Dairygold Crowned King at the 2018 Irish Food & Drink Business Awards
Dairygold Food Ingredients was crowned company of the year at the 2018 Food & Drink Business Awards. The event, which celebrated the best of Irish manufacturing and the people behind the products, followed the Food & Drink Business Europe Conference and Exhibition. Both events were held recently at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin.
A total of 245 entries were received across 15 categories for the 2018 Awards. Dairygold Food Ingredients scooped the overall prize, winning the Food & Drink company of the year title and was presented with the accolade in front of a host of talented food and drink producers.
The Food Safety and Quality Initiative of the Year category was sponsored by EIQA, while the Food & Drink Innovation of the Year category was sponsored by Henderson Food Machinery.
BFree Foods won Gold in the Health & Wellness Product of the Year category.
Speaking about Dairygold’s win, John Whelan Chairman of Food and Drink Business Europe, who headed the judging panel, said: “Dairygold is a clear leader in the dairy industry, demonstrating its farsighted and technological advanced approach through its ‘Dairy Lean Farm’ programme- the first of its kind in Ireland. Dairygold has successfully applied this international management technique inside its business over the past five years. Its Advance 2020 lean programme, which was supported by Enterprise Ireland, has delivered improvements across a diverse range of the Society’s operations from Logistics, Manufacturing and Sales to Support Services and Administration. Dairygold continued last year to roll out the programme at farm level, as they see farmers are a key component of their dairy supply chain.’’
Tracey Carney, Organiser of the Food & Drink Business Awards, said: “ Innovation is key to driving growth and offering consumer value within the food sector in Ireland. These awards are unique in that they recognise the key industry players who are working hard at driving food production and manufacturing. The Food & Drink Business Awards recognise the most talented producers in the industry in Ireland.”
ALL THE WINNERS
Dairy Manufacturing Company of the Year
Dairygold Food Ingredients – Gold
Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers – Silver
North Cork Creameries – Bronze
Meat/Poultry/Fish Company of the Year
Manor Farm – Gold
Keohane Seafoods – Silver
Burren Smokehouse Ltd. – Bronze
Bakery/Confectionery Company of the Year
East Coast Bakehouse – Gold
Gallagher’s Bakery – Silver
Gem Pack Foods Ltd. – Bronze
Beverage Company of the Year
Britvic Ireland – Gold
Listoke Distillery & Gin School – Silver
Bewley’s Tea & Coffee – Bronze
SME Food & Drink Company of the Year
The Happy Pear – Gold
Blanco Nino – Silver
Keogh’s Crisps – Bronze
Sustainable Factory of the Year
Meade Potato Company – Gold
Dairygold Food Ingredients – Silver
Ballykeefe Distillery – Bronze
Food Safety & Quality Initiative of the Year sponsored by EIQA
Irish Fish Canners – Gold
Manor Farm – Silver
North Cork Creameries – Bronze
Food Service Operator of the Year sponsored by Hotel & Catering Review
Freshly Chopped – Gold
The Tea Rooms at Duckett’s Grove – Silver
The Happy Pear – Bronze
Food & Drink Innovation of the Year sponsored by Henderson Food Machinery
Blendi – Gold
Aldi Ireland – Silver
Drioglann Shliabh Liag CGA – Bronze
Best CapEx Project
Cloughbane Farms – Gold
Health & Wellness Product of the Year
BFree Foods – Gold
Freshways Food Co. – Silver
Caveman Grub -Bronze
Fresh Produce Company of the Year
Meade Potato Company – Gold
O’Shea Farms – Silver
Clarkes Fresh Fruits – Bronze
Own Label Brand of the Year
Dunnes Stores Simply Better – Gold
Marks & Spencer – Silver
Aldi Ireland – Bronze
Exporter of the Year
Keogh’s Crisps – Gold
Blanco Nino – Silver
Nutri-Snax Ltd. – Bronze
Gran Prix – Food & Drink Company of the Year
