Dozens of food producers in the midlands have been recognised in this year’s Great Taste Awards. Great Taste is the world’s largest and most trusted food and drink accreditation scheme who put food or drink to the test with a panel of over 500 experts. And even more great news for Athlone Chocolate Producer, Bon Chocolatiers and Íon Oil who are both 3 Star Winners. The 3-star accolade is awarded to less than 2% of entries among over 13,000 products from 115 countries!
What do the Great Taste Award Stars Mean?
Great Taste stars are highly respected seals of approval. A one-star award is given to a product that is simply delicious, two-stars represent an outstanding product and three-stars are only given to products that are faultless or totally exquisite. 3-star is the highest accolade anyone can get, only 1.9% of entries achieved it this year.
Looking at Ireland specifically, 206 companies entered the awards with 1,625 products. This made up a total of 12% of all entries (13,672 products from 115 countries globally).
3-star winners then go on to be entered into a further competition, the Golden Forks. These have been dubbed the ‘Oscars of the food world’. Only three nominees (3-star winners) from each region are in the running, and the winners of the Golden Forks will be announced at an awards ceremony in September, the nominees from Ireland are below:
Burren Smoked Eel from Burren Smokehouse
Cashel Blue from J. & L. Grubb ltd
Truly Dark from Bon Chocolatiers
At the end of the Golden Forks one product will be crowned ‘Supreme Champion’.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars Winners from the Midlands
Bon Chocolatiers for their Truly Dark Carmelized Cacao Nib
ÍON Oil for their Walnut Oil
Bon Chocolatiers awarded Ten Great Taste Awards
Congratulations to Athlone based Bon Chocolatiers who won a total of ten awards at the Great Taste Awards. Bon Chocolatiers specialise in handcrafted artisan chocolates, made in Athlone by Georgia and Daniel. They pride themselves on showcasing as much beautiful local Irish ingredients as they can. They spend up to 3 days perfecting each step of the process to ensure their chocolates truly are edible works of art.
ÍON Oils awarded Three Great Taste Awards
And well done ÍON Oils the other 3 star winner in the Midlands. They are a family-run artisan food producer based in Portarlington, Co Laois. Andrea and Markus Milley produce 8 different types of organic oils. Overall, they won 3 awards were for their Hazelnut, Poppy Seed and Walnut Oils.
⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars and ⭐️1 Star winners from the Midlands
Oliver Carty ULC in Athlone, one of Ireland’s largest pork and bacon processors won 8 awards.
Waldron Meats, Athlone won 8 Awards. They cure, produce and distribute a wide range of tasty products, including pork, bacon, sausages, puddings and cooked meats across Ireland.
At Do Me a Flavour, Athlone won 4 Awards . They create amazingly aromatic herb & spice mixes, marinades, butters and crumbs.
Bia Sol won a Great Taste Award for their Oat Bar (Apple & Cinnamon). BiaSol was started in 2020 by brother and sister Niamh and Ruairi Dooley as a way to combat food wastage and improve nutrition.
Fox Covert Farm won a Great Taste Award for their Hemp Hearts with a Mild Nutty Flavour. Hemp Seed Products grown and processed on their own farm
The Galway Roast won a Great Taste Award for their coffee. Based in Athlone their signature blend, consists of three distinct coffee beans: Brazil, Guatemalan, and Honduras.
Mr. Crumb an Artisan food producer in Mullingar won 2 Awards. They specialise in gourmet breadcrumbs, breadcrumb stuffings , toppings, flavoured butters & snacks.
Rehobothfoods, Longford won a Great Taste Award for UC nuts Roasted peanuts in Skins.
Rudds Fine Foods, Birr won a Great Taste Award for their Rudd’s Black Pudding
Sons of Butchers, Birr won a Great taste award for Sons Of Butchers Notzarella and Chedda Grated Mix. Sons of Butchers developed a range of plant based alternatives with the nutritional benefits of plants
Sugar Plum Sweetery, Mullingar won a Great Taste Award for their Salted Caramel Frogs. They specialise in making delicious & quirky creations from scratch in their Inventing Room in Mullingar.
Temptation Chocolates, Abbeyleix won 2 Great Taste Awards for their Hazelnut Hot Chocolate and Classic Hot Chocolate. The chocolates are handmade in small batches by self-taught chocolatier twin sisters, Kate & Ruth O’Hara in Abbeyleix, Co. Laois.
A real privilege to support independent makers through the process of Great Taste
John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food, said: “It’s hugely important to us at the guild to inject some positivity into the specialty food and drink industry. Given the economic headwinds that both independent retailers and small and medium producers are facing, the announcement of the 2024 crop of Great Taste stars is now an annual fillip for us all. It’s a real privilege to support and underpin independent makers through the process of Great Taste.”
