Multi-award winning Irish Black Butter is now available to chefs in hotels, restaurants and canteens throughout the island of Ireland from a new distribution deal.

The unique savoury/sweet spread made with Armagh Bramley apples, treacle and spices is now being distributed by Dublin-based La Rousse Foods, one of Ireland’s leading food distributors to the hospitality sector in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Commenting on the distribution deal, Alastair Bell, the founding managing director of Irish Black Butter, a unique spread which has won UK Great Taste Awards, included a coveted three stars, and Bla na hEireann Awards, says: “The agreement, a very significant business boost for us especially in the Irish Republic, a developing market with huge potential for us. It’s hugely encouraging for us to have won this listing with such an important food business in the Republic. We’ve been involved with La Rousse for some time and have supplied them with samples to test with their customers. We have seen chefs specially in Northern Ireland such as Michael Deane of Deane’s high profile and very successful restaurants in Belfast coming up with original dishes using Irish Black Butter as an ingredient.”

“The interest in the spread from customers has now encouraged La Rousse to decide to add it to its portfolio of products for the hospitality sector. As well as being popular as an ingredient for meals, Irish Black Butter is also successful as a condiment for cheeseboards,” Alastair adds.

The small company, which produces the spread in Northern Ireland, has developed distribution in the Republic to retailers through an agreement with Sheridan’s in Dublin, the country’s main supplier of a range of cheeses and accompaniments.

La Rousse Foods is an independent, 100 percent Irish-owned company, specialising in the supply of fine foods to premium food establishments since 1992. The distribution business now offers a wide range of fresh, seasonal and innovative produce from a network of local and international producers, always keeping informed of the latest food trends.

Clandeboye Estate in Northern Ireland has been named Product of the Year 2021 in the influential UK Quality Food Awards for its Madagascan Vanilla Greek Style Yoghurt, a product which was also chosen as Best Yoghurt earlier in the week.

Based in Clandeboye Estate, near Bangor in Co Down, the small company is Northern Ireland’s producer of luxury yoghurt for retailers in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Clandeboye has developed a portfolio of natural and fruit-infused yoghurts from milk from a pedigree herd of Holstein/Jersey dairy cows which graze the estate’s rich pasture land.

This is the first time that a Northern Ireland company has won the coveted Product of the Year title in the prestigious UK Quality Food Awards. In addition to the quality award, the independent company has won UK Great Taste Awards over the years for its natural and natural fruit yoghurts.

Other Northern Ireland companies collected awards across all sectors in food production, making it one of the best-ever years for the industry here, the region’s biggest single manufacturer and one which exports products to over 60 global markets, the most important of which are Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

Other Northern Ireland successes in the Quality Awards 2021 were:

Avondale Foods, Lurgan, Co Armagh

Winner for Suoergreen, Quinoa and Kale Salad for Asda

Commended for Extra Special Coleslaw for Asda

Dunbia, Dungannon, Co Tyrone

Winner – Unflavoured Beef Steaks Lidl Birchwood Steakhouse Selection Extra Thick Cut, Grass Fed 12oz Sirloin Beef Steak 36 Days Matured

Beef Joints Highly Commended Lidl Birchwood 28 Day Matured Beef Sirloin Steak with Parmesan & Thyme Butter

Burgers, Meatballs and Kofta Winner for Co-op Irresistible Rib and Brisket Burger with Creamy Vintage Cheddar and Caramelised Onion

Finnebrogue Artisan, Downpatrick, Co Down

Winner in Vegan Meat and Fish Substitutes for Plant Based Fishless Fillets for Asda

Winner in Meat Substitutes for Naked Without the Cluck No Chicken Kievs for Asda

Winner Plant Based Chorizo-Style Sausages for Asda

Highly Commended Naked Without the Splash No Fish Goujons

Shortlisted
Asda Plant Based Meat Free Sausages

Shortlisted

Sausages Asda Butchers Selection Maple & Bacon Sausage Squares

Mash Direct, Comber, Co Down – Commended for Curry Chips

UMI Foods, Armagh, Co Armagh

Winner in Prepared Vegetables for The Best Oak Smoked Cheddar & Sundried Tomato Mini Stuffed Mushrooms for Morrisons

The Quality Food Awards are designed to recognise and reward those products which are leading the way in the market. They have a strong influence on food retailing especially among major supermarkets.

Research shows the awards showcase the quality of a winning product and bring confidence to consumers and increase in sales. It shows that 74 percent of consumers would trust the quality of a food product carrying the quality logo; 72 percent of consumers had seen the logo before; and 68 percent said they were more likely to buy a product which had won one of the quality awards.

Plans have been approved for the conversion of the historic Titanic Pump-House in Belfast into a new whiskey distillery and world class tourist attraction. 

A listed building in the heart of Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, the Pump-House, along with its neighbouring dry dock, first opened in 1911 and is the world’s only authentic Titanic landmark. 

Now, Belfast drinks company Titanic Distillers has been given the green light by Belfast City Council to convert the Pump-house into a working distillery with associated visitor tour.

Included in the plans are the installation of three large stills on a mezzanine floor overlooking the original pumping engines which are situated deep in the pump-well.  

All the original pump equipment and associated internal historic features of the building will be retained and available to view as part of a visitor tour, with tourists also able to relax in the adjacent tourism centre, which will include an on-site ‘speakeasy’ bar and café with free wi-fi, gift shop, exhibition space and an enlarged mezzanine floor with tasting rooms.

Mash Direct, the Northern Ireland specialist in potato and vegetable sides and convenience meals, has been commended for its Curry Chip product in the UK Quality Food Awards.

The company, based on a family farm near Comber in county Down, gained the commendation in the Meal Accompaniment Category in the annual food and drink industry awards.

The Quality Awards showcase and celebrate outstanding innovation in UK food and drink.

Copeland Distillery in Northern Ireland has won a major UK award for one of its most distinctive bottles in the annual UK Packaging Awards in London.

Based at Donaghadee in county Down, Copeland Distillery won the Label of the Year title in the prestigious annual awards for its Smugglers’ Reserve Rum products.

The awards celebrate and showcase innovation and outstanding quality in the UK packaging industry.

Copeland Smugglers’ Reserve rums feature an unusually colourful label design and is described as a blend of dark rum from Barbados and rum distilled in the small batch distillery in Donaghadee.

The Barbados rum has been aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels and the Copeland rum aged in a mixture of French Pinot Noir wine and Quarter Bourbon casks.

Northern Ireland’s Mash Direct, a specialist manufacturer of vegetable sides and convenience meals has now landed a national listing with Sainsbury’s for three of its award-winning vegetable side dishes.

The farm-based company’s traditional Red Cabbage and Beetroot, Broccoli with Cheese and Cauliflower Cheese Gratin are now on sale in Sainsbury’s stores across the UK.

The latest national listing follows similar business for Mash Direct products last month.

 Lance Hamilton, sales director at Mash Direct, comments: “We’re delighted to launch three of our multi-award-winning, vegetable side dishes into Sainsbury’s stores nationwide. While available all year round, these products are especially popular throughout autumn/winter, so we’re excited to offer the taste of our farm-fresh produce to even more homes across the UK.”

 All three products are available now from the ready meal section of Sainsbury’s Stores.

Mash Direct is among the UK’s most successful producers of veggie products for home cooks in particular.

The business was established by Martin and Tracy Hamilton on the family farm near Comber in county Down. The company was established in 2004 and now sells products throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland. It has also won export business to the US, Middle East and Europe.