Seven Mayo businesses recognised in Good Food Ireland awards shortlist
GOOD Food Ireland has announced the finalists for its highly regarded national awards, with seven businesses from Mayo making the 2024 shortlist across multiple categories.
The winners are due to be revealed at a high-profile dinner taking place on November 11 at The K Club, Co. Kildare.
Featuring across six different categories, the Mayo businesses who made the shortlist are:
Restaurant of the Year - An Port Mor
Café of the Year - Kelly's Kitchen Cafe
Food Tourism Experience Award - Croagh Patrick Oysters
Meat Producer of the Year - Calvey’s Achill Mountain Lamb / Kelly's of Newport
Fish & Seafood Producer of the Year - Croagh Patrick Seafoods
Sweet & Savoury Producer of the Year- Achill Island Sea Salt
The core emphasis of the awards is the consumer experience of local, fresh, seasonal Irish ingredients. Good Food Ireland highlights tourism-hospitality and retail businesses that prioritise local produce and encourages others. This in turn supports Irish farmers, food producers and fishermen, sustainably strengthening local economies and communities.
An expert panel will select the overall winner following mystery inspections and assessments in the weeks preceding the prize giving dinner in November.
For the first time this year there was also the opportunity for all other businesses around the island of Ireland who believe they share the Good Food Ireland philosophy to enter a dedicated Food Lovers Choice Award, for which the public can cast their votes up until Sunday, October 20.
Margaret Jeffares, founder and managing director of Good Food Ireland, said: "We’re delighted to be back with another Good Food Ireland Awards and, as part of the judging panel I have to admit that each year we do this, it gets harder due to the high calibre of entries and increasing commitment to prioritising local Irish produce. It is important that those businesses communicate this shared philosophy to inform customers and attract new visitors seeking an authentic, cultural Irish food or drink experience.
"Seeing all these businesses collaborate and work together across sectors to help build our island’s reputation for spectacular food and drink overseas in order to create inclusive economic growth is truly fantastic.
“All of those businesses who have made it onto 2024’s shortlist are a genuine inspiration. Proud and passionate ambassadors of Ireland who strive to capture the very essence of the authenticity and provenance that makes our food and drink so uniquely ours."