Coleman’s Farm Shop and Nursery, McKee’s Country Store, Millar Meats and High Street Harvest, shortlisted for major UK awards

The quartet has been shortlisted in the prestigious Farm Shop and Deli Retailer Awards 2024 by the highly influential Grocer magazine in Britain, one of the most important ‘voices’ in Europe for food retailing.

Chosen for the awards, the winners of which will be announced at a gala event in early March, are Coleman’s Farm Shop and Nursery at Templepatrick, Co Antrim; McKee’s Country Store, located just outside Holywood, Co Down; Millar Meats and Food Store, Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh; and High Street Harvest in Holywood, also Co Down.

With an expert panel of judges joining food broadcaster and writer Nigel Barden, as chairman, the awards “recognise the highest levels of service, product knowledge, initiative, innovation and community involvement, offered by our heroes of the high-street. Barden is also heavily involved in the important UK Great Taste Awards for smaller food producers”.

The UK awards showcase the highest levels of service, product knowledge, initiative, innovation and community involvement, offered by the nation’s heroes of the high-street.

The top national award was won last year by Cunningham’s Butchers, Food Hall and Steak House, a family-owned business in Kilkeel. It was the first time a Northern Ireland food business had won the top award.

James Cunningham, who runs the business, says: “The Farm Shop and Deli Retailer Awards are a fantastic way for specialist retailers in the food and drink sector to showcase all the great work they are doing nationally and especially for local customers. We benefited immensely from the profile it provided for our role in Kilkeel and further afield.

“The awards are also an excellent vehicle for independent food retailers to gain some national recognition for their passion and hard work they put into their respective crafts,” adds James.

More than 100 independent food retailers from across the UK were shortlisted.