James Whelan Butchers has been honoured to garner many awards recognising our commitment to high standards, local sourcing and unsurpassed taste through the years. Here are some of our favourite accolades.
2025 Awards
Great Place to Work® Certified – 2025
In 2025, James Whelan Butchers was officially recognised as a Great Place to Work®. This certification reflects our commitment not only to excellence in food production, but to creating a positive, supportive and rewarding workplace culture for our team.
Blas na hÉireann Awards 2025
Blas na hÉireann (Irish Food Awards) celebrate the very best of Irish food and drink producers.
In 2025, James Whelan Butchers came home with:
- Two Gold Awards
- One Silver Award
- One Bronze Award
These awards are a testament to our continued dedication to quality, flavour and innovation in Irish food production.
Major National & International Recognition
The Great Taste Golden Fork Award
The Great Taste Awards celebrates the very best in food and drink. James Whelan Butchers was awarded the Golden Fork for the Best Food from Ireland for our Beef Dripping.
Great Taste Supreme Champion 2015
From over 10,000 entries into Great Taste 2015, judges awarded the highest honour – Great Taste Supreme Champion – to our Beef Dripping.
Bord Bia Food & Drink Awards 2013
James Whelan Butchers won the first Bord Bia award for Online Champion, recognising excellence in the digital space.
All Ireland Marketing Awards 2012
Winner of the Small Business Marketing Award 2012, chosen from businesses across the entire country. Often considered the ‘Oscars’ of the Irish marketing profession.
The Bridgestone Irish Food Guide – Best in Ireland Award 2011
The Bridgestone Guide honours Ireland’s artisan and specialist food producers and is regarded as one of the most comprehensive and critical examinations of Irish food excellence.
Good Food Ireland: Good Food Ireland is a beacon for all lovers of good food. It is a network of places that make, sell or serve good food as well as those providing quality accommodation. All Good Food Ireland establishments are run by people with a passion for what they do.
Irish Web Awards: The Realex Payments Irish Web Awards are held annually to recognise people who do great things on the web. The awards are judged transparently and are open to anyone in Ireland. James Whelan Butchers are the proud winners of the 2010 Best SME/Small Business site.
Eircom Spider Awards: The eircom Spiders Awards are an annual event honouring Irish individuals and organisations for their outstanding achievements online and celebrating the successes of the Irish internet and digital media. James Whelan Butchers are the proud winners of the Retail Excellence award at the 2010 Eircom Spider Awards.
Rick Stein’s Food Heroes: In 2008, celebrated chef Rick Stein, OBE, toured the UK and Ireland in search of the islands’ top specialist food producers for the BBC series and accompanying book. James Whelan Butchers was delighted to be included among the Food Heroes who are the stars of the TV series and Food Heroes books.
South Tipperary County Council: In 2005, Pat Whelan, director of James Whelan Butchers, was awarded the inaugural South Tipperary Entrepreneurial Award by the South Tipperary County Council.
Clonmel Chamber of Commerce: In 2008 Pat Whelan, director of James Whelan Butchers, was awarded the Business Person of the Year award in recognition of setting up the Tipperary Food Producers Network.
SFA National Small Business Awards: In 2006 James Whelan Butchers won the ‘Outstanding Small Business’ award sponsored by O2. This award recognized James Whelan Butchers outstanding achievements as a small business.
Retail Excellence Awards: In 2002, 2006 and 2016 James Whelan Butchers were awarded the Retail Excellence Ireland Award. These awards were established in 1997 to promote best practice standards in the Irish Retail Industry.
