Offaly company crowned Supreme Champion at prestigious Blas na hÉireann Awards

An Offaly company has been crowned Supreme Champion at the prestigious Blas na hEireann Awards. Bon Chocolatiers won the Best in County Award but also clinched the top accolade when the company was named Supreme Champion.

All roads led to Dingle for the eagerly anticipated finals of Blas na hÉireann, The Irish Food Awards, now in their 18th year and firmly established as the largest and most influential food awards on the island of Ireland.

This year, five producers from Offaly were shortlisted across a wide range of categories, with four of them taking home coveted Blas awards. The bronze, silver and gold winners from the county include: Bon Chocolatiers, Heavey & Co, Pigs On The Green and Sofina Foods.

Bon Chocolatiers was awarded Best in County, proudly sponsored by Offaly Local Enterprise Office, Best New Product, proudly sponsored by Invest NI and the ultimate prize of Supreme Champion proudly supported by Bord Bia.

Bon Chocolatiers create Irish artisan chocolates, lovingly crafted by hand in Tullamore, Ireland. They select the finest ingredients to create unique flavours and textures which they say elevates their chocolate 'to a sensory level'. They use ethically sourced chocolate from France and Switzerland and of course only the best - Irish cream and butter. They take pride in using as many local producers as they can in their small batch creations, showcasing the beautiful ingredients this country has to offer

“We are delighted to see Bon Chocolatiers win the 2025 Blas na hÉireann, Best in County Awards. Congratulations to the whole team on this well-deserved achievement, which is a wonderful recognition of their talent and commitment.” says Orla Martin, Head of Enterprise.

“We wish them continued success as they go from strength to strength and look forward to working with them as they grow their business. Offaly has a strong network of ambitious food enterprises and we in LEO Offaly feel privileged to be working with them all”.

2025 marks another record year for Blas na hÉireann, with over 3,000 entries across more than 180 categories, reflecting the strength and diversity of Irish food and drink.

This year’s finalists and winners had the opportunity to showcase their products at the Blas Village and the popular Eat Ireland in a Day market, both of which returned to Dingle alongside the annual Backyard at Blas panel discussions supported by Bank of Ireland. The weekend offered producers a chance to connect with buyers, industry experts, media, fellow producers, and food lovers, while also celebrating the people, and the talents, that make Irish food so special.

Speaking after the announcement, Artie Clifford, Chairperson of Blas na hÉireann, said “Every year the standard rises, and 2025 has been no exception. To see such talented producers from Co. Offaly represented on the shortlist, and now to celebrate the winners from that county, is a real testament to the skill, creativity and resilience of Ireland’s food producers. Making it to the finalist stage alone is a huge achievement, and to win at Blas is something of which to be incredibly proud. Irish food and drink continues to go from strength to strength, and it is a joy to celebrate that strength and that community here in Dingle.”

The Blas na hÉireann awards weekend ran from Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th October in Dingle, with a packed programme of events shining a spotlight on the very best of Irish food and drink. Sustainability once again remained a key focus, with the event continuing to build on its waste-free commitments and support a more conscious future for Irish food.