Wexford Home Preserves Celebrates Double International Success

A family business from County Wexford has achieved one of the highest honours in international food after Wexford Home Preserves secured a second consecutive 3-Star Great Taste Award for its handmade Blackcurrant Jam and, for the first time in the company's history, earned a coveted place on the Great Taste Golden Fork shortlist.

The achievement places the New Ross producer among an elite group of artisan food makers recognised for exceptional quality on the global stage. From 15,038 products entered into Great Taste Awards this year, only 2.0% achieved a 3-star rating. The three-star rating is the highest possible at the internationally renowned Great Taste Awards; Wexford Home Preserves Blackcurrant Jam has now received back-to-back 3-Star accolades, a rare distinction in a competition where fewer than two per cent of products achieve the top award.

The latest success also marks a significant milestone for the family-run business, which has now received five 3-Star Great Taste Awards overall and amassed an extraordinary 127 national and international food awards. These include 67 Great Taste Awards, 27 World Marmalade Awards, 20 Blas na hÉireann Awards and 13 Irish Quality Food & Drink Awards, establishing Wexford Home Preserves as one of Ireland's most awarded artisan food producers.

The judges’ comments on the jam include, “The jam delivered delicious wafts on the nose from the fruit. The consistency was perfect. The tartness from the currants sang out and left a wonderful, balanced, fruity sharpness that lingered. The fruit tingled the tongue. We were left wanting more. This jam really delivers on flavour - the essence of blackcurrant. Such care has been taken with this handmade jam.”

In a further endorsement of the company's commitment to quality, Wexford Home Preserves has also been shortlisted for a Great Taste Golden Fork Award for the first time. Regarded as the highest honour in the Great Taste Awards, the Golden Fork recognises the very best products from thousands of entries submitted by artisan food producers across more than 100 countries. Wexford Home Preserves is one of just three Irish producers shortlisted from thousands of entries in this year's competition.

In addition to its celebrated 3-Star success for Handmade Blackcurrant Jam, Wexford Home Preserves earned a further six Great Taste Awards in the 2026 awards announcement, including 2-Star accolades for its Handmade Seville Orange Marmalade, Handmade No Added Sugar Blackcurrant Jam and Handmade No Added Sugar Lemon & Lime Preserve, while its Handmade Clementine Marmalade, Handmade Strawberry Jam and Handmade Irish Red Onion Relish were each recognised with a 1-Star Great Taste Award, highlighting the exceptional quality and consistency of the company's award-winning artisan range.

The recognition reflects almost four decades of craftsmanship and an unwavering commitment to traditional food production. Founded in 1988 by Ellen O'Leary, the business began as a way of making use of surplus fruit from the family farm. Since Ellen’s family members - Tom and Laura Sinnott took over the company in 2008, they have built on that legacy, growing the business while remaining true to the traditional recipes and production methods that have defined the brand from the outset.

Every preserve is still handmade in small batches in New Ross using the traditional open-pan boiling method and 100 per cent natural ingredients. Unlike many commercial jam producers, Wexford Home Preserves does not use added pectin in its Blackcurrant Jam, relying instead on the fruit's naturally occurring pectin to create its distinctive texture and flavour. The company also sources the finest ingredients through long-established partnerships with growers across Ireland and beyond, recognising that exceptional preserves begin with exceptional fruit.

Today, Wexford Home Preserves supplies more than 350 retailers throughout Ireland, including its long-standing partnership with the Simply Better range at Dunnes Stores, while its products are also shipped to customers across Europe, the United States and other international markets. The business employs 16 people in New Ross and continues to invest in future talent through paid internship programmes with UCC, UCD and SETU.

Speaking following the announcement, Laura and Tom Sinnott said the recognition was a testament to the values that have shaped the business since its earliest days. "Receiving a 3-Star Great Taste Award is always an incredible honour, but to win it for the same product for a second consecutive year is something very few producers experience. To also be shortlisted for a Golden Fork for the first time makes this a truly landmark moment for our business.

"From the day we took over Wexford Home Preserves, we made a commitment never to compromise on quality. We continue to make every preserve by hand, in small batches, using traditional methods and the finest ingredients we can source. This achievement belongs to our dedicated team, our trusted growers and our loyal customers who have supported us throughout our journey."

John Farrand, managing director, Guild of Fine Food comments: “Food security is becoming an increasingly pressing issue across the globe, so it feels more pertinent now than at any other time in our thirty-year history to be supporting and promoting independent producers and retailers. Our directory of award recipients is a rich source of data, guiding people from all walks of life to make informed decisions about their food & drink choices. Great Taste is all about celebrating craftsmanship and dedication to well-sourced local ingredients and traditional, often simple production methods, which is more important now than ever.’
 

The award-winning Blackcurrant Jam, together with the full Wexford Home Preserves range of artisan jams, marmalades, chutneys and speciality preserves, is available from quality food retailers nationwide and online at www.wexfordhomepreserves.ie.