SuperValu Own Brand sweeps the boards at the 2011 Blas na hEireann Awards

02/10/2011

SuperValu Reserve Fairtrade Tea wins Supreme Champion 2011 Award

SuperValu’s Own Brand Range of products has come up trumps, claiming seven gold, two silver and one bronze medal, as well as the overall Supreme Champion Award at the annual Blas na hEireann National Irish Food Awards, which celebrate and reward the very best of Irish produce.

The ten products ( more than any other Supermarket) from the SuperValu Own Brand range which received awards are supplied locally in Ireland by Irish Food Suppliers.

The awards announcement signifies an independent endorsement of the quality, taste and great range available within SuperValu Own Brand, which is on average, 33% cheaper than the brand equivalent.

SuperValu Reserve Fairtrade Tea, produced by Barber Daly, received a gold medal and the overall Supreme Champion 2011 award. Barber Daly & Co. Ltd was set up in 1975 by Bob Barber and Brendan Daly and was based in Millerd Street in Cork until moving to a purpose built factory in City Link Park, Forge Hill, Cork in 1994.

Speaking about the awards, Martin Kelleher, Managing Director, SuperValu, said: “We are incredibly proud that our SuperValu Own Brand range has featured so prominently at the Blas na hEireann Awards. To have ten of our products receive medals is a tremendous achievement; it underlines and endorses the quality and taste credentials in the SuperValu range.”

He continued, “SuperValu continues to recognise excellence, quality and innovation within the Irish food and beverage sector, and awards such as Blas na hEireann drives all of these. SuperValu is committed to supporting Irish when ever and wherever possible; we are incredibly proud of the fact that 75% of everything on our shelves is sourced or produced in Ireland. Our recent research shows that consumers want to buy more Irish produce and want to support their local economies in this difficult period. By buying Irish, SuperValu is delivering what the consumer wants, at a price they can afford. Importantly we are doing this without compromising our support for Irish suppliers, brands and jobs. “

Blas na hEireann is the biggest blind tasting competition of its kind in the world. Over 1,600 Irish products were entered into 30 different categories, ranging from soup to seafood and chocolate to cheese, with winners from all over the country taking Gold, Silver and Bronze medals in each category. Each product was blind tasted by a panel of 30 judges made up of chefs, foodies and food scientists from UCC.

For details of the products and the Blas na hEireann awards, check out www.SuperValu.ie or www.IrishFoodAwards.com