The Irish food awards Blas na hÉireann took place virtually this weekend with wins for Waterford food and drinks companies.
Often dubbed the Oscars of Irish food, they are the largest food awards on the island, open to all 32 counties.
Dunhill-based Irish Gourmet Butter, which was set up in 2017, is taking home the Best Artisan Product award for their Lightly Salted Butter product.
The business was set up in 2017 by Billy Sharpe and his wife Mary. Billy used to make butter as a young child with a Grand Aunt.
Their butter is lightly salted and churned in the traditional manner, using milk from grass-fed cows with ground sea salt added.
In total they won 2 golds, 1 bronze, best in Munster and best Artisan product in Ireland. Billy says they also won two Great Taste Awards last week.
He said it's a great vote of confidence in what has been a tough year with many of their customers shutting up shop.
“Now we've been recognised with this we are going to have a lot of people interested in taking the product in and we would expect big growth.... we were after getting an extension to the unit in Dunhill. We had planned for growth and this year it just didn't happen, without maybe this we may not get the growth we need."
Can’t really take it all in just going to sign off for tonight an break open the champagne and will be back tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/D5WxI78qoW
— Irish Gourmet Butter (@IrishGButter) October 3, 2020
There were also wins for Mezze, Blackwater Distillery, Anchor Spirits, Legacy Irish Cider, Beatha Bakery, Kielys of Dunhill and Pipin Pear
Pipin Pear won gold for its superstar pasta in the baby food category.
Beatha bakery won bronze in the sourdough bread category.
Mezze won silver for their Tahini Chocolate chip cookies with sea salt and Gold for the Za'atar Lavosh flatbreads. Mezze was also a Chef's larder winner
— Taste Waterford (@TasteWaterford) October 4, 2020
Tastefully Yours t/a Kielys of Dunhill of Dunhill won Gold for their Little Thai Kitchen Massaman sauce and bronze for their Little Thai Kitchen Red Curry
Anchor Spirits won bronze for Muldoon Irish whiskey liqueur
Well this was unexpected! We’re thrilled to win bronze our first year out #Blas2020 pic.twitter.com/ucw0QF5fKe
— Grainne Collins (@mrsbeathabakery) October 3, 2020
Blackwater Distillery won gold for Boyle's raspberry and cloudy lemonade and bronze for Boyle's gin and elderflower tonic.
Legacy Irish Cider won bronze for Legacy Irish Cider Medium and silver for Legacy Irish Cider Barrel Aged.
Pictured are Billy, Mary and Bronagh Sharpe of Irish Gourmet Butter, from Waterford who won Best Artisan Product at this year’s Blas na hÉireann/The Irish Food Awards. Irish Gourmet Butter also won gold for their Irish Gourmet Lightly Salted Butter, gold for their Wild Garlic Butter and bronze for their Taste of the Forest Butter, along with the awards for Best in Waterford and Best in Munster. Picture: Don MacMonagle
