Major award for businesswoman

Major award for businesswoman

26 June 2013

A LOCAL businesswoman has won a prestigious All Ireland award.

Tracy Hamilton, who runs the Comber-based Mash Direct with her husband, Martin, has won the top prize in the FBD Women in Agriculture Award. She will now represent Ireland next year in the EU-wide finals.

Since Mash Direct was set up in 2004 the company has become brand leaders and won many awards for their convenient vegetable and potato dishes.

Products range from traditional accompaniments, such as mashed potato and champ, to complete ready-meals supplying major supermarkets in the UK and Ireland and as far afield as Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Tracy is the first woman to be elected to the Board of the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association (NIFDA) and also sits on the Board of Food NI. She is a member of Women in Business and the Institute of Directors.

The Women in Agriculture Awards provide a national platform to recognise the central role women play in farming and acknowledge the innovative approach they take in diversifying and adding value to their farm business. It is a lifetime award and Tracy will now go on to represent Ireland for the EU Innovation Prize.

Tracey said winning the award is a wonderful endorsement for Mash Direct.

“It is an honour to be recognised and rewarded for diversifying a small family farm into a national household brand,” she said. “I look forward to my ambassadorial role highlighting women’s increasing contribution to the agri-business sector.”