Call for Nominations: National Organic Awards 2024 (Ireland)

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. This event aims to recognise developments within the organic sector across seven key categories, judged by a panel of experts. Full list of awards can be found below:

• Best Irish Organic Product Award: To include Irish organic branded food and beverage products available for sale in Ireland either through retail, speciality, food service or direct to consumer channel. Judging criteria will include organic brand story, market opportunity, packaging and brand communication and relevance to evolving consumer trends.
• Best Irish Organic Private Label Product Award: To include Irish organic 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.
• Best Irish Organic Export Product Award: 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 currently 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.
• Best New and Innovative Irish Organic Product: Open to new products or packaging innovation launched since October 2022. Judging Criteria will include market insights, evidence of innovation for product or packaging and evidence of market success.
• Direct to Consumer Excellence Award: 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 online analytics, success of customer recruitment, evidence of business growth and packaging and branding adaptability.
• Business in the Community Award: 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 and how this benefits the local community. Judging Criteria will include a 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 (where relevant).
• The Irish Organic Champion 2024: to recognise the achievements of an individual who is a true pioneer, who is positive influence for the Irish organic sector, encompassing the qualities and philosophy of what the Irish organic sector stands for and helping to progress the sector. Judging Criteria will focus on the background of projects and initiatives the nominee is delivering for the sector, why it is important to the sector and the impact these activities are delivering .

Funding Information

• 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 2024 Organic awards will get a one to one session with their Client Capability team who will help develop a bespoke package of supports to meet individual company needs up to the value of €5,000. There is a separate prize for the Irish Organic Sector Champion Award 2024.

Eligibility Criteria 

• This year Bord Bia is excited to announce there is a new special award focused on recognising an individual who is leading by example for the Irish organic sector and will be crowned The Irish Organic Sector Champion 2024.
• This award will be nominated by others in the sector.
• The winners will be announced at an award ceremony that celebrates the best of organic food from Ireland.
• Judging will take place at the National Organic Food Fair in Merrion Square on the 31st August 2024.

For more information, visit Bord Bia.