Alison Johnston Sales & Marketing Director Good Food Ireland with the Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Gillian McCollum and Conal Stewart Food & Development Officer, Ards and North Down Borough Council

Good Food Ireland®, the trusted all-island brand for authentic food and drink experiences, is proud to announce its partnership with Taste Ards and North Down – a region renowned for its extraordinary local produce, rich culinary traditions, and vibrant hospitality sector.

As a consumer-facing brand that unites the agri-food and tourism sectors under one vision, Good Food Ireland® is committed to showcasing the very best in local food experiences. This partnership aims to develop greater awareness of Taste Ards and North Down (Taste AND) across the island of Ireland and beyond, celebrating its producers, makers, and food-led events that bring the community and visitors together.

Ards and North Down boasts some of the finest and freshest ingredients on the island – sourced from fertile farmland, rugged coastline, and pristine waters. These ingredients are the cornerstone of what makes the region’s food offering so special. They can be found in artisan shops, bustling markets, and award-winning eateries across the region.

Through seasonal events like the Comber Earlies Food Festival and Bangor Chilli Fest—both ranked in the Top 20 Food and Drink Festivals in Ireland – Taste AND continues to shine a spotlight on its seasonal produce and culinary excellence. These festivals, along with a growing calendar of Summer and Autumn events, showcase the unique flavours and creativity of the region’s producers and chefs.

Margaret Jeffares, Founder of Good Food Ireland®, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Ards and North Down Borough Council to highlight the exceptional food and drink experiences that the region has to offer. Through this partnership, we aim to elevate the Taste AND experience and introduce it to a wider audience, showcasing the region’s rich culinary heritage while supporting local producers and hospitality businesses. Together, we can strengthen the connection between food, tourism and community, further positioning food as a key driver of tourism across the island.”

This partnership reinforces Good Food Ireland’s mission to give standout to regional food stories, ensuring that places like Ards and North Down – rich in authenticity, quality, and a deep-rooted food culture – take their rightful place on the map of Ireland’s top culinary destinations.

– ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact:

Good Food Ireland®

Email: [email protected]

Tel:  +353 (0)53 9158693

Good Food Ireland® is a trustmark for authentic Irish food and drink experiences of the island of Ireland. Since its establishment in 2006,

Good Food Ireland® has played a multi-faceted role in promoting sustainable rural development by supporting local producers, encouraging sustainable practices, enhancing tourism, preserving culinary heritage, and building community engagement. These efforts have helped to contribute to the economic vitality, environmental sustainability, and cultural richness of rural Ireland.

The Good Food Ireland® core emphasis of using local, fresh, seasonal Irish ingredients, encourages tourism-hospitality and retail businesses to prioritise local produce and visitors as well as ourselves here at home to seek it out, hence supporting Irish farmers, food producers and fishermen and sustainably strengthening local economies and communities.

Through its promotion of local producers, Good Food Ireland® also helps maintain traditional agricultural practices, preserving the heritage and biodiversity of Irish farming.