Finalists for 2025 Blas na hÉireann awards announced

The finalists for Blas na hÉireann, The Irish Food Awards 2025, have been announced, with 61 exceptional producers from Co. Dublin making it through to the final stage of Ireland’s most prestigious food awards.

The countdown is now officially on for the return to Dingle this autumn, where the very best of Irish food and drink will be celebrated from Thursday 2nd October to Sunday 5th October, with the Blas Village, Showcase, Eat Ireland in a Day market and the awards themselves all running on Friday 3rd October.

Now in its 18th year, Blas na hÉireann continues to grow, with more than 3,000 entries submitted from across the island, and a record number of new producers taking part.

The 2025 awards also see the biggest ever expansion in categories, now totalling 190, including significant growth in fast-evolving areas such as alcoholic drinks and their non-alcoholic alternatives.

The judging, which took place over May, June and July in partnership with UCC and TU Dublin, is blind-tasted and scored by a network of expert judges, including chefs, buyers, academics, restaurateurs, and industry leaders.

Only the top entries from each category make it to the finalist stage, which is a huge achievement in itself.

The finalists shortlisted from Co. Dublin across a wide range of categories are:

Aryzta, Baked to Death, Ballymaguire Foods, Bewleys Tea & Coffee Ltd., Boxty House, Brambles, Brennans, Chabad – Lubavitch of Ireland CLG (trading as Deli 613), Cherry Orchard Community Garden, Cookie Dó, Copper Pan Kitchen, Corindale LTD T/A Seafood Suppers by Niall Sabongi, Dan and Monstro Homemade Sauces, Dole Ireland, Donnelly fresh foods T/A Wonderfoods, Donnybrook Fair, Dunn’s of Dublin, Eve’s Cakes, Food Cloud , Freshcut Foods, Freshways Food Co, Fusion Vinegar, Gem Pack Foods, Golden Bake, Happy Hour Foods, Hatch Coffee, Hometown Taste Foods Ltd., Hopkins & Hopkins, Keeling F Juices Ltd., Keelings, Kefircoffee Ltd., Keogh’s Crisps, M&M Products, Mannings Bakery, McNally Family Farm, Meltdown, Milish Foods Ltd., Milky Paws Limited T/A Chimac, Naked Bakes, Naomi’s Kitchen, Nature’s Elixir, Niks Tea Ltd., Noisette Artisan Bakery, Oishii Foods, OpenHive Honey Ltd., Pitt Bros Barbecue, Pizza Sorrento, Raw Juices & Smoothies Ltd T/A The Raw Juice Company, Rye River Brewing Company, Sips by Tom, Slice of Life, Sushi King, Tendermeats, Tetralogy Holdings Ltd. T/A Le Patissier, The Artisan Pizza Company, The Cupcake Bloke, The Delicious Food Co., Tirlán Ltd., Treats by Sylvia, Two Fifty Square and Valeo Foods.

“The four Local Enterprise Offices in the Dublin region are delighted with the very high standard of the 61 food producers that have emerged as finalists in this year’s Blas na hÉireann awards.” said Oisín Geoghegan, Head of Enterprise (Fingal). “Dublin has a wealth of excellent and innovative food producers, and we are very proud to see so many Dublin finalists this year. Through the Dublin Food Chain and other regional initiatives run by the Local Enterprise Offices alongside our partners, these producers are eagerly encouraged and enabled to grow and succeed. We are very pleased to work with Blas na hÉireann in helping to promote and recognise this important sector.”

“It’s been an exciting year for the Blas na hÉireann awards,” says Blas na hÉireann Chairperson Artie Clifford.

“That’s not just in terms of the ever-growing number of entries, but in the incredible standard of produce from both long-standing producers and impressive newcomers. We’ve also seen huge innovation across all categories, which reflects the evolving landscape of Irish food and drink. For us, these awards are about championing the producers, and giving them the spotlight they deserve in Dingle each October. We can’t wait to welcome them.”

This year’s Blas na hÉireann weekend will see the return of the hugely popular Eat Ireland in a Day market and the Blas Village, where 2025 finalists can showcase their products, connect with buyers, and meet with fellow producers, media and food lovers from across the country.

With sustainability at the forefront once again, this year’s event will continue to build on its environmentally friendly policies and support a more conscious future for Irish food.

Making it as a finalist is no small achievement.

The competition intensifies every year, and the producers shortlisted really do represent the crème de la crème of Irish food and drink.

The Blas na hÉireann awards weekend in Dingle is a celebration of great food, and of the people, passion and place that make that Irish food so special.