One of Northern Ireland's leading artisan food producers, Finnebrogue Artisan, took home top honours in the Best Sustainability Initiative category at this year's Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards.
Electric Ireland was proud to sponsor the category, which also saw the Gander app, from Henderson Technology, take home the Highly Commended accolade.
Finnebrogue Artisan combines ground-breaking innovation, advanced high-speed production methods and artisanal values to produce fantastic food from its base in the ancient woodlands and rolling hills of the Finnebrogue estate in Co Down.
Crowning Finnebrogue Artisan the overall Best Sustainability Initiative winners, the judges said, "Finnebrogue Artisan's cultivation of its Naked Bacon brand and range of nitrite-free meat products and the company's strong ethical credentials are major drivers in this company's professional ethos.
"The company has presented a succinct summary of its development of an Environmental Risk Register for the business in tandem with its programme to achieve ISO 14001 quality standard, and for which certification has been issued. This is a sterling achievement for a smaller emerging NI business."
Now in their 32nd year, the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards are an opportunity for producers to suppliers, wholesalers to individual retail outlets, within the Northern Ireland food sector to shine a light on their successes and achievements.
The Highly Commended entrant, Gander app, connects users to reduced-price food in your local supermarket. Gander displays reduced to clear food automatically and in real-time as they are stickered in-store.
Electric Ireland's Head of Business Markets, Dermot McArdle, said, “Electric Ireland are delighted to sponsor the Best Sustainability Initiative at the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards this year. We understand how important sustainability is to customers, and to the success of the businesses that serve them.
"It’s great to see Northern Ireland businesses taking the necessary steps toward building a brighter energy future for everyone, and a massive congratulations to this year’s winner, Finnebrogue Artisan, for their innovation in artisan food production and Highly Commended Henderson Technology/Gander for their environmental and customer-centric app.”
For the full list of winners, see
here.