The renowned Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards has announced that it will host the inaugural Irish Café Quality Food and Drink Awards at this year’s Food & Hospitality Ireland trade expo, taking place on 16 and 17 September.
The new awards will be announced on day two of Food & Hospitality Ireland, Thursday 17 September, taking place at the Citywest Events Centre in Dublin. In its first year, the awards have been created to celebrate excellence in food and drink product development within the buoyant Irish multiple and independent café sector. The awards will include Independent Café of the Year and Regional Café of the Year.
Speaking about the awards, group events manager Lara Monahan said: “In our first year, we’ve been thrilled with the level on interest in the Irish Café Quality Food and Drink Awards. Ireland has a thriving coffee culture and we wanted to create a platform that would celebrate the innovation within the sector.
“Food & Hospitality Ireland is the perfect home for our first Irish Café ‘Q’ Awards as there’s a definite crossover in terms of the award entrants and visitor profile of the trade expo,” said Monahan.
Toby Wand, managing director of Fresh Montgomery, added: “We’ve worked with the team behind the Irish Quality Food & Drink Awards (and now the Irish Café ‘Q’ Awards) since its inception three years ago and we’ve watched the awards grow in stature year-on-year.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with the Irish Café ‘Q’ Awards as there are many synergies between our visitors and the companies on the shortlist, therefore it made sense that we host the final of the Irish Café ‘Q’ Awards on day two of Food & Hospitality Ireland.”
Last year, thousands of visitors attended F&HI, and this year, with the addition of the Irish Café Awards, Speciality & Fine Food Fair Ireland and the ‘Great Taste Pavilion’, the show is expected to reach an even wider audience. Registration for visitors is now open at www.foodhospitality.ie
Food & Hospitality Ireland, incorporating the Speciality & Fine Food Fair Ireland, is taking place on the 16th and 17th September 2015 at the Citywest Events Centre, Dublin. For further information on exhibiting at the event, please contact Caroline McCusker on 048 (028) 9068 338. Or email [email protected].
