Our story

Awarding excellence in gluten free food.

The Gluten Free Food Awards are the only industry award serving producers and consumers of gluten free foods in Ireland. We taste, test and award the best foods developed to meet the needs of coeliacs, those with gluten intolerance, and those who choose a gluten free lifestyle for health reasons.

We recognise the products, brands and innovators raising the bar for taste, quality and accessibility in the gluten free marketplace. Whether you live gluten free by necessity or by choice, you deserve food that never feels like a compromise.

Our annual awards spotlight the best gluten free products across over forty categories — from everyday staples to indulgent treats — judged by experts, nutritionists, and the people who matter most: gluten free consumers.

For over ten years, we have operated as the FreeFrom Food Awards Ireland, rewarding producers of foods catered to those with special dietary needs. We have increased and developed both the number of entries and the range of awards recognising the extra efforts of manufacturers and retailers. Our judging panels have gone from strength to strength, with industry experts, consumers, nutritionists, chefs, bakers, parents and children requiring a gluten free diet.

In 2026, we made the decision to reform the awards, becoming the Gluten Free Food Awards. The Irish gluten-free market is valued in the tens of millions, riding a wider European surge valued at USD 7.12 billion in 2026. Domestically, the market is primarily driven by strong mainstream demand, with 1 in every 5 Irish consumers regularly purchasing gluten-free products. We have seen this growth reflected in both the range of products and the volume of entries coming in under the gluten free declaration, leading us to recognise the need for a dedicated gluten free food awards programme.

As two coeliacs, who have over 100 years of being coeliac between them, John and Emma decided it was a good time to return to their coeliac roots and celebrate the growth of the GF market in Ireland.

The first ever fully Gluten Free Food Awards takes place in Ireland this year. We are excited to celebrate this ever-growing specialist food market on the island of Ireland.

Our team

The people behind the programme.

Director & Founder

John Burke

John Burke is a lifelong coeliac and the founder of the Gluten Free Food Awards. Having been diagnosed coeliac in 1973, John began blogging about being gluten free, which led to him becoming a judge in the FreeFrom Food Awards UK in 2010. John brought the FreeFrom Food Awards to Ireland in 2015, and for ten years encouraged the development and innovation of the industry through the awards process. In 2026, John launched the Gluten Free Food Awards, recognising the growth and success of the gluten free market in Ireland with a passion that's personal. The GFFA will continue to encourage production and development of food that's safe for coeliacs and others on gluten free diets, under John's steerage.

Co Founder

Emma Clarke Conway

Emma has been part of the development team of the FreeFrom Food Awards Ireland since its inception in 2016. As a lifelong coeliac, Emma brings a wealth of experience to her involvement, having previously worked in the Coeliac Society of Ireland for over 11 years. In 2015 she established Express PR, providing PR and Marketing services to small businesses on a freelance basis. Emma is also Communications & Development Officer for the charity Polio Survivors Ireland. Emma thrives on her work with the gluten free community and is passionate about ensuring that coeliacs have more choices when shopping or eating out. She blogs as the WellFedCoeliac on Instagram.

Kitchen Manager

Ashley Neville

Ashley has worked with food in one form or another throughout her life. Working in restaurants for a number of years, in Cadbury's for ten years and since 2017, in the FreeFrom Food Awards Ireland kitchen.

Ashley is a vital member of the GFFA team, having managed the kitchen for the past five years, she ensures that all entries are cooked and served as intended by producers, giving each product the opportunity to wow our judges.

Ashley is integral to the GFFA team, with her lifetime of industry experience, her own understanding of living with a limited diet and a deep understanding of the playing field within the gluten free market.

Awards Chairperson

Maria McHale

Maria McHale is an award-winning journalist and editor with more than twenty years of experience in health and wellness writing. Over the course of her career she has worked as a political reporter, news editor, features editor, and editor and is currently the presenter of a weekly radio show called Life Unfiltered.

As a coeliac herself, Maria has both a professional and personal investment in the free-from category and has spent many years writing about the challenges and opportunities facing those who navigate food intolerance and dietary restriction in a market that has not always made it easy.

Alongside her journalism, Maria works as a speaker, MC and mentor to creative people and is a co-founder of Writers Ink, the writing community which has produced a number of debut authors since it launched in 2019.

mariamchale.com →

Our sponsors

In good company.

We’re proud to be associated with those who support our commitment to the gluten free community.

The Coeliac Society of Ireland

The Coeliac Society of Ireland is a national charity representing the estimated 100,000 people living with coeliac disease in Ireland, and a further 450,000 who are gluten intolerant. They work to empower the entire coeliac and gluten intolerant community by providing them with information, advice and practical solutions as they navigate a gluten-free lifestyle. They also advocate to government health agencies for improved resources and services, so that coeliacs can access the care they need.

healthpro

healthpro offers nutrition and dietetic, personal training, physical therapy, family therapy and psychotherapeutic services. Founded in 2008 by Harriette Lynch, Registered Dietitian, to facilitate excellence in nutrition and exercise service provision, healthpro is a leader in nutrition and dietetic consultancy. Through their website, they provide a wealth of additional evidence-based, best-practice health promotion services and information for public benefit.

Express PR

Express PR was founded in 2015 by Emma Clarke Conway, who has over 20 years' experience in charity communications, event management and marketing content development. Express PR provides PR & Communications services, including Events, Media Engagement, Social Media, and Literature & Website Content development. Express PR caters to small businesses that require PR services on a one-off, regular or seasonal basis.

YesChef Ireland

YesChef, run by NI Media, works to put Irish hospitality on the map. They have produced YesChef Magazine, and now run the YesChef Awards, The Irish Hotel Awards, The Irish Takeaway Awards and The Irish Bar & Cocktail Awards. The YesChef Awards celebrate and honour excellence in the Irish hospitality industry by recognising outstanding chefs, restaurants and hospitality venues. Their mission is to shine a spotlight on culinary innovation, dedication to service and the passion that drives Ireland's vibrant food and hospitality scene. Through a trusted and transparent awards programme they aim to inspire continued excellence, support local talent and elevate the standards of hospitality across the country.

Gluten Free Ireland

Derek Thompson, his wife Tina and son Mike run glutenfreeireland.com, which they established when Tina was diagnosed coeliac in 2005. Supported by social media and regular emails to followers, the family provides support and information for coeliacs from anywhere on the island of Ireland and coeliacs/celiacs living abroad. It also provides a platform for gluten free food producers and the hospitality industry to market their products and services directly to the GF community at home and abroad!

derek@glutenfreeireland.com

Enter the 2026 awards →