Athlone's Waldron Family Meats celebrates award successes

Local pork products company Waldron Family Meats is celebrating award successes on the double, after it picked up six Great Taste awards and reached the finals of next month's Irish Quality Food & Drink Awards.

The company, based in Brideswell, Athlone, is 34 years in business this year and employs 20 staff.

It's managed by founder Mike Waldron and his wife Yvonne, along with their son Darragh and his partner Amy.

At the Great Taste food awards, Waldron Family Meats received stars for six of its products including its handmade black pudding (which earned two stars), home cured back rashers, baked ham in maple and mustard glaze, large handmade sausage, Wiltshire ham fillet, and pork chop glazed in spiced orange marinade.

The company also entered the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards for the first time this year.

The finals of these awards take place next month, and Waldron Family Meats was shortlisted in five categories.

It will be bidding for awards in the baked ham in maple and mustard glaze, Wiltshire ham fillet, home cured back rashers and dry cured back rashers categories. It was also listed among the finalists in the Christmas ham category.

Amy Curley, Business Development Manager for Waldron Family Meats, was delighted with its award successes which she said were "a huge achievement".

She added that Waldron Meats has been "consistent in winning awards year in, year out even before the Great Taste Awards became so prominent in Ireland, which is a testament to the company."

The company was also named as the Family Business of the Year at last year's Athlone Chamber of Commerce awards.