A TOTAL of 20 Cork food and drink companies have been recognised with a prestigious title for their commitment in driving sustainability initiatives.

The businesses were recognised with Origin Green Gold Membership for 2025, and represent almost 15% of the 136 Irish food and drink companies Bord Bia recognised for their sustainability performance in 2025.

Origin Green is Ireland’s pioneering food and drink sustainability programme.

Gold Membership is awarded to Origin Green verified companies if they make significant improvements in their sustainability target areas.

Target areas can include raw material sourcing, water and energy efficiency, emissions, waste reductions, packaging, and social sustainability.

This year’s 136 Gold Membership companies represent sectors including dairy, meat, seafood and aquaculture, grocery, bakery and confectionary, beverages, and horticulture.

West Cork members include: Beara Distillery, Macroom Buffalo Cheese Products, Durrus Cheese, Shannon Vale Foods, Folláin, Clonakilty Distillery Bandon Co –Operative/Bandon Vale Cheese, Carbery, Dairygold Food Ingredients, Glenilen Farm, Lisavaird Food Group, Clonakilty Food Co and Staunton Foods.

Just over three-quarters of the overall Gold Member companies are small or medium-sized enterprises, while one quarter are large firms.

This year, 17% of the companies were first time recipients of Gold Membership.

‘Every year, Origin Green raises the threshold to meet Gold Membership status in order to help drive continuous change and improvement across the Irish food sector. The record 136 companies awarded Gold Membership this year underscores the huge desire of the Irish food and drink sector to future-proof their business as they continue to increase their sustainability actions,’ said Martin Hofler, Senior Sustainability Manager, Origin Green at Bord Bia.

Jim O’Toole, CEO of Bord Bia, said the efforts ‘are not just about meeting targets, they are about creating real value. Value for customers, value for employees and value for suppliers.’

‘Because sustainability is no longer a peripheral concern, it is a central driver of business resilience, innovation, and long-term success. Sustainability is non-negotiable, it should be embedded into the DNA of every Irish food and drink business.

‘We see Origin Green member companies innovating in their packaging, rethinking their energy use, collaborating with farmers, and investing in circular economy models. We see leadership in action, not just in boardrooms, but on factory floors, in fields, and across supply chains. And we see a shared commitment from Origin Green members to doing better, year after year.’