Seven Mayo businesses shortlisted for prestigious Good Food Ireland Awards 2024

Seven Mayo businesses have been shortlisted across multiple categories for the prestigious Good Food Ireland national awards.

In association with FBD Insurance, the Good Food Ireland Awards celebrate businesses at every layer of Ireland's food and drink industry, from primary producers, manufacturers, chefs, shops, hotels, tourism experiences and restaurants.

Mayo stands strong in this year's awards as seven local businesses are represented across six categories.

An Port Mor in Westport is shortlisted for the distinguished Restaurant of the Year, while Kelly's Kitchen Café in Newport is in the running for Café of the Year.

Calvey’s Achill Mountain Lamb and Kelly's of Newport will go head to head for the Meat Producer of the Year award.

Croagh Patrick Seafoods is nominated for Fish & Seafood Producer of the Year, and Achill Island Sea Salt is shortlisted for Sweet & Savoury Producer of the Year.

Battling for the coveted Food Tourism Experience Award is Croagh Patrick Oysters. 

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The judging panel for this year's competition will be made up of an independent collection of Irish and international leaders with an in-depth knowledge of the hospitality industry.

The judges include the founder and Managing Director of Good Food Ireland Margaret Jeffares, former Good Food Ireland Operations Director Susan Kerr, journalist John Wilson, hospitality consultant Tom O’Connell, lecturer in the School of Hospitality Management & Tourism at TU Dublin Dr Detta Melia, Executive Chairman and owner of Odyssey International Kevin Shannon, and previous chef and hotelier Maurice Keller.  

On Monday 11 November the winners will be announced at a dinner at The K Club in Kildare. In the weeks prior to this, the expert panel will select the overall winners following mystery inspections and assessments.

In addition to this, for the first time ever businesses around Ireland will also have the opportunity to enter a dedicated "Food Lovers Choice Award" wherein the public can cast their votes up until Sunday 20 October.

Founder and Manging Director of Good Food Ireland, Margaret Jeffares says: "We’re delighted to be back with another Good Food Ireland Awards and, as part of the judging panel I have to admit that each year we do this, it gets harder due to the high calibre of entries and increasing commitment to prioritising local Irish produce.

"All of those businesses who have made it onto 2024’s shortlist are a genuine inspiration. Proud and passionate ambassadors of Ireland who strive to capture the very essence of the authenticity and provenance that makes our food and drink so uniquely ours.

"All the judges would like to extend our congratulations to them and wish everyone the best of luck for the 11th November."