400 industry experts.These include nutritionists, dietitians, chefs, chef-lecturers, home economists, food writers, consultants, restaurateurs, food technologists and developers, category experts, brewers, distillers, Masters of Wine, company CEOs, packaging gurus and retail professionals.
Every entry gets written feedback from the judges, making for a completely transparent process.
Winning a Quality award is a mark of distinction.
The Food NI winners
Avondale Foods – Lurgan for its Edamame Bean Salad for Asda in Fresh Produce Salad – Prepared;
Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt – Bangor for its Greek Style Yoghurt in the Dairy-Yoghurt category;
Jawbox Gin – Belfast in Best UK Gins; and
Prep House – Crossgar for its Irish Seaweed Dressing in Sauces and Dressings.
Michele Shirlow, Food NI chief executive, welcoming the achievements of member companies, says: “We are thrilled to see some many companies coming out on top in such a prestigious competition for outstandingly tasty, quality and innovative food and drink.
“Significantly, most of the winners from Northern Ireland are smaller companies which are manifestly able to hold their own against much bigger producers.”
