A Co Derry chocolate business received the award for 'Best Food and Drink Experience' at the Tourism NI 'Giant Spirit Awards.'
For Geri Martin, owner and chief chocolatier at the Chocolate Manor in Castlerock, and her team, this award has been a real boost in difficult times for business.
Also celebrating 10 years of establishment, the award is an extra-special way in celebrating this milestone.
Geri spoke to MyDerry about how it felt to win the award.
She said: "It feels like a real boost for us, it is a real recognition that we should keep going. My team worked so hard and I am so proud of them. There is really nowhere else in Northern Ireland doing what we do and we are delighted to be putting Castlerock on the map.
"We were in such stellar company with the other businesses that were nominated for the category for best food and drink experience. Northern Ireland is punching above its weight in terms of amazing food and drink experiences.
"We had zero expectation of coming home with the award, we felt like winners just being shortlisted. We were just so blown away when they called our name out last night. It feels like a really lovely recognition for all our hard work and resilience coming through the last couple of years."
The Chocolate Manor moved into their Castlerock premises in January 2020. They know all too well what it is like to run a business in difficult circumstances.
Geri said: "We have been through covid and now this cost of living and the cost of doing business has increased so significantly for us. Electricity, cost of ingredients has just skyrocketed.
"We are not on a high street, we need people to come and visit us. I was telling another business owner that our goal is surviving until Christmas, it seems like every week we are hit with something else. So to get something reinforcing that we are doing well and we have hope is great."
For Geri and her team, they know they could not have made it this far without the support of their loyal customers and Tourism NI.
Geri said: "We are so lucky, we have had so many messages today about the award. We know our customers appreciate the quality of what we do and we are so grateful that people are so loyal to us. We say that even if it is just ordering online or coming into the shop, that is an experience in itself. We put our experience in everything we do, when you come into our shop you can see our chocolatiers working and it is an experience you cannot get anywhere else.
"We are so grateful to Tourism NI for their support, we are one of the ‘Embrace A Giant Spirit’ aligned experiences and the support we have had from them over the last 18months has been critical in keeping our doors open.
"We are so proud to put this little village on the map and encourage people to come and see what Castlerock has to offer."
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