Local food producers bring home total of 27 Great Taste awards

By Rebekah O'Reilly

Local food producers have been recognised for their outstanding products at this year's prestigious Great Taste Awards, earning an impressive haul of 27 one, two, and three-star accolades.

Leading the local winners was Ivy Blossom Honey from Calliaghstown, near Tang, which received the coveted three-star Great Taste Award for its Ivy Blossom Honey. The company also secured a two-star award for its Spring Blossom Honey.

Ballymahon-based producer The Farmhouse, stocked in Fernhill Garden Centre in Athlone, received three awards total, including two 1-Star awards for its Raw Spring Honey and Raw Summer Honey, and a 3-Star award for its Raw Ivy/Heather Fusion Honey.

Award-winning producer Oliver Carty & Family Hams added to its reputation with four honours. Its Signature Taste Spiced Brown Sugar Glaze Irish Bacon Loin received a two-star award, while Organic Dry Cured Rashers, SuperValu Signature Taste Irish Salt Aged Pork Tomahawks, and SuperValu Slow Cooked Thai Red Chicken Curry each earned one-star awards.

Waldron Meats enjoyed one of the strongest performances among local producers, receiving two two-star awards for its Waldron Family Rack of Pork and Waldron Family Handmade Apple & Black Pudding Pork Sausage. The company also secured 10 one-star awards for a range of products including Home Cured Bacon Medallions, Dry Cured Back Rasher, Dry Cured Streaky Rasher, Home Cured Bacon Medallion Steaks with Wild Honey Glaze, Glazed Baked Ham, Baked Ham in a Maple & Mustard Glaze, Dry Cured Back Bacon Joint, Panda Pudding, Handmade Black Pudding and Home Cured Bacon Ribs.

Bon Chocolatiers, run by Athlone couple Georgia Quealy and Daniel Linehan, received three one-star awards for its Sea Salted Caramel, Caramelised Cacao Nib, and Smores chocolates.

Other local winners included Greenes Family Farm, near Rathowen, which earned a one-star award for its Greenes Free Range Eggs Six Pack, Mr Crumb of Finea, whose Sage & Onion Stuffing received a one-star award, and Our Creamery in Mullingar, which was recognised with a one-star award for its Smoked Provola cheese.

Over 105 days, across the Guild’s judging rooms in London, Dorset, Ireland and Italy, over 800 industry experts took part in the unique judging process that makes Great Taste the most respected food and drink accreditation scheme in the world.

Taste is considered first and foremost, followed by appearance, aroma, texture, and mouthfeel.

Perhaps the least well-known element of Great Taste is the judges’ feedback which is shared with the producers irrespective of whether they have achieved a star-rating.

This constructive analysis can be instrumental in product development, helping producers refine recipes, improve consistency, and understand how their products perform in a competitive market.

John Farrand, managing director, Guild of Fine Food, comments: “Food security is becoming an increasingly pressing issue across the globe, so it feels more pertinent now than at any other time in our thirty-year history to be supporting and promoting independent producers and retailers.

"Our directory of award recipients is a rich source of data, guiding people from all walks of life to make informed decisions about their food & drink choices. Great Taste is all about celebrating craftmanship and dedication to well-sourced local ingredients and traditional, often simple production methods which is more important now than ever.”

All 306 products that were accredited with a Great Taste 2026 3-star award were invited to take part in a further round of judging to identify which of them was worthy of a Golden Fork nomination.

Winners of the Golden Forks, known affectionately as the ‘Oscars of food and drink’, are considered to be the most highly rated products in the world.