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Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Cork honey producer in running for prestigious Great Taste's Golden Fork
An army officer and dairy farmer are thrilled after their honey from the banks of the Blackwater River in Fermoy has been named as one of three finalists in the prestigious Great Taste awards of 2025. Andrew and John Shinnick of Blackwater Honey will attend the Great Taste Golden Forks ceremony in London on September 9, where their Blossom Honey is one of three contenders for the Golden Fork from Ireland award, and is one of 33 products contending for the overall Great Taste 2025 championship. It's a huge achievement to be shortlisted from 14,340 Great Taste entries, from more than 3,611 companies across 110 countries. Also contending from Ireland are Goatsbridge Fresh Water Trout Farm, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, with its Hot Smoked Rainbow Trout Fillets; and Green Pastures, Donegal, with its 25% Sour Cream. After four months of meticulous Great Taste judging, they are through to the 'Oscars of the food world' at London's Battersea Arts Centre on September 9. Alongside them will be Northern Ireland's Basalt Distillery, Giant's Causeway, with its Basalt Volcanic Rock Gin; and Get 'Er Brewed, Randalstown, arguably the most successful of all because two of its products are shortlisted, the Razma Barrel Aged Keptinis Beer, and the Untamed Barrel Aged Wild Ale. All three are vying for the Golden Fork from Northern Ireland, and the overall championship. In the midst of this celebration of the very best in food and drink from around the world will be the Shinnick brothers, who describe themselves as a mainly hobbyist, bee farming business. Andrew and John are from a third-generation beekeeping family producing 100% natural Irish honey made by their native Irish honeybees. They have several apiaries, and each one produces its own distinctive honey flavour, taste, colour, and aroma. Their honey has won several awards nationally and internationally. Blossom Honey already has one-star Guild of Fine Food Great Taste Awards, but has now made it to the coveted three-star status. Also, this year, their Heather Honey is a two-star Great Taste winner. Their Section Honeycomb has also been a one-star winner. The Shinnicks are huge supporters of biodiversity, for example, supporting and endorsing the All-Ireland Pollination Plan, by routinely giving away wildflower seeds with honey gift packages. Blackwater Honey is keen to raise awareness that Ireland has been identified as one of the largest gene pools of the European dark honeybee, the family to which the native Irish black honeybee belongs. Once found all over the continent, it is now found in only a very small number of isolated areas. Andrew is an army officer with the Irish Defence Forces. In 2020, he set up Blackwater Honey with John, his younger brother, who is a dairy farmer. One of the places you can get their honey is Hanna's Market & Café, Fermoy.
Irish Times
29-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Ireland's top hams, cheeses, ales and rashers: Winners of the Great Taste awards 2025 revealed
Irish food producers have taken 42 three-star awards in the 2025 Great Taste Awards, a bumper performance for the sector. The three-star awards are the highest accolade in the respected competition, with this year's haul from producers in the Republic and the North substantially up on 34 in 2024. This year saw a record number of entries, with more than 14,300 food and drink products submitted from 110 countries and assessed by a judging panel of more than 500 industry experts. The panel included chefs, critics, food technologists, retailers, food writers and other specialists. The judges spent 110 days poring over each product. Only 1.9 per cent of entrants received the Great Taste 2025 three-star award. Ireland claimed 728 awards across one-, two- and three-star products. Companies in the Republic took 588, while 140 went to producers from the North. Although administered by the Dorset-based Guild of Fine Food, products made anywhere in the world can be entered for these awards, which organisers say represent the largest global accreditation scheme for food and drink. The organisers said there were several new locales in this year's cohort, including Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Rwanda, Serbia, the Seychelles and Zimbabwe, READ MORE Judge Amy Poon applies her skill to deliberations. Photograph: Richard Faulks Five entrants from the Republic secured three-star awards for more than one of their products. Dunnes Stores won for its Unsmoked Irish Boneless Whole Ham, Simply Better Austrian Organic Venediger-Taler, Simply Better Austrian organic Glockner-Taler, Simply Better French Brillat Savarin Affine AOC and Simply Better 14 Day Matured Irish Angus Fillet Sharing Steak. Donegal-based Green Pastures was recognised for its Greek Yoghurt, 28 per cent Fat Soft Cheese. Creme Fraiche 30 per cent, 18 per cent Sour Cream and 25 per cent Sour Cream. J & L Grubb Ltd won for its Cashel Blue and Crozier Blue. Lidl Ireland took the three stars for its Deluxe Unsmoked Silverside with Brown Sugar Glazing, Deluxe Irish Angus 3 Rib Roast on the Bone 40 Days Matured in Giftbox, 2 Deluxe Irish Duck Breasts with Garlic and Pepper and Deluxe Confit Duck Legs. And Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland won for its Supervalu Smoked Thick Cut Rashers and Signature Tastes Smoked Rack of Bacon. One entrant from the North secured three-star awards for more than one product. Antrim's Our Brewery was awarded three three-star awards for its Barrel Aged Wild Ale, Barrel Aged Keptinis Beer and Barrel Aged Oud Bruin Brown Ale. Every year the products awarded a Great Taste 2025 three-star are entered into a further round of judging to establish nominations for the Golden Fork trophies. The Golden Forks will be announced at Battersea Arts Centre, London on September 9th when the Supreme Champion product for this year will also be revealed. Judging cheeses. Photograph: Richard Faulks The complete list of Great Taste one-, two- and three-star winners is available here. Three-star Great Taste Award winners based in the Republic Achill Mountain Lamb: Achill Mountain Salt Marsh Lamb Rump in a Rosemary, Garlic and Sea Salt Marinade Blackwater Honey: Blossom Honey Bohó Nibz: Whiskey & Walnut Chocolate Bonbons Boyne Valley Cheese: Boyne Valley Bán Carlingford Oyster Company LTD: Louet Feisser No 2 Dunnes Stores: Unsmoked Irish Boneless Whole Ham, Simply Better Austrian Organic Venediger-Taler, Simply Better Austrian organic Glockner-Taler, Simply Better French Brillat Savarin Affine AOC and Simply Better 14 Day Matured Irish Angus Fillet Sharing Steak Goatsbridge Fish Processors: Goatsbridge Hot Smoked Rainbow Trout Fillets Green Pastures: Greek Yoghurt, 28% Fat Soft Cheese. Creme Fraiche 30%, 18% Sour Cream and 25% Sour Cream Green Valley Farm t/a Killowen Yogurt: Killowen Farm Greek Style Blackcurrant Yogurt. Huitre Du Connemara LTD: DK Connemara Oysters 'The Ladies Choice' J & L Grubb Ltd: Cashel Blue and Crozier Blue Lidl Ireland: Deluxe Unsmoked Silverside with Brown Sugar Glazing, Deluxe Irish Angus 3 Rib Roast on the Bone 40 Days Matured in Giftbox, 2 Deluxe Irish Duck Breasts with Garlic and Pepper and Deluxe Confit Duck Legs McCabe's Coffee: Espresso 15 Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland: Supervalu Smoked Thick Cut Rashers and Signature Tastes Smoked Rack of Bacon Olly's Farm: Heather Honey OpenHive LTD: OpenHive Heather Honey Cut Comb Silver Hill Duck: Silver Hill Duck Confit Legs Sunshine Juice: Signature Tastes Freshly Squeezed Grapefruit Juice Tara Gartlan Chocolate: Brown Butter Cake The Farmhouse Bees & Trees Ltd: The Farmhouse Raw Ivy Blossom Honey Toons Bridge Dairy: Toons Bridge Dairy Greek Style Buffalo Milk Cheese Traditional Cheese Co Ltd: Deluxe Spanish Castellano PGI Wexford Home Preserves: Handmade Wexford Blackcurrant Jam Three-star Great Taste Award winners based in the North Abernethy Butter: Cep Miso Butter Basalt Distillery Ltd: Basalt Volcanic Rock Gin Burren Balsamics: Blackberry & Thyme infused Balsamic Vinegar of Modena Corndale Charcuterie: Corndale Farm Chorizo Picante Kettyle Irish Foods: Kettyle Salt Moss Aged Ribeye Steak Morelli Ice Cream: Morelli's Sicilian Pistachio Ice Cream Our Brewery @ Geterbrewed Ltd: Barrel Aged Wild Ale, Barrel Aged Keptinis Beer and Barrel Aged Oud Bruin Brown Ale. Rooney Fish: Millbay Oysters.
