Dunnes Stores took the Best Supermarket for French Produce title at the 2026 French Champion Awards, held during Délicieux, the French Food & Wine Day, at Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin. Six Irish businesses won awards across categories covering supermarkets, delicatessens, wine shops, importers and restaurants.

The event, organised by Business France, is Ireland's largest trade gathering dedicated exclusively to French food and wine. This year it brought 33 French producers face to face with Irish buyers, importers, distributors, retailers and restaurateurs, giving them direct access to producers and new products for the Irish market.

Who won what in 2026?

The six award winners are:

• Best Supermarket for French Produce: Dunnes Stores
• Best Delicatessen for French Produce: Fallon & Byrne
• Best Food Importer of French Produce: La Rousse Foods
• Best Wine Shop for French Wines: 64 Wine
• Best Wine Importer of French Wines: Whelehans
• Best Restaurant for French Cuisine: Excuse My French

The awards recognise the Irish businesses that play a key role in bringing French food and wine to consumers across Ireland, from multiples and independent delicatessens to specialist wine importers and French-led restaurant operators.

What did the organisers say?

Pauline Gauthier, head of Agrifood at Business France UK & Ireland, said: "We are deeply grateful to all our partners, whose hard work and commitment help bring the very best of France to consumers across Ireland."

She added: "Their passion and dedication never go unnoticed, which is why it is so important to recognise and celebrate their contribution."

Gauthier also pointed to demand trends behind the awards: "It is wonderful to see the growing appetite for French food and drink in Ireland, and the commitment of the businesses and individuals who champion these products and bring them to the attention of Irish consumers."

What else happened on the day?

Beyond the awards and the trade showcase, the programme gave visitors a closer look at the diversity of French food and wine on offer. Guided Wine Trails, led by sommelier Julie Dupouy, took attendees through a series of curated food and wine pairings built around the producers' own products.

For Irish buyers, the format offers a single-day route to sampling and sourcing across dozens of French suppliers, with the producer count at 33 this year.

What is Business France?

Business France is the national agency supporting the international development of the French economy. It helps French companies grow internationally, promotes and facilitates foreign investment in France, and manages the V.I.E international business placement programme. Its UK & Ireland agrifood team, led by Gauthier, drives the French presence in the Irish market through events such as Délicieux.

The awards underline the scale of the French supply chain now embedded in Irish hospitality and retail: from Dunnes Stores on the supermarket side to La Rousse Foods and Whelehans servicing restaurants and independent wine merchants. Business France is expected to build on the growing Irish appetite it cited, with further French producer showcases and award cycles planned for future editions of Délicieux.