Business

Mash Direct wins company of the year accolade

Jack Hamilton, Mash Direct receives the food manufacturing company of the year trophy from Carol Smillie and a representative of award sponsor Michael Page Recruitment
Jack Hamilton, Mash Direct receives the food manufacturing company of the year trophy from Carol Smillie and a representative of award sponsor Michael Page Recruitment Jack Hamilton, Mash Direct receives the food manufacturing company of the year trophy from Carol Smillie and a representative of award sponsor Michael Page Recruitment

COMBER firm Mash Direct has been named best food company in the UK at the Food Manufacture Excellence Awards in London.

The awards recognise outstanding performance and innovation in manufacturing businesses throughout the UK.

Mash Direct picked up the overall prize and the award for chilled and fresh produce manufacturing company of the year.

They had faced competition from household names including Coca-Cola, Moy Park, Weetabix and Kellogg's.

The company is now the biggest brand in the chilled side dish category of the supermarket in Britain and Ireland and increased sales in Britain by more than 38 per cent last year.

Director Jack Hamilton said: “Even to be named among big companies such as Coca Cola means a huge amount to the team but to take the big prize back to the farm in Comber is unbelievable.

“Having only started out 12 years ago as a small farm diversification supplying to local stores in Killyleagh and Killinchy we are astonished to have won company of the year.

"t means so much more to win this top prize during the Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink to highlight the ground-breaking innovation that makes the food from these parts so special."