Selection spans food, hospitality and tourism
The awards cover food and drink production, hospitality and culinary tourism across the island of Ireland. Alongside producers, the finalists include hotels, restaurants, cafés, pubs, food retailers and culinary tourism experiences. The awards recognize their work promoting Irish food and drink and introducing visitors to its producers and origins.
Good Food Ireland says its awards are the only all-island, cross-sector program devoted exclusively to businesses that uphold Irish culinary excellence, promote local provenance and honor sustainable practices. According to the organization, independent industry experts draw up each category's shortlist, with winners chosen after further on-site mystery inspections and assessments.
FBD Insurance is the official sponsor. Other supporters include BIM, Tourism Ireland, Allfresh, AIB, Waterford, the Irish Farmers Association (IFA), the National Inshore Fishermen's Association (NIFA), Fáilte Ireland and the Guinness Storehouse.
Meat, fruit and vegetable, and dairy producers
The Producer Awards recognize the expertise, skill and dedication behind Irish produce. The meat category focuses on producers who convey the distinctive qualities of Irish meat and its connections to people and place.
Competing for Meat Producer of the Year 2026 are Murphy's Butchers (Co. Carlow), Kelly's of Newport (Co. Mayo), John Stone Beef (Co. Longford), Market House Ennistymon (Co. Clare), Tom Durcan Meats (Co. Cork), Calvey's Achill Mountain Lamb (Co. Mayo) and Butcher's Best (Co. Wexford).
Seasonality, quality, sustainable growing and a sense of place are central to the Fruit and Vegetable Producer of the Year 2026 award. Its finalists are Garryhinch Wood Exotic Mushrooms (Co. Offaly), Malone Fruit Farm (Co. Wexford), The Apple Farm (Co. Tipperary), Kearns Fruit Farm (Co. Wexford), O'Shea Farms (Co. Kilkenny), Ballykelly Farm (Co. Wexford) and Long Meadow Farm (Co. Armagh).
The dairy award considers quality, craftsmanship and provenance, including how a producer reflects Ireland's landscape and farming traditions. Shortlisted for Dairy Producer of the Year 2026 are Boyne Valley Farmhouse Cheese (Co. Meath), Freezin' Friesian (Co. Waterford), Killowen Farm (Co. Wexford), Glastry Farm Ice Cream (Co. Down), Linnalla Pure Irish Ice Cream (Co. Clare), Milleens Cheese (Co. Cork) and Aran Island Goat Cheese (Inis Mór).
Bakery, chocolate and drinks
Eight businesses are in contention for Bakery and Chocolate Producer of the Year 2026: The Bakery Shack (Co. Donegal), Chez Emily (Dublin), Jinny's Bakery & Tearooms (Co. Leitrim), Ditty's Bakery (Co. Derry), Wilde Irish Chocolates (Co. Clare), Barron's Bakery & Coffee House (Co. Waterford), The Chocolate Garden of Ireland (Co. Carlow) and The Farmhouse Café & Bakery (Dublin).
The Drinks Producer of the Year 2026 field consists of The Dew Drop Brewhouse (Co. Kildare), Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur (Co. Cork), Papas Mineral Company (Co. Down), Long Meadow Cider (Co. Armagh), Beara Bitters (Co. Kildare), Crolly Distillery (Co. Donegal), Skellig Six18 (Co. Kerry) and Hinch Distillery Co. (Co. Down).
Sweet and savory foods, fish and seafood
The Sweet & Savoury Producer of the Year 2026 shortlist brings together G's Gourmet Jams (Co. Laois), Crawford's Rock Seaweed Salt (Co. Down), Galtee Honey Farm (Co. Tipperary), Irish Black Butter (Co. Antrim), Janet's Country Fayre (Co. Wicklow), Wild Irish Foragers (Co. Offaly), Leahy Beekeeping (Co. Galway), The Mallow Makers (Co. Down), Achill Island Sea Salt (Co. Mayo), Keogh's Crisps (Dublin) and Oriel Sea Salt (Co. Louth).
For Fish & Seafood Producer of the Year, the eight finalists are Atlantis of Kilmore Quay (Co. Wexford), K O'Connell Fish Merchants (Cork), Realt na Mara Shellfish (Co. Kerry), Croagh Patrick Seafoods (Co. Mayo), Ummera Smokehouse (Co. Cork), Caviston's Fishmongers (Co. Dublin), Burren Smokehouse (Co. Clare) and Connemara Smokehouse (Co. Galway).
Sustainability in production
The Sustainable Irish Food & Drink Producer of the Year award focuses on businesses that make sustainability integral to their operations.
Its finalists include Aran Island Goat Cheese (Inis Mór, Co. Galway), Keogh's Crisps (Dublin), Milleens Cheese (Co. Cork), Calvey's Achill Mountain Lamb (Co. Mayo), Long Meadow Cider (Co. Armagh), Killowen Farm (Co. Wexford), The Apple Farm (Co. Tipperary), Atlantis of Kilmore Quay (Co. Wexford), Galtee Honey Farm (Co. Tipperary) and Garryhinch Wood Exotic Mushrooms (Co. Offaly). Good Food Ireland's website carries the complete awards shortlist.
Two decades of Good Food Ireland
The anniversary dates to 2006, when Margaret Jeffares founded Good Food Ireland from her farm in Co. Wexford.
Earlier in the anniversary year, the organization held its conference at the InterContinental Dublin on Monday, April 20, 2026. The event, titled "20 Years of Taste: From Local Roots to Global Connections", ran from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., followed by a Good Food Ireland Showcase Dinner at 5 p.m.
Good Food Ireland is also expanding its platform with a website for booking food and drink experiences, which it describes as Ireland's only dedicated site of its kind. It connects visitors and local residents with curated farm visits, tastings and culinary journeys.
Further honors at the November ceremony
The November 16 ceremony will also name the Overall Irish Producer of the Year, chosen from the Producer Award winners, and present the Irish Food & Hospitality Ambassador of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Supreme Award will recognize the business, producer, experience or individual judged to best embody the values of Irish culinary tourism.