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Claridge’s deal for Northern Ireland’s Abernethy Butter

Food NI member Abernethy Butter, a multi-award-winning producer of handcrafted butter, is now supplying the five-star Claridge’s Hotel in London.

Based at Dromara in rural county Down, Abernethy has won business with the prestigious hotel in London’s Mayfair for its creamy handmade butter crafted from fresh cream sourced from a local grass-fed dairy herd.

Established by husband and wife team Will and Allison Abernethy in 2005, the small company is now among Northern Ireland’s most successful artisan producers.

Abernethy is also helping to drive interest in real butter in Britain, the company’s primary market outside Northern Ireland and one in which it is now experiencing significant growth.

Allison Abernethy, commenting on the company’s latest success in Britain, says: “We were delighted to receive the order for our original butter from such a prestigious and globally respected hospitality business as Claridge’s Hotel in London. It was a marvellous boost.

“Winning business from Claridge’s, one of the world’s best hotels, is hugely important for us in Britain. It moves our business to another level in a market in which we’ve also been honoured by endorsements from leading chefs such as Heston Blumenthal and Marcus Wareing,” adds Mrs Abernethy.

Abernethy Butter products, which now include smoked butter and dulse (Irish seaweed) and sea salt butter have also been praised by broadcasters Nigella Lawson and James Martin.

Will Abernethy, a former farmer, makes and rolls the fresh butter by hand. The products have won a series of Great Taste Awards for quality, outstanding taste and provenance.

Claridge’s, an art deco icon and a byword for timeless elegance, has been at the heart of hospitality excellence in London since the 1850s.

Favoured by royals, Claridge’s has almost 200 classy rooms and features the Michelin star Fera restaurant run by Simon Rogan.