Producing food that feeds the body and nourishes the soul – meet The Merry Mill, best organic SME winner of the EU Organic Awards 2023
*** Applications for the EU Organics Awards 2024 are open, visit our website for more info and apply by 12 May! ***
The EU Organic Award for best food processing SME went to The Merry Mill, in Ireland, for their achievements in the production of organic gluten-free foods.
The merry mill, located in Vicarstown, Ireland, specializes in the production of high-quality gluten-free oats, while adhering to the principles of organic agriculture. To avoid cross-contamination of grains, the family-run farm has developed a closed-loop system in which it manages the entire process from start to finish. They grow, harvest, dry, and bag their oats, and they mill them directly on the farm using a mill they built for this purpose. In addition, all the milling bi-products and waste are used on the farm as animal feed and animal bedding.
The mill was created by Irish farmer Kevin Scully, who is running it alongside his family. Upon noticing there were no gluten-free organic oats in Ireland, Scully saw an opportunity to create the country’s first certified organic gluten-free oat mill. The Merry Mill’s mission is to provide high-quality foods that feed the body and nourish the soul, in accordance with their mantra: “Eat well and be well.” However, they also care deeply about growing food that is sustainable and has no negative impact on the environment. As said by Mr. Scully himself: “Soil health is key for healthy food.”
Want to learn more about the other winners of the EU Organic Awards 2023? Read our dedicated article.
The annual European Organic Awards reward the most excellent and innovative actors in the organic value chain. Jointly organized by the European Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee, the European Committee of the Regions, COPA-COGECA and IFOAM Organics Europe, they aim to stimulate organic production by sharing the inspiring stories of actors who achieved excellence in this field. Organic production combines the best environmental and climate practices and enhances biodiversity and the health of soil and plants. Its fundamental role has also been recognized by the EU, which identified organic production as playing a key role in the achievement of the objectives of the European Green Deal, the Farm to Fork strategy and the Biodiversity strategy.
Want to be the next winner of the EU Organic Awards? Applications for the 2024 edition are open until 12 May! Read more on our website and apply today!