14 Mayo producers announced as finalists for prestigious award

The finalists for Blas na hÉireann, The Irish Food Awards, 2024 have been announced and the countdown is now on for another exciting and joyous awards weekend in the pretty seaside town of Dingle. The three-day event will take place from Thursday 3rd October to Saturday 5th October.

Now in its 17th year, Blas na hÉireann saw another record-breaking year across all categories along with many new producers entering the awards for the first time this year. During the judging, which took place in June and July, over 3,000 entries were judged, a testament to the number of brilliant producers across the country.

“Once again LEO Mayo is delighted to support Mayo food and drinks businesses at the Irish Food Awards." said John Magee, Head of Enterprise at LEO Mayo and Chair of the LEO Network. "These awards highlight the high-quality produce and great work by these businesses in areas such as innovation, new product development, marketing, and business development. We look forward to continuing to work with these producers and celebrating their successes”.

The 14 finalists shortlisted from Co. Mayo across a range of different categories are Carr and Sons, CPAC Foods, Foxford Café, Gleann Bui Farm, Hanley Catering, Hefferniatt Foods Limited T/A The Food Store, Jack & Eddie's, Krem Delights Limited, Mescan Brewery, Moylurg Honey, O'Haras Bakery, Van Velze's Chocolates Ltd, Velvet Cloud and Western Brand Chicken.

Speaking as the finalists were announced, Blas na hÉireann Chairperson, Artie Clifford said, “I started the awards after 30 years in the food industry, and I knew there was a need to celebrate the amazing food and drink being produced on the island of Ireland. 17 years later, it continues to delight me the number of new producers entering each year along with so many familiar faces returning year on year. We are an island of phenomenal producers and should be very proud of that, being able to showcase the very best of the best in Dingle each year is a real privilege for the whole Blas team.”