Acai berries in a new sorbet from Glastry Farm Ice Cream in Kircubbin, Co Down is proving a major success with health food enthusiasts here and in the Irish Republic. A major food wholesaler in Cork is the latest to list the creamy dessert.

Based on a successful family dairy farm, Glastry, run by founder Will Taylor and managing director Gareth Taylor, developed the new healthy product from an original acai berry sorbet as a base that’s now topped with seasonal fruit and a crunchy granola layer. It sources milk from its own pedigree Holstein herd for the ice creams and sorbets. Glastry Farm is a FoodNI member The new granola topped sorbet is set to be launched next month in the Food NI Food Pavilion at the RUAS event at the Eikon Centre, Balmoral Park.

The farm produces a range of award-winning dairy ice cream with the sorbets, the latter are gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free, vegan, suitable for vegetarians and low in fat and sugar. “They are also high in fibre and contain enhanced levels of antioxidants and omega 3, providing consumers with added health benefits,” Will explains. “They also offer the highest fruit content within the sector and with advanced technology our range is a market leader,” he adds.

The latest acai berry, fruit and granola topped sorbet was developed by Glastry in collaboration with food technologists at Loughry college of the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) in Cookstown.

Acai berries, Will continues, are small, round, dark purple fruits that grow on acai palm trees in Central and South America. “They’ve been used in traditional medicine there for generations. And their popularity has grown as people here have realised their superfood status.

“The berries are packed with nutrients that provide countless health benefits. High in antioxidants, this superfood offers many health benefits, including improving digestion, lowering cholesterol and protecting against chronic cardiac and other diseases.

“Acai also contains phytosterols, which are plant compounds that block the absorption of cholesterol and aid in the body’s reduction of how much cholesterol enters the bloodstream. Keeping cholesterol levels in a healthy range lowers your risk of serious conditions,” he adds.

Hummus and other Mediterranean flavours from a Dunmurry gourmet food enterprise have been listed by a top supermarket network in Northern Ireland.

Tom and Ollie, which began life at the iconic in St George’s Market in Belfast, is now supplying its core Mediterranean mezze foods to all 12 Sainsbury’s stores across Northern Ireland. The listing is Tom and Ollie’s first with the local operation of one of the UK’s biggest retailers.

Tom and Ollie was among the first traders to sign up when the historic market was revived by Belfast City Council after a £4.5 million facelift in 1997 and has traded there successfully ever since. The company, in fact, now has the biggest stalls at the market, where it sells its range of Mediterranean foods such as hummus, olives, pesto and an impressive portfolio of cheeses from Northern Ireland and parts of Europe.

It currently produces around 40 different types of hummus, a savoury dish made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice and garlic. “The listing from Sainsbury’s across Northern Ireland is a huge milestone for our small business in our journey to have our range stocked with one of the biggest UK retailers,” Shay Mullan, one of the founders of Tom and Ollie, says. Sainsbury’s is now doing business with Tom and Ollie for 12 core products. These include various hummus, pesto, hot chilli harissa, black olive tapenade and red pepper drops. Most are sourced by Shay and his team from a network of experienced suppliers.

Shay, a graduate in Food Science, Manufacturing and Technology at Loughry College, Cookstown, set up Tom and Ollie in Broughshane, near Ballymena, in 2014 with other knowledgeable food professionals Tracey O’Boyle, Hugh Cushnan and Fergal McGrainne.

Many of the products in its extensive retail range, which also include slow roasted tomatoes, pesto, wild garlic and stuffed olives, continue to be prepared by hand by the team in Belfast. The quirky corporate identity of the business reflects its original focus on roasted tomatoes and olives.

The ambitious company now has around 100 product lines largely made in-house and including a variety of marinated olives and peppers, all made without preservatives and offering an authentic Mediterranean taste. The company also includes a wide range of produce from other local artisan enterprises in its marketing activities across Northern Ireland. In addition to participation in markets here, Tom and Ollie takes part in several food events every week in Dublin and other centres in the Republic of Ireland.

Tom and Ollie sources Mediterranean deli foods such as an extensive range of olives from carefully selected growers and suppliers across Europe, Turkey and North Africa. The business has diversified successfully from a market trader into a developer and successful marketer of innovative retail packs.

A full retail range of Mediterranean foods is also available across the Island in a number of local shops, farm shops and specialist retailers.

In addition to its presence at St George’s, Tom and Ollie generates worthwhile income from its participation at other farmers’ markets here and in the Republic. These include the big Causeway Market in Coleraine every month, where it has long occupied one of the biggest stalls beside the Town Hall.

Over the past decade, the company has grown substantially and profitably by winning sales to major retailers including Aldi, Dunnes Stores, Ireland’s biggest retailer, and Sheridan’s in the Republic. has also won significant business with Henderson Group EUROSPAR, SPAR and Vivoextra stores. As a result, the Dunmurry operation is working close to full capacity and continues to invest heavily in its production machinery, freezing and storage facilities.

The small company, furthermore, has won UK Great Taste and Blas na hEireann Irish National Food Awards for its innovative and quality produce.

From the very beginning, customer feedback shaped the brand’s direction. Every recipe was refined through direct market interaction, inspiring the creation of preservative-free, small-batch products that combine authentic Mediterranean flavours with local craftsmanship. By 2018, the company’s reputation for quality attracted Pallas Foods, Ireland’s largest premium food distributor, which approached Tom & Ollie to adapt its popular products for food service packaging. This marked the brand’s transition from a market trader to a full-scale food producer, ready to supply hotels, restaurants, and retailers nationwide.

To meet growing demand while keeping its “fresh and natural” promise, Tom & Ollie invested in advanced food preservation technologies, including HPP (High Pressure Processing) and autoclave systems, allowing it to extend shelf life naturally without artificial additives. These innovations have opened the door to global distribution, enabling the brand to export its clean-label range while maintaining flavour, texture, and freshness.

Tom & Ollie is now focused on streamlining its production processes and expanding into new international markets, including Great Britain, France, Belgium, Sweden, and the US. The company’s vision is to become a leading European producer of clean-label foods, combining science and artisanal taste to meet the growing demand for fresh, preservative-free meals around the world.

Armagh luxury snack innovator Forest Feast, a Food NI member, has collaborated with a top UK tea blender to create a unique taste experience.

The Craigavon-based creator of award-winning dried fruit and nut snacks, which recently won business from United Airline for its products, has teamed up with London’s PerfectTed featuring high quality matcha tea and chocolate almonds. Sainsbury’s, Boots and Tesco are already listing the product.

Matcha Chocolate Almonds, the new taste, is described by family-owned Forest Feast as “a new premium and indulgent snack to provide the perfect mid-afternoon pick me up”.

Forest Feast continues: “The deliciously moreish snack enrobes whole roasted almonds in a velvety Belgian white chocolate coating, blended with PerfectTed’s high quality matcha. The result is a sweet treat that combines crunch, creaminess and the bold, distinctive flavour that has made matcha a nationwide favourite.

“With millennials and Gen Zs embracing all things matcha, and ‘Matcha Tok’ racking up almost 300,000 posts on TikTok, this collaboration takes the nation’s love for the ingredient to the next level. Matcha has risen to fame not only for its flavour, but for the ritual of its preparation and its distinctive taste profile. This new snack captures that essence beautifully and has been thoughtfully crafted for a generation that refuses to compromise on quality or flavour.”

Leona McCaugherty, Forest Feast’s head of marketing, says: “We are always on the lookout for opportunities to translate cultural trends into crave-worthy innovation. With matcha continuing to captivate UK tastebuds, it felt like an exciting territory to explore and an opportunity to reach and excite younger consumers in a meaningful way, Marisa Poster, Co-Founder of Shoreditch’s PerfectTed, explains: “This partnership with Forest Feast is a big yes for us because it’s rooted in the same idea as PerfectTed: modern energy should feel good and so should modern snacking. Not chaotic, not artificial, not overcomplicated. Just great ingredients, great flavour, and something you actually want to come back to every day”.