O'Donnell's Bakery, Laghey wins UK award
Laghey-based O'Donnell's Bakery has been awarded a UK Great Taste Award for its hand-made rustic wheaten bread. The bread was awarded a Gold Star in the 'Brown Bread – No Additives' category by the UK Fine Food Guild last week. The Gold Star represents 'a perfect food' and with sales set to soar, O'Donnell's Bakery have already increased production.
The news was welcomed as, “testament to our home made receipe and hand-crafted bread” by O’Donnell’s Bakery co-director Charlie O’Donnell.
O’Donnell’s Bakery, a family-owned enterprise has been operating in South Donegal since 1969. In 2005, brothers Charlie and Eamonn took over the operation from their father and uncles and moved it from its original home in Ballyshannon to a purpose-built premises in Laghey.
Eamonn is the baker and is responsible for quality control. He trained at Bakery School in the University of Ulster and then completed his Business Degree in Magee University in Derry. Meanwhile, Charlie went down the business route and studied Business and Finance in Manchester Metropolitan University. Collectively they bring all the skills necessary to make the bakery a financial success.
The company employs 18 staff and bakes 50 different bread products, dispatching 5,500 units each day to stores across the country. They have their products in all major retailers including Centra, SuperValu, Spar, Mace, Londis and 77 Aldi stores nationwide as well has hotels and restaurants.
Charlie says, "We are absolutely thrilled with the Great Taste Award. The story of how our Rustic Wheaten came to being is quite funny. We were asked by a client to make a homemade rustic brown bread for their thriving restaurant and after a couple of recipes we hit gold. We sent it to Aldi a few weeks later and it proved an immediate hit. The award is the icing on the cake for us.
The Great Taste Awards were established in 1994 and are organised by the UK Guild of Fine Food. To find out more about O’Donnell’s Bakery Rustic Wheaten log onto their blog at www.odonnellsbakery.blogspot.com.
O’Donnell’s Bakery is also running a competition for bread lovers. Log onto O’Donnell’s Bakery on facebook and describe your favourite way to eat the Rustic Wheaten. The best entry will receive a luxurious O’Donnell Bakery Hamper.
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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