Stamullen company wins bronze medal at Irish Food Awards

Clarke’s Fresh Fruit from Stamullen has won a bronze medal at the 2020 Blas na hEireann Irish Food Awards for its strawberry jam.

The family farm, celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, was one of ten Meath food suppliers nominated for the prestigious national awards.

“We were delighted when we heard that we had been nominated and even more thrilled to win the bronze medal after such a challenging year,” said Master Strawberry Grower Pat Clarke, owner and director of Clarke’s Fresh Fruit.

“In 2018 we won two silver medals at the Blas awards for our raspberry jam and strawberry jam with no added sugar, and we congratulate all our fellow nominees and winners, and everyone whose hard work was recognised by the judges.

“Our goal, as always, is the ongoing provision of wholesome quality fruit.

“Our produce is Bord Bia Quality Assured through strict auditing and we are proud members of their Origin Green sustainability programme.

“The reputable firm Folláin in Macroom, Co Cork have been making our strawberry, raspberry and blackberry jams for almost a decade, and only from wholesome fruit grown on the family farm.”

Now in its 13th year, the Blas na hEireann Irish Food Awards is the biggest blind tasting competition for quality Irish produce in Ireland.

More than 2,500 products were entered into the 2020 competition in a broad range of food and drink categories.

Clarke’s strawberries are all harvested with a unique picking method that preserves the integrity and freshness of the fruit.

The art of stem-picking involves nipping the stem of the strawberry to avoid bruising or even touching the fruit.

In 2010, Clarke’s picked up a Bord Bia Grower of the Year award and in 2000, won an FBD Family Farm of the Millennium Award which honoured farms committed to safe, enterprising and efficient practices.

Clarke’s employ more than 170 people and are one of the largest suppliers of fresh fruit to the Irish grocery market, with their produce appearing on the shelves of most major retailers nationwide.

They also produce quality raspberries, blackberries and blueberries in an enterprise that began modestly in 1960 with 10 drills of strawberries on the family farm.

The farm soon increased to an acre and by 1965 the fruit was claiming best prices in the Dublin market. Six decades later, the 75-acre fruit farm is a multi-award winning local success story.

The berries are a firm favourite of celebrity chef Neven Maguire and they feature on the menu of his famous MacNean House and Restaurant in Blacklion, County Cavan, throughout the summer.

They are also served as the fruit of choice for guests at Áras an Uachtaráin and Pat is particularly proud that they were enjoyed at the 2011 banquet in Dublin Castle for Queen Elizabeth II.