Irish Country Meats has been awarded the prestigious Business All-Star Irish Agricultural Business of the Year 2023 by the All-Ireland Business Foundation, a testament to its outstanding performance during the Business All-Star Accreditation audit.

This accolade recognizes the company’s commitment to trust, performance, and customer-centricity. As Europe’s premier lamb processor, Irish Country Meats operates in over 30 global markets, directly employing 500 staff and making a substantial impact on job creation in the South-East region.

Renowned for its product quality and innovation, Irish Country Meats offers a diverse range of sheep meat products, from traditional carcasses to ready-to-cook and formulated lamb products. The company’s specialisation strategy ensures a competitive edge, supported by substantial investments in production facilities, highlighting its dedication to maintaining the highest standards and evolving its business model.

Sustainability is a cornerstone of Irish Country Meats’ philosophy, reflected in its engagement with a supplier base of over 6,000 farms and its role as a founding member of the Bord Bia Origin Green program and the Plastics Action Alliance. The company’s commitment to environmental responsibility extends to being the first in Ireland to achieve the Gold Standard through the European Water Stewardship scheme.

In addition to its environmental initiatives, Irish Country Meats prioritises the well-being of its workforce. Accredited in 2021 as a member of the “KeepWell” Program, the company consistently ranks among Ireland’s Top 100 companies “Leading in Wellbeing,” showcasing its commitment to employee welfare.

The Business All-Star Irish Agricultural Business of the Year 2023 award solidifies Irish Country Meats’ position as a leader in the agricultural business sector, recognized for excellence across various facets of its operations.

Announcing the news of Irish Country Meats achievement, Deputy Chair of AIBF’s Adjudication Board, Kieran Ring, said:

This accolade is in recognition of Irish Country Meats’ outstanding performance during its audit for Business All-Star Accreditation. The result of the audit saw the company being honoured with Irish Agricultural Business of the Year 2023 Accreditation. This accreditation recognises Irish Country Meats’ Conduct in the areas of trust, commitment, performance & customer centricity. Irish Country Meats’ is hereby included in the AIBF Register of Irish Business Excellence.

Reacting to the news of her company’s achievement, Irish Country Meats Marketing Manager, Kathryn Roche said:

On behalf of the Irish Country Meats team, I am so proud to accept our first Business All-Star Accreditation and the title of Irish Agricultural Business of the Year 2023 from the All-Ireland Business Foundation. I would like to acknowledge the efforts of my team who are as hardworking as they are talented.

It is a huge honour to be surrounded by so many inspiring people and a bigger honour still to serve our fantastic clients. We are delighted to be part of the AIBF TRIBE and very proud to display the AIBF Marque as a powerful symbol of trust and quality.

Managing Director of the All-Ireland Business Foundation Kapil Khanna said: The accreditation, which is now held by over 650 firms, is needed by the thousands of small and medium businesses which operate to their own standards but have nothing to measure them by.

He said: We evaluate a company’s background, trustworthiness and performance, and we speak to customers, employees and vendors. We also anonymously approach the company as a customer and report back on the experience. The business goes through at least two interviews and is scored on every part of the process against set metrics.

About The All-Ireland Business Foundation

The All-Ireland Business Foundation is an autonomous national accreditation body tasked with enterprise development and the promotion of Best-in-Class Irish businesses.

As the accreditation body for the Business All-Star mark, the AIBF recognises Best-In-Class Irish businesses. Companies that merit recognition based on an independent audit of their performance, reputation, and customer-centricity.

Business All-Star Accreditation Is The Nation’s Symbol Of Trust.

Currently, there are over 650 companies that are accredited by AIBF. Since 2014, over 5000 companies have participated in our programs.

The AIBF also hosts the annual All-Ireland Summit and monthly gatherings to promote peer-learning and collaboration among its accredited companies.

For more information please visit www.aibf.ie here.

To learn more about Irish Country Meats, visit their All-Star showcase page here.