Ireland: Winner of Best Organic Product 2011

Shane McEntee, TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for Food, Horticulture & Food Safety has announced the winners of the National Organic Awards 2011 in Ireland at an awards ceremony in Bord Bia. The Best Overall Organic Product was awarded to Kitty Colchester from Second Nature Oils, Kilkenny for her Happy Heart Organic Garlic Flavour Irish Rapeseed Oil which wowed the independent judging panel for its amazing taste and the inspiring way in which the product has been developed over the last three years. (Picture: Shane McEntee, Minister of State, Eileen Bentley, Bord Bia, and Kitty Colchester, Happy Heart Irish Rapeseed Oil).
 

2011 marks the fifth year for the National Organic Awards, organised by Bord Bia. A total of 169 individual products were judged with awards given in eight different categories. Minister of State Shane McEntee took the opportunity to congratulate Bord Bia on the work that they are currently doing within the organic sector, and have been doing for several years, to help develop it into the future, stating: “These awards have now become recognised as being an important and permanent feature of the organic food and drink industry in this country. It is events like this that continue to raise awareness among consumers about what organic food and farming is all about and where they can source organic produce.”

Speaking about the 2011 award entries Eileen Bentley, Manager, Small Business Department, Bord Bia said: "It was really encouraging to see so many new award entrants which shows the range of organic production in Ireland and the greater availability of organic produce to Irish consumers. We had a 100 % increase in the number of companies entering products this year and we were delighted to present awards in eight different categories.”
 

The overall category winners were as follows:

Best Overall Organic Product: Happy Heart Organic Garlic Flavour Irish Rapeseed Oil - From Second Nature Oils, Kilkenny

Best Organic Confectionery & Baked Goods: Organic Gluten Free Brownie Mix from Sowan’s Organic Bread Mix Ltd, County Laois

Best Organic Fruit & Vegetable: Irish Organic Apples from Clashganny Organic Farm, Waterford

Best Organic Grocery: Joint Winners: Happy Heart Organic Garlic Flavour Irish Rapeseed Oil - From Second Nature Oils, Drumeen Farm; Kilkenny Highbank Orchard Syrup from Highbank Orchard, Kilkenny

Best Organic Dairy: Glenisk Greek Style Low-Fat Rhubarb Yogurt  from Glenisk, Offaly

Best Organic Prepared Food Product: Smoked Irish Organic Salmon from Burren Smokehouse, Clare

Best Organic Fresh Seafood Product: The Organic Salmon Company Retail Pack from The Organic Salmon Company, Donegal

Best Organic Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Beverage: Bloom Mountain Organic Irish Cream Liqueur from First Ireland Spirits Co Ltd, Laois

Best Organic Fresh Meat Product: Organic Back Rashers from Crowe’s Farm, Tipperary

Bord Bia