IFSA Award Winners

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Best Sustainable Food Product: Manor Farm in conjunction with Farmers to Market Pictured are Matthew O’Gorman, Manor Farm; Maurice Bergin, IFSA’s judge and Charles Smith, Farmers to Market

Best Sustainable Packaging Product: the Eighty9 Reusable Coffee Tins from J.J.Darboven Ireland Pictured is Graham Mongey, Managing Director J.J.Darboven Ireland

Energy Efficiency Innovation in Heavy Catering Equipment: Synergy Grill – available in Ireland from Bunzl McLaughlin and Broderick Bros Ltd Pictured are IFSA’s judges Keith Warren, Maurice Bergin and Guillaume Oates with Ken Lynch Sales Manager at Broderick Bros Ltd

GREEN products and services were high on the agenda at Food & Bev Live, which took place at the Citywest Conference Centre in February. The inaugural Irish Foodservice Supplier Awards - themed around ‘Innovation for a sustainable future’ - were created by the Irish Foodservice Suppliers Alliance (IFSA) as a vehicle to highlight the foodservice industry’s response to the very real environmental crisis.

Acknowledged as having the ‘Best Sustainable Packaging Product’, J. J. Darboven Ireland was awarded for its the Eighty9 Reusable Coffee Tins. Manor Farm in conjunction with Farmers to Market took home the title of ‘Best Sustainable Food Product’ for its FreeRange Chicken Thigh Burger.

Marco Beverage Systems was awarded both winner and highly commented in the ‘Energy efficiency innovation in light catering equipment’ category. Its MARCO MIX UC3 + 3 BUTTON FONT was named as the winner with MARCO FRIIA highly commended.

The Synergy Trilogy grill, available from both Bunzl McLaughlin and Broderick Bros Ltd, was named as the best ‘Energy efficiency innovation in heavy catering equipment’ with the judges commenting that the Synergy Grill can “reduce energy consumption by up to 60% against competitors, delivering an excellent return on investment, which both reduces a business’s cost and supports a carbon footprint reduction.”

The winners were selected from a shortlist of entries by participating in a ‘Dragon’s Den’ format on Monday 3rd February. Finalists presented their sustainable products and services to an expert panel including Maurice Bergin, Managing Director, Green Hospitality Programme; Brian Walsh, Packaging Technologist, Repak; Keith Warren, Director FEA – Foodservice Equipment Association UK; Tony McGuigan, Head of Procurement and F&B Projects, Dalata Hotel Group PLC and Guillaume Oates, GFD Associates - Independent Foodservice Design Consultants.

Pallas Foods was named as ‘National Foodservice Supplier of the Year’, with Jinny’s Bakery awarded ‘Local /

Direct Foodservice Supplier of the Year’ in an industry vote in which over 2,000 foodservice professionals cast their vote.

Commenting on the calibre of entries to the inaugural awards, Chair of the judges, Maurice Bergin from the Green Hospitality Programme adds: “IFSA created these awards to acknowledge product and service innovation, and sustainability, within the foodservice industry, and the response from suppliers has been impressive. The winners and finalists have demonstrated a commitment to playing their role in creating a more sustainable and energy efficient future, and innovation and NPD is central in driving technology forward.

“This is where the foodservice industry, and indeed all businesses, need to focus to ensure growth in the years ahead. This is not a trend, it’s a new business reality. Customers are demanding that all businesses within the supply chain play their part in helping everyone live more sustainable lives.”

To view the shortlist, or for more information on the winners, please see www.IFSA.eu.com/events

After its incredibly successful lunch at Food & Bev Live 2020, the IFSA’s return to showcase more of the Irish foodservice Industry’s innovation at CATEX 2021. For more information visit www. catexexhibition.com

Energy Efficiency Innovation in Heavy Catering Equipment: Synergy Grill – available in Ireland from Bunzl McLaughlin and Broderick Bros Ltd Pictured are IFSA’s judges Keith Warren, Maurice Bergin and Guillaume Oates with Fra Martin, Sales Manager at Bunzl McLaughlin

National Foodservice Supplier of the Year: Pallas Foods Pictured are Joanne Cunningham and Patrick Clement from Pallas Foods

Local/Direct Foodservice Supplier of the Year: Jinny’s Bakery Pictured are Pascal and Grace Gillard from Jinny's Bakery with Maurice Bergin, IFSA’s Judge (centre)

Best Energy Efficiency Innovation in Light Catering Equipment: MARCO MIX UC3 + 3 BUTTON FONT by Marco Beverage Systems Pictured are Guillaume Oates, IFSA’s judge; Shane Pender, Marco Beverage Systems and Maurice Bergin, IFSA’s judge