We at Blas na hÉireann fully support the decision by The Dingle Food Festival to cancel this year’s event, it is important to consider the safety of the community and the many festival-goers who visit Dingle each October.
You can find more details from The Dingle Food Festival here.

In the Blas office, since March we have been monitoring the situation closely and working tirelessly in the background to ensure that the awards go ahead, albeit in a new format.

The events will not take place in Dingle. We will be announcing the awards in a new format and continue to create maximum impact for our finalists with exposure to buyers and press, finding new ways of connecting and networking.

We are in the final stages of our new 2020 plan and will share all the details in the coming days. Rest assured, we will be announcing a Blas Class of 2020 in October

You can find more details on current judging here

Questions? You can reach us on info@irishfoodawards.com

We have had to make some changes to our judging dates and locations in line with current restrictions. 

We have been working on the details and our judging is currently set to take place in various locations throughout the summer, beginning in Dingle in July. You can find the details here, dates & locations 
You can find details on number of samples and how to prepare, here.

The Blas judging is a blind tasting and, as part of this, our judges always have an element of separation so as there is no conferring. Therefore we are able to implement social distancing measures for judging.

We are working with TU Dublin and UCC as always in the new venues and there are a few things we would note, 

We have made changes to the dates and venues to remain in line with restrictions and to allow for greater distancing measures.

We will be asking producers to be especially mindful of deliveries and to use courier or postal delivery where possible. In the case of large single deliveries from one producer, we will work with you to confirm an agreed delivery date and time.

This judging is the most critical part of our work. We have always worked to ensure that this stage is rigorously and fairly organised, that each entry is handled with care and just as the producer themselves would handle and present it. We will continue to maintain these standards while also adhering to Government guidelines around Covid-19.

October – The Awards
Our events in October are a wonderful celebration of Irish food and drinks and we love getting everyone together in Dingle. We will be closely monitoring the situation on an ongoing basis and are already mapping out alternative plans should social distancing measures still be in place at that time.

There will be Blas na hÉireann awards announced this year. We feel that now, more than ever, it is vital to highlight the very best of Irish produce and to recognise our producers who are making outstanding Irish food and drink.

Producers have consistently told us that having an award has a measurable impact on business and for this reason we are committed to ensuring that there will be a Blas Class of 2020. If we need to adjust our format to comply with the best Government and Public Health recommendations, we will do so and communicate this immediately with our producers.

Please get in touch with us if you have questions. You can reach Fallon or Artie by phone on the numbers below or by email on info@irishfoodawards.com

Fallon — 087 9029329
Artie — 087 2026420

There are a few key details to check:

1. Check your delivery date and location. We have different dates & locations planned by category, these are crucial. Please check these on your delivery label and you can also find them here
   
2. Particularly for this year we are asking to keep deliveries simple and we are asking producers to be especially mindful of deliveries and to use courier or postal delivery where possible. In the case of large single deliveries from one producer, we will work with you to confirm an agreed delivery date and time.
   
3. Please note products should be delivered as they are presented in their packaging to the customer. Our team will unpack and prepare for blind tasting.
   Please be sure to include your entry number on each sample
   
4. 3 samples of each product entered are required  
   (In the case where your product is over 1 kilo in weight, please deliver 2 samples only)
   Remember, include your entry number on each sample please
   
5. Best Before date must be included with all deliveries and all entries should be delivered with maximum possible shelflife.
   
6. All chilled products should arrive at the correct temperature for storage and will be checked on delivery. You can find some helpful info on chilled delivery options here
   
7. Any products which do not adhere to the delivery terms or which are not delivered on time will be disqualified from the competition.

If you have questions just ask us
If you have different delivery dates or locations, we will make every effort to consolidate if we can, just ask us
If you are unsure about anything in the above, just ask us

Fallon – 087 9029329
Artie – 087 2026420
info@irishfoodawards.com

Graduate Development Programme for Agri-Food SMEs

The UCC Diploma in Management Practice & Leadership (Agriculture & Agri-Food) will provide SMEs with a tailored graduate programme, which will significantly enhance their current graduates’ skills, and help them to attract and retain the best young graduates.

Graduate training is now a vital part of the continuing professional development of young employees. While most of the larger organisations offer their own in-house training programmes, this is not a feasible option for the vast majority of Irelands SME sector, due to cost constraints. In response to this, Macra Agricultural Skillnet and University College Cork (UCC) have collaborated to offer an exceptional agri-focussed programme, which will deliver core management and leadership skills to graduates in this sector.

Leveraging the almost thirty years of experience gained from training young professionals via the Food Industry Training Unit in UCC, this course will be run by a dedicated, experienced and tested team including a dedicated Programme Manager and sector relevant expert Lecturers. The Diploma will be delivered in a series of ten two day workshops, commencing in Sept 2020, and running until May 2021.  The course will fit around the graduates’ full time roles, and will enable them to apply newly learned skills from the very first module.

For further Information please contact:

Deirdre Hilliard, Programme Manager, Food Industry Training Unit, School of Food & Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork   Email: d.hilliard@ucc.ie  Mob 086 3830011

The team at Bia Innovator campus have asked us to share details of this new opportunity, you can find more details on the role here.

Would you like to get involved and start your company’s diversity and inclusion journey today? We have been asked to share the below with our network.
Joining is simple, its free and its for all sized Irish Food and Drink companies just click on the link below to register with us. We carry out Masterclasses throughout the year for all members to assist and guide them in their business and would welcome you at our next virtual online one where we will be looking at how SMEs have managed through the covid-19 crisis and giving some helpful takeaways for all our members.

More about the…
The Agri-Food Diversity & Inclusion Forum is a collaborative initiative with industry, led by Bord Bia and Aon, in partnership with The 30% Club. Our task is to drive awareness and support the Irish food and drink industry on its diversity and inclusion journey; so that our sector is best positioned to compete and attract the best talent at all levels across our sector.

Effectively we are driving the business case for diversity and inclusion in the food and drink industry. The basic hypothesis is that a mix of experience, thought, background, capability and outlooks at all levels of an organisation drives better business results (and this fact is supported by a myriad of research). The current priority is to develop a framework to promote diversity and inclusion in the Irish Food, Agribusiness and Drinks sector, with an initial focus on gender balance. Our objective is to secure the future success of the Irish food and drink sector.  This can be done, in part through recognition that attracting the best talent depends on making current and future workers feel they are valued and that their contribution is recognised. As the agri-food sector competes with other sectors for the right people with relevant skillsets, it is clear that realising the ambitious growth projections for our sector is dependent on our success in this. We aim to equip food and drink companies with the knowledge and know-how to implement diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace to attract and retain the best talent for our industry.

Register here

Our judging is currently set to take place in July in Cork with UCC and in August in Dublin, in partnership with TU Dublin,

The Blas judging is a blind tasting and, as part of this, our judges always have an element of separation so as there is no conferring. Therefore we are able to implement social distancing measures for judging.

We are working with TU Dublin and UCC on the details of this but please be aware of the following:

·        We may need to have some changes to judging dates and venues, potentially holding them over a longer time span to allow for greater distancing measures.

·        We will be asking producers to be especially mindful of deliveries and to use courier or postal delivery where possible. In the case of large single deliveries from one producer, we will work with you to confirm an agreed delivery date and time.

This judging is the most critical part of our work. We have always worked to ensure that this stage is rigorously and fairly organised, that each entry is handled with care and just as the producer themselves would handle and present it. We will continue to maintain these standards while also adhering to Government guidelines around Covid-19.

October – The Awards

Our events in October are a wonderful celebration of Irish food and drinks and we love getting everyone together in Dingle. We will be closely monitoring the situation on an ongoing basis and are already mapping out alternative plans should social distancing measures still be in place at that time.

There will be Blas na hÉireann awards announced this year. We feel that now, more than ever, it is vital to highlight the very best of Irish produce and to recognise our producers who are making outstanding Irish food and drink.

Producers have consistently told us that having an award has a measurable impact on business and for this reason we are committed to ensuring that there will be a Blas Class of 2020. If we need to adjust our format to comply with the best Government and Public Health recommendations, we will do so and communicate this immediately with our producers.

Please get in touch with us if you have questions. You can reach Fallon or Artie by phone on the numbers below or by email on info@irishfoodawards.com

Fallon — 087 9029329

Artie — 087 2026420

Innovators, educators and Irish food ambassadors, Darina Allen, Rory O’Connell and Rachel Allen voted Blas na hÉireann 2020 Producers’ Champions

Every year, Blas na hÉireann surveys Irish producers asking them to nominate their Producers’ Champion for the year and in 2020, Darina Allen, Rory O’Connell and Rachel Allen have been chosen collectively as the year’s joint Blas na hÉireann Producers’ Champions.

Joining past Producers’ Champions and heroes of the Irish food industry like An Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney, Neven Maguire, John & Sally McKenna and Kai’s Jess Murphy, the 2020 Producers’ Champion honour is voted for by Irish food producers when asked who they feel is doing the most to support Irish food both at home and abroad.

There was a very clear theme from this year’s survey that reflected an appreciation of the late Mrs. Allen’s legacy at Ballymaloe and of Rory, Darina and Rachel, in their individual and collective roles, continuing that legacy as innovators, constant supporters of the best Irish ingredients and producers, and educators of the next generation of cooks and growers.

Darina Allen and her brother Rory O’Connell established Ballymaloe Cookery School in 1983, the world-famous cookery school on an organic farm which has been producing home chefs and professionals to be found in kitchens all over the world for over 37 years. Rachel Allen studied at Ballymaloe herself before joining the team as a teacher, and all three are key members of the core teaching team at the Cookery School.

All three are exceptional teachers and also cookbook writers and tireless ambassadors for Irish food both at home and abroad.  They are well respected voices on multiple aspects of the food from Slow Food and Farmers’ Markets to traditional techniques and sustainability issues.  Advocates of the importance of children learning how to grow and cook food.  They share their expertise through their many award-winning TV programmes.

Often dubbed the Oscars of Irish food, Blas na hÉireann, the Irish Food Awards is the largest food awards on the island, open to all 32 counties, with judging taking place during June and July, finalists notified in August, and finalist judging in Dingle, the home of the awards, in October. With workshops and masterclasses in Dingle, final Blas na hÉireann 2020 awards will be presented alongside producer networking events during the Dingle Food Festival, always an unmissable event for food lovers.

“I know I speak for Rory and Rachel when I say we are thrilled to be announced as Blas na hÉireann 2020 Producers’ Champions.” said Darina Allen. “In this current global crisis, industry celebrations like Blas are needed now more than ever to highlight the great effort of our food community, the importance of good food and the many talented producers we are lucky to have on the island. People in the sector have been through tough times before and the resilience, ingenuity and hard work of Irish makers, growers and producers make them a force to be reckoned with. We look forward to being in Dingle in October to continue to celebrate and support all that is great in Irish food.”

“Our goal at Blas na hÉireann has always been to help Irish producers to tell their stories,” says Artie Clifford, Chairperson and founder of Blas na hÉireann,

“something our three Producers’ Champions have been proudly doing themselves for many years. Their in-depth knowledge and showcasing of Irish products, producers and their narratives has helped bring valuable attention to the sector.

Winning a Blas award has a similar impact in marking a product or producer out as special and worth exploring and has been shown to work for our previous winners in bringing them to the attention of food-lovers both at home and abroad. We are looking forward to doing it all again for Blas na hÉireann 2020, in a time that has its own unique challenges, and we hope to welcome food lovers and our 2020 Producers’ Champions to Dingle in October.”

Entries for Blas na hÉireann 2020 are now open online at the discounted early bird fee of €60 per entry (ex VAT). The early bird discount has been extended to 30^th April. The full entry fee, applicable from 1^st May to 25th May is €75 per entry (ex VAT).

Home Page

Entries have been open online on www.irishfoodawards.com since the 17th of March. So far applications have been busy, with levels in line with previous years.

From talking to the producers in our network we know that many of you see the awards as a date to look forward to and a time to come together to celebrate the best of Irish food later in the year. 

We are also aware that many producers are under pressure at this time, whether operationally with busy production keeping shelves stocked or adapting to new ways of reaching your customers. To support producers at this time we are extending the early bird deadline for entries to 30th April. 

It is fortunate that at the moment  we are in an online stage of the Blas process, with first judging due to take place in the summer in late June and the remainder throughout July. We are working towards these dates and watching the situation closely, if any of our summer judging dates are affected we will be in touch with producers to advise of any rescheduling. 

We also ask that any individual producers with questions or concerns keep in touch with us to see how we can help. 

We hope this extension to early bird entries will help in these challenging times.  

Over the past 3 years we have been proud to bring The Backyard at Blas to life. As a venue it is a space full of positive conversation, learning and support for finalist producers.

This year, while we cannot be together in person The Backyard at Blas can still be a dedicated space to meet fellow producers, a place to gain knowledge and find support for your business.

An exciting line up of speakers will share their experience to help you grow your business. These workshops will take place online from the 21st—25th of September and are exclusively for finalist producers at Blas na hEireann 2020.

We encourage you to sign up to this year’s events online. The focus of the workshops will be on what you, as a finalist, can do to make the most of this opportunity. It will be a wonderful chance to not only hear from the experts but to meet fellow finalists as well.

Register & view the full programme here

Note:
Each session will be delivered to 20 Participants delivered online via Zoom.
Most sessions last approx. 1 hour

Note: There is a choice of 2 date/time options for each session. this is to allow flexibility for participants. Each session will cover the same topics so please just sign up for your preferred time

“Backyard at Blas was one of the highlights of the festival in previous years. It fostered a sharing of ideas between likeminded producers in an informal, fun atmosphere.  New connections were made and old relationships re-established. Such exchanges of ideas are vital to building a thriving food producer ecosystem, so it was part of the festival we in Bank of Ireland were very proud to be associated with.  While this year will be different, the team at blas have done a fantastic job setting up a range of online events that will allow producers to learn from each other and also from a team  of experts in fields such as social media, key account negotiation and product development.  The workshops will run between the 21st and 25th of September and we hope they will deliver an enduring and valuable legacy for finalist producers.”

Róisín O’Shea, Head of Food & Drink

Online learning has been supported by Taste4Success Skillnet.
We ask that you please only reserve a place if you can attend, the places are limited and it is a great opportunity for producers.