A Dingle-based food awards has won a major honour at the 2024 Excellence In Learning Awards.
Blas na hÉireann, or the Irish Food Awards, were honoured in the 'Best Sharing & Learning Community' category. The ceremony took place at Killashee Hotel on Friday 20th September.
The 'Best Sharing & Learning Community' award is a new category, introduced to the ceremony for the very first time this year, and won by Blas na hÉireann team after judges were hugely inspired by the peer learning that happens among food and drink producers at the Blas Backyard events which include their mentoring programmes and on the road events which are supported by Taste 4 Success Skillnet.
Blas na hÉireann, known for its celebration of the very best in Irish food and drink, has played a significant role not only in promoting quality Irish produce but also in creating a space for food producers to connect, share insights, and learn from one another through their Blas Backyard events. Their commitment to community-building has transformed how knowledge is exchanged across the food and drink industry.
Artie Clifford, Chairperson of Blas na hÉireann, expressed his pride and gratitude at this acheivement:
“We are absolutely thrilled to be recognised at the Excellence In Learning Awards 2024 for our work in building a true community of Irish food producers. At Blas, we’ve always believed that knowledge shared is knowledge gained, and this award reflects the incredible collaboration that happens within our network. We are incredibly proud to see how our learning and sharing ethos is making a difference across the country.”
Celebrating 26 years of Learning & Development success, the rebranded Excellence in Learning Awards are recognised as the premier learning and development event for the industry. The purpose of the Excellence in Learning Awards is to promote excellence, best practice and innovation in learning, development and training, and to highlight the importance of this area in today’s business climate.
Blas na hÉireann remains an industry leader, not only by recognising excellence in products but also by fostering a spirit of shared learning and innovation, as well as nurturing the next generation of Irish food and drink producers to ensure that Irish food continues to grow in both quality and global reputation.
Now in its 17th year, the Blas na hÉireann awards will take place on Friday 4th October with products from every county in Ireland entered in over 170 food and drink categories as well as key stand out achievement awards. As the competition intensifies each year, earning the prestigious Blas accreditation is a significant accomplishment, signifying that the shortlisted finalists and eventual winners represent the pinnacle of excellence in today's Irish food and drink sector.
This year, over 3,000 producers entered Blas na hÉireann.
