The 2024 Kilkenny Business Awards, set to be presented by Kilkenny Chamber this November, have been launched and with them come a number of new categories targeting food and hospitality businesses.
Food businesses featured among the winners in 2023 with Arán Bakery & Bistro taking the Agri-business/Food and Drink Producer of the Year award, Namo (James St.) named as Emerging New Business award winner while The Cup at Newpark Shopping Centre claimed the award for Customer Service Excellence. But that was 2023, and for 2024, it’s all change.
20 categories in total have been announced that are open for submissions now with a number of new categories that will appeal to food and hospitality businesses. Among them, the Café, Bar or Restaurant of the Year, Hotel & Accommodation Providers of the Year, Rural Tourism Award, and the Taste Of Kilkenny award.
Sure enough, food businesses may find themselves in the running in other categories with everything from customer service to ecommerce and digital business covered, through to staffing awards, family business awards and more.
How do I nominate and what happens next?
Individuals and enterprises can nominate a business in up to three of 20 categories. The deadline for receipt of nominations is Friday 20 September, with completed applications to be submitted by Friday 4 October, with those making the shortlists interviewed by industry panels on Wednesday 23 October. Outside of nominations, three other awards will be presented on the night including the President’s Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award and the overall Business of the Year, that award picked from overall category winners and decided by the judging panel based on scoring awarded from assessment of the initial application and the interview round.
Sponsored by VHI for 2024, the Kilkenny Business Awards will take place at Lyrath Estate Hotel on Saturday 23 November.
You can get a full list of the awards and nomination details online now at kilkennychamber.ie.
