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Irish meat, cheese and jam celebrated at Great Taste Awards 2026

Great Taste winners
Laura and Tom of Wexford Home Preserves

The Great Taste Awards have today revealed a long list of accolades to an impressive number of brands, both at home and abroad.

Recognised as a stamp of excellence, the accreditation scheme, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, values taste above all else.

The annual awards see a panel of judges - made up of chefs, restaurateurs, producers, critics, writers and journalists - invited to test a variety of products, each of which has been stripped of its packaging and branding.

Laura and Tom
Laura and Tom of Wexford Home Preserves

This year, a variety of Irish businesses were celebrated, with each earning a 1-star, 2-star or 3-star listing. You can see the full list at the bottom of this article.

Following the announcement, a small number of this year's 3-star products were shortlisted from across the entire competition for the prestigious Golden Fork awards, recognising the very best food and drink in the world.

This year, three products from Ireland and three products from Northern Ireland have made the shortlist.

Golden Fork Ireland

  • Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers, Organic Cashel Blue
  • Green Pastures Donegal, 25% Sour Cream
  • Wexford Home Preserves, Blackcurrant Jam

Golden Fork Northern Ireland

  • Hannan Meats, Buttermilk Dry Cure Bacon Rack
  • Hannan Meats, Buttermilk Bone-In Pork Chop
  • The Curly Pigs, Coppa

Winners will be announced at a dedicated Golden Forks ceremony later this year.

Great Taste winners

3-Star products in Ireland for 2026

  • 25% Sour Cream, Green Pastures (Donegal)
  • 63% Dark Chocolate Croithlí Whiskey Infused, Coco Milis
  • Aldi Specially Selected Wicklow Butterfly Lamb Leg Fillet with Salt & Pepper, Irish Country Meats
  • Bright Meat Company Quality Beef with a lower carbon footprint 30 Days Matured Thick Cut Irish Beef Fillet Steak, Kepak Watergrasshill
  • Carlingford no 3, Carlingford Oyster Company Ltd
  • Clonbawn Irish Sour Cream Full Fat, Aldi Ireland
  • Connacht Gold Pure Irish Butter, Aurivo Co-Operative Society Limited
  • Coolattin Mature Cheddar, Coolattin Cheddar Ltd
  • Deluxe Spanish Castellano PGI, Traditional Cheese Co Ltd
  • Do Me A Flavour Truffle & Pink Peppercorn Butter, Do Me A Flavour
  • Dunnes Stores Creamy & Nutty Gubbeen Cheese, Dunnes Stores
  • Dunnes Stores Simply Better French Brillat Savarin Affine AOC, Dunnes Stores
  • Dunnes Stores Simply Better French Reblochon De Savoie PDO, Dunnes Stores
  • Dunnes Stores Simply Better Handmade Sticky Toffee Pudding Crown, Dunnes Stores
  • Heritage Cure Ham, James Whelan Butchers
  • Ivy Blossom Honey, Honey Harvest
  • Killadoon Milk - whole milk, Killadoon Milk
  • Lidl Deluxe Bronze Turkey Crown Dressed with Bacon Lattice & Butter 1.8kg, Lidl Ireland
  • Lidl Deluxe Irish Angus 3 Rib Roast on the Bone 40Days Matured in Giftbox 2.5-3.5kg, Lidl Ireland
  • Lidl Deluxe Lamb Rump Roast with Sea Salt, Garlic and Rosemary 400g, Lidl Ireland
  • Lidl Deluxe Parmigiano Reggiano DOP 30M 200g, Lidl Ireland
  • Molloy Honey, Molloy Honey
  • Organic Cashel Blue, Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers
  • Signature Tastes Slow Cooked Irish Hampshire Ham on the Bone with Light Muscovado Sugar & an Orange Blossom Honey Glaze, Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland
  • Signature Tastes Irish Hereford Cote de Boeuf Steak, Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland
  • Signature Tastes Unsmoked Irish Hampshire Ham Fillet, Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland
  • Silver Hill Duck Fillets, Silver Hill Duck
  • Specially Selected Irish Black Angus Fillet Steak, Aldi Ireland
  • Specially Selected Wild Sage & Sauteed Onion Sourdough Stuffing, Aldi Ireland
  • The Farmhouse Raw Ivy/Heather Fusion Honey, The Farmhouse Bees & Trees Ltd
  • Wexford Home Preserves Blackcurrant Jam, Wexford Home Preserves
  • wild blackberry with winter spices balsamic, Wildwood Vinegars
  • Woodcock Smokery Woodcock Smokery

3-Star products in Northern Ireland for 2026

  • Braised Beef with Blue Cheese Crumble Pie, Pie NI Limited
  • Buttermilk Bone in Pork Chop, Hannan Meats Ltd.
  • Buttermilk Boneless Pork Loin Joint, Hannan Meats Ltd.
  • Buttermilk Dry Cure Bacon Rack, Hannan Meats Ltd.
  • Coppa, The Curly Pigs
  • Guanciale, Ispini Charcuterie
  • Low Land - Oud Bruin - Flemish Brown Ale, Our Brewery @ Geterbrewed Ltd
  • Salt Aged Buttermilk Bone in Rind on Pork Belly, Hannan Meats Ltd.
  • Séasúr - Mixed Ferm Saison, Our Brewery @ Geterbrewed Ltd
  • Sugar Pit Buttermilk Bacon Chop, Hannan Meats Ltd.
  • Sugar Pit Buttermilk Bacon Rack, Hannan Meats Ltd.
  • Wild Sika Venison French Rack, Baronscourt Estate
  • Wild Sika Venison Loin, Baronscourt Estate