National Organic Awards 2022
Bord Bia is calling on Irish organic farmers, growers, producers and manufacturers to submit their entries for the National Organic Awards, taking place on Thursday, October 13th.
The National Organic Awards celebrate the achievements of Irish organic food and drink producers and is held every two years in association with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The 2022 National Organic Awards will take place on Thursday, October 13th, 2022 in the Bord Bia Global Hub in Dublin. This event aims to recognise developments within the organic sector across seven key categories, judged by a panel of experts.
The winners will be announced at an award ceremony that celebrates the best of organic food from Ireland. Judging will take place virtually in September before the awards; a wide selection of organic produce from all over the country will be represented through the seven categories:
- Retail: To include products currently available through Irish retail channels (including seasonal products that were available in retail over the past 12 months). Judging criteria will include organic brand story, market opportunity, packaging and brand communication and relevance to Bord Bia consumer lifestyle trends.
- Private label: To include products currently available through Irish retail/food service channels (including seasonal products that were available over the past 12 months) retail/food service products in this category must be sold under the private label (own label) brand. Judging criteria will include organic, private label brand story, market opportunity, packaging and brand communication and relevance to Bord Bia consumer lifestyle trends.
- Export: With the export market for Irish organic products of growing importance to Irish organic producers, this award looks to recognise these products. This award is open to products being sold in the export market. Judging criteria will include export opportunity identification, evidence of export success, packaging and branding export adaptability and overcoming export challenges.
- New and Innovative: Open to new products or packaging innovation launched between January 2021 and July 2022. Judging criteria will include market insights, evidence of innovation for product or packaging and evidence of market success.
- E-commerce: Open to products being sold directly to consumers via e-commerce e.g., company website, third party shop, social media shop etc. (online sales via Irish retailer websites are not eligible) Judging criteria will include sales analysis and on-line analytics, success of customer recruitment.
- Marketing campaign: The Marketing Campaign Award is for a producer that has developed a comprehensive marketing campaign that has differentiated itself from competitors by using creative marketing communications through a single or combination of media channels. Judging criteria will include review of marketing campaign strategy and results, performance analysis and media options used.
- Business in the community: This category will acknowledge the achievements of businesses in their local communities. Producers should submit details of an example of one corporate social responsibility initiative which they have undertaken. Judging criteria will include review of overall business in the community initiative, how the initiative links with brand/product story, the lasting impact of the initiative and its link to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Prizes:
Capability development delivers business growth by embedding best practice commercial marketing knowledge, practices, and skills within organisations. Bord Bia have a wide range of Client Capability supports with each of these fully focused to deliver commercial opportunities for participating companies. Key supports available focus on; strategy development, customer management, routes to market, and branding. Winners of the 2022 Organic awards will get a one to one session with our Client Capability team who will help develop a bespoke package of supports to meet individual company needs up to the value of €5,000.
Key dates:
31st August: Closing date for applications
26 & 27th September: Photography of shortlisted producers and products
13th October: Award Ceremony
Donald Williamson
Donald is a business consultant specialising in business transformation, organisational design, strategy development, building sustainability into business performance and building high performance teams. Donald has over 40 years’ experience in the Irish Grocery and Licensed trade and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the judging panel. He was the General Manager of Birds Eye Ireland leading the Irish leg of its acquisition of Goodfellas Pizza and previously work as Commercial Director Britvic / C&C Ireland and as Head of Sales for Coca-Cola bottlers. Donald has also served as Chairman of the Consumer Foods Council in IBEC.
Janine Kennedy
Janine Kennedy is a Canadian chef and journalist. She is currently serving as Acting Food and Consumer editor at Irish Country Living. After obtaining a degree in political science, Janine spent several years travelling, teaching, eating and writing throughout Asia before attending Toronto’s prestigious George Brown Chef School. She has over a decade’s experience in culinary arts, restaurant and food service operations, artisanal product development and food-focused journalism. She now lives on her family’s small dairy farm in North Tipperary with her husband, three daughters, two cats, two dogs and 60 cows. When she isn’t cooking or writing, she’s on the road for Irish Country Living; meeting farmers, artisans and food producers or hiking and fishing with her kids.
Joe Hyland
Joe Hyland is an accomplished business leader with more than thirty-five years executive experience in senior management roles primarily in the Agri Food sector. He has successfully managed all aspects of business development from start-up, talent recruitment, production & operations, commercial model building, capital investment projects together with third party acquisitions. In this context, Joe has secured business & built relationships with major retailers, food service & manufacturing companies in Ireland, most EU member states, Asia & North America. Having served as managing director on several company boards during his career Joe was central to formulating & delivering business strategies with a strong record of achievement. He also served on a range of State & EU representative bodies, lobbying extensively on behalf of industry both in Dublin & Brussels.
Martyn Lee
Martyn is the Executive chef, Manager Product Development at Waitrose & Partners, driving food innovation and creativity within the partnership and product development team, and has previously been Executive chef at Tesco PLC. With prior experience in developing products as a supplier to all UK major multiples as well as a role as the Head Training and Development Chef for a national chain of bars and restaurants, he brings a wealth of experience to the panel within creating products, brands and ranges to the UK and Ireland markets.
Brid Torrades
Brid Torrades recognised the wealth of Irish food and culinary experience before most and has defended artisan food practices and natural food resources at a European level, as well as promoting and participating in food education initiatives. Her career as a chef has spanned four decades in a number of cafes and restaurants across Ireland. She has also taught cookery and culinary nutrition at all levels. Brid graduated with an MSc in Applied Culinary Nutrition in 2017 and is further pursuing her interest in food production having just finished year one of MSc in Organic Farming. In recent years, Brid has started farming, with a herd of Dexter Cattle, and is converting her mother’s family farm in Co Cavan to Organic status.
Entry requirements:
- Completed entry forms must be received by Friday August 26th 2022
- Only entries on the official entry form will be accepted
- Product must be grown or manufactured in the Republic of Ireland, please note that repackaged product is not eligible for entry.
- Raw material (e.g. all meat and fish) must be sourced in Ireland where possible
- Products must be certified as organic by IOFGA, Organic Trust, Global Trust or equivalent and certification must be available on request.
- Retailers and foodservice companies may submit private label products on behalf of the producer. Awards would be shared; but the value of prize would go to producer
- Judges or their related business cannot enter the awards.
- All products must be available on the market at time of submission for Judging
- A single product may only be entered in a maximum of 2 categories.
- The awards organisers reserve the right to place entries in whichever category they deem as most appropriate.
- All prizes must be redeemed by December 31st 2022
- For any queries contact organic@bordbia.ie
How to fill out the form | Guide and FAQ's
Click the link below to begin your entry
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The first section is where we need to know a little bit about you, this includes all your contact information. Any contact information you provide us with will only be used to contact you in relation to the National Organic Awards and will not be shared with third parties.
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In the first section of the form, select the category you wish to enter, if you wish to enter more than one category you can do this at the end of each entry and you will not need to retype your company details. Each product can only enter a maximum of two categories.
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You can exit at any time and save your application by creating an account.
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You will receive a confirmation email detailing your entry once you submit your form.
For assistance email organic@bordbia.ie