Whoriskey’s EUROSPAR Ramelton win prestigious Q Mark Award

Whoriskey’s EUROSPAR Ramelton has won a National Q Mark Award for Hygiene and Food Safety at The National Q Mark Awards.
Their nomination put them in the top 6.75% of all audits completed by the Excellence Ireland Quality Association (EIQA) on the island of Ireland and this win means they are at the very top of the Q for highest standards of Quality and Excellence.
Whoriskey’s EUROSPAR is a family run supermarket, situated in Ramelton with a hot and cold deli, butcher’s counter and instore bakery and employ 36 people. “To win a Q Mark Award and a national title for all our staff ,our customers and our town is the epitome of success for us. There is no higher accolade than a Q Mark Award to demonstrate to our customers that high standards of hygiene and food safety are at the very core of our business. A Q Mark Award is national recognition and validation of the entire team’s hard work and enthusiasm. To win a Q Mark award is an enormous honour and achievement and a source of outstanding pride for everyone.” said Christine Mc Gonigle Title: Food Safety Manager
Known as The Oscars of Business Excellence, The Q Mark Award is the highest accolade an Irish business can achieve, given both the intense competition and the exacting standards required. Speaking at this year’s awards Irene Collins, Managing Director of EIQA said “It’s great to see the 36 strong team in Whoriskeys being recognised in this new category which recognises a commitment to continuous improvement… as continuous improvement is a focal point of their culture and business strategy
The National Q Mark Awards 2018 were presented by EIQA and officiated by Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD. This is a very special year for The Q Mark Awards as EIQA celebrate their 50th anniversary and the Master of Ceremonies on the night was inimitable broadcaster Jonathan Healy. Almost 600 people representing 140 companies attended a formal black-tie ceremony in competition for one of only 27 awards presented. The evening was filled with celebration but also a heady anticipation as many familiar faces waited for the final results to be announced.
Headline sponsors this year were eTravel, Virgin Atlantic and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. Award sponsors included Noel Recruitment, Skillsteam, Shelflife Magazine, JBM Merit Solutions, Solus, Aszstec, Bluemoon Communications and The Irish Independent. Funds were raised on the night for CanTeen Ireland and were much appreciated and celebrations went on into the early hours.
EIQA (Excellence Ireland Quality Association) has been the Irish National Quality Association since 1968. They currently audit the standards of thousands of organisations and businesses both in Ireland and Internationally. EIQA is known as the ‘Guardian’ of The Q Mark which identifies its various certifications, namely: The Q Mark for Hygiene & Food Safety, The Q Mark for Quality Management Systems, The Q Mark for Nursing Homes, The Q Mark for Leisure Centres, The Q Mark for Accessibility (ABLE)