Some Like It Hot – Mash Direct tickle tastebuds in London and Dubai to pick up prestigious Quality Food Award
Spicy spuds from Comber, County Down achieved scorching awards success last night in London as fiery export sales won the Quality Food Award for Mash Direct. Mash Direct’s Chilli Baby Bakes showed that the judges preferred their spuds with a kick, taking home the Quality Food Award at the prestigious award ceremony in Mayfair, London.
In 2016 alone Mash Direct has exported six times as many Chilli Baby Bakes as have been sold in supermarkets at home showing both the innovation of the family farming enterprise as well as reflective our more conservative tastes here.
Sales of the Chilli Baby Bakes have more than doubled since last year for the Comber family farming business with England and Scotland rocketing up 212% since last year. Mash Direct also export their Chilli Potatoes to Dubai, selling over 18,000 dishes there this year so is the spicy food revolution due to hit these shores next?
The Quality Food Awards is an annual ceremony that celebrates and commemorates food products in the UK for their outstanding flavour and ingredients. With over 300 products being shortlisted for the awards, it was tough competition for the family-run farm based in Comber, Northern Ireland and they share their win with the likes of retail giants, Marks & Spencer and Aldi.
Jack Hamilton picked up the award in London and said “Our tastes are always changing and we have found that our Chilli Baby Bakes are a big hit in Dubai with European expats as well as Indian and Pakistani expats looking for the tastes from home with a twist. As we continue to see more world food trends here at home we are working hard in the kitchen to innovate and give shoppers the taste and variety that they want on their kitchen tables”.
Does this mean then that our taste buds in Britain are evolving to match those of our exotic cousins? It seems that we Brits prefer different ways to eat our traditional veg and Mash Direct have certainly have kicked up a fuss with their spicy spuds.
Celebrity chef, author and TV personality Simon Rimmer presented the award at the prestigious Grosvenor Hotel in Mayfair, London. The event was invaded by Stormtroopers as the half time entertainment was provided by Britain’s Got Talent stars, Boogie Storm, who wowed the crowd with their popular dance show.
