What a blast buttermakers win big
A family-owned business from Slane received the top honour at the Blas na hÉireann awards in Dingle, Co Kerry, at the weekend.
Blast & Wilde, an artisan butter business run by Graham and Bernie Canning, was chosen by 75 judges as the Bord Bia-sponsored Blas Supreme Champion, beating more than 2,300 entrants in the process.
The butter entrepreneurs, who set up the company just eight months ago, run the enterprise from purpose-built kitchens at the family home. According to Graham, they were shocked by the result.
'We are absolutely delighted with the awards. We knew our products were great but we didn’t expect to be supreme champions,' he said.
Between them, Graham and Bernie have more than 50 years' experience in the food and hospitality industries, but this is the married couple’s first entreprenurial venture.
They recently built a new allergen-free facility to produce their butters, which are made from locally-sourced seasonal ingredients. The couple will also produce pesto in another purpose built-kitchen at their home.
According to Bernie, the couple 'have a passion for food and flavours, and we are honoured to have taken to the top award at Blas as well as first, second and third in the dairy butter category'.
Another County Meath winner at the Blas na hÉireann awards was Big Red Kitchen owner-operator, Nicola Smyth, based in Stamullen.
She said: 'Consistently winning Blas na hÉireann awards over three years is a huge achievement for any business, but particularly for a very small artisan producer.
'Every year the competition is tougher, there are more producers entering and the quality of the products is higher,' Nicola added. 'Blas na hÉireann recognises the best of Irish producers and I am absolutely thrilled that Big Red Kitchen is among them.'
Artie Clifford, chairman of the Blas Awards, said that an unprecedented number of entries made this year's Blas na hEireann the most competitive Blas ever.
Several other artisan food producers from Meath also bagged awards at the event. The awards list featured Kepak, The Whole Hoggs, Hogan’s Farm, Le Patissier, Royal County Puddings, Pollock’s Pickles and Preserves and Harvest Sales.
Meath Local Enterprise Office congratulated all those who represented the county at the awards in Dingle.