A Cork company who manufacture jam have won three prestigious gold's at The Great Taste Awards, often dubbed the Oscars of the Food Industry.

It marks yet another successful year for Follain, who, since beginning production of jams and preserves 25 years ago, have triumphed numerous times at The Great Taste Awards.

The family owned and run business saythe philosophy of Follain is that good food is not about being focused on making a quick buck. Owners Peadar and Mairin O' Lionáird have long been committed to having a company that is exactly what it says on their labels – natural, wholesome and healthy.

This motto has carried Folláin from its beginnings as a cottage business to a thriving company that employs 15 people from the local community and produces top quality jams and preserves. Despite the growth of the company, Folláin has managed to stay true to its roots. Throughout the last twenty years the demand for Folláin products has multiplied many times, yet the secret of their home-made quality is maintained without compromise to modern production methods.

Their pursuit of excellence is helped along by community support. Located in Baile Mhuirne in the Muscraí Gaeltacht, Irish is spoken at Folláin and the recipes are based on the traditional family recipes that began the business. Even the oranges for their Great Taste Award–winning marmalade are still being de-seeded by hand to get the best possible product.

For Follain achieving a Gold Standard is merely the icing on the cake in a year that has seen growth for their company and a nomination for a 2008 Green Award for their national tree planting campaign. Mairin O' Lionáird says that winning the awards again is a great honour that puts their product into competition with the best in the business as The Great Taste Awards judging standards are among the most rigorous in Europe with every entry being blind tasted by the team of experts.

In 2008 the much sought after Gold Standard, which Follain earned for its Strawberry Jam, Wholegrain Mustard and signature Orange Marmalade was chased by no less than 2,012 small food producers. Food Critic Tom Parker Bowles commented that the 'Great Taste Awards represent the gold standard of food production. They are a sign of the highest quality, where taste is more important than the quick buck.'

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