Dunnes Stores and discounters top the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards
With the major retailers all vying for a prime performance at the Irish Quality Food Awards, Dunnes Stores and the discounters have pipped the others to the post
Print12 September 2014
Discounters Lidl and Aldi are both celebrating after a strong performance at the 2014 Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards, where they each scooped ten awards. Dunnes Stores also recorded an excellent performance with 11 awards overall, including the top Christmas Gold Q Award for its Simply Better Ham Glaze and Overall Gold Q Award for its Simply Better French Trimmed Connemara Hill Rack of Lamb. Tesco won six awards while SuperValu and Musgrave Retail Partners claimed a total of seven awards, not including the SuperValu Small Producer of the Year Award which went to On The Pig’s Back for its Chicken Liver Paté with Garlic & Brandy.
Lidl’s impressive result included eight awards for products produced exclusively for the retailer by local Irish suppliers. Lidl also secured the highest number of highly commended (11) and commended (4) product awards, which it claimed made it the top performing retailer of the night overall.
Ten products from across Lidl’s own-brand range won top awards, including its Deluxe Seafood Chowder, produced by Galmere Fresh Foods based in Galway; Dairy Manor Irish Creamery Butter, produced by Town of Monaghan Co-Op; Deluxe Irish Chocolate Selection, produced by Lir Chocolates based in Navan, Co Meath and Kilderg Blackcurrant & Rum Jam, produced by Abbey Farm Foods based in Abbeyleix, Co Laois.
Following on from the success of the widely respected UK awards, this is the second year that the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards have taken place. The highly competitive awards recognise excellence in product development for food and drink producers, retailers and catering companies in Ireland. The gongs were presented by Catherine Fulvio on Thursday 11 September, at the Mansion House.
Showing the efforts the discounters are going to to cement their reputation for quality, Aldi also scooped 10 awards, including the highest accolade in the drinks category for Aldi’s Clontarf Classic Blend Irish Whiskey. Produced by Castle Brands Inc. of Dublin, the triple distilled whiskey was awarded the Irish Quality Drink Award Gold Q. Building on its success in 2013, Aldi is keen to point out it has now won 20 Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards; more than any other retailer in Ireland.
Winning Irish sourced products included Aldi’s Specially Selected Handmade Farmhouse Raspberry Yogurt, produced by Killowen Farm, Aldi’s Has No… Delicious Soft White Bread, produced by Gallagher’s Bakery, Aldi’s Specially Selected 28 Day Dry Aged Rib Eye Steak, produced by ABP Cahir and Aldi’s McGrath’s Reserve Blend Tea, produced by Robert Roberts. In addition, Aldi’s multi-award winning O’Shea’s Traditional Irish Ale, produced by Carlow Brewing Company, was commended.
The award wins follow Aldi’s recent strong showing at the Great Taste Awards in London, where it won an impressive 36 titles. Aldi claims it is now the most awarded Irish retailer in the last five years across the Great Taste Awards, Blas na hÉireann National Irish Food Awards and the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards.
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