Northern Ireland’s Woodlab Distillery, producer of the award-winning Symphonia spirits especially craft gins and an Irish apple rum, has been shortlisted for the final stage of the influential 2021 Footprint Drinks Sustainability Awards.

The annual awards are seen as “the barometer for sustainability and responsible business practice for the drinks industry and represents the annual celebration of businesses and individuals making a difference to sustainability in the industry and its supply chain”.

Dr Ulrich Dyer, the founder and managing director of Woodlab Distillery, says: “We are delighted that we, a small Northern Irish company, has been shortlisted alongside the biggest drinks companies in the world and it is fantastic recognition of the innovative approach we have taken to spirits production.”

Other shortlisted companies include global producers such as Budweiser, Coca Cola, Fever Tree, Innocent Drinks, Molton Coors and Pernod Ricard

Symphonia producer Woodlab, which is based in a small distillery at Moy in county Tyrone, was shortlisted “because unusually, its founder and distiller Dr Dyer is also an organic chemist and had enjoyed an impressive career in the pharmaceutical industry”.

The organisers were also impressed by his focus on creating successful spirits while remaining consistently mindful about how to reduce the company’s impact on energy and the earth’s natural resources. It meant harnessing science with nature to create the best tasting spirits possible, capturing the wonderful flavours and fragrances of botanicals in the most eco-efficient way.”

The aim was to make spirits that reflect the glory of the Northern Irish countryside.

Dr Dyer continues “Our commitment to the region is deep: embracing the ‘giant spirit’, we live, work and create in the Orchard County of Ireland. It is a rural landscape of rustic natural beauty, rugged coastlines, rolling green hills – and the wildest botanicals and herbs.”

Symphonia’s ethos also meant giving something back to the country. The company features a scientific approach to the developing flavours. Ingredients were also sourced as ethically and locally wherever possible –“this helps the environment by reducing carbon emissions due to transport and supports the local economy”. 

The distillery, in addition, was different in its use recycled glass in the stills, which are not only more environmentally friendly than copper, but they have also been scientifically proven to give a cleaner taste.

The distillery created a unique process combining three techniques: cold distillation, hydrodistillation, and molecular analysis.  These ground-breaking innovations ensured the rich, delicate, flavours of the botanicals are extracted with the maximum efficiency and preserve their taste quality. They also hugely reduce energy consumption using only two percent of the energyrequired for traditional distilling. These techniques brought additional space efficiency.  The distillery has a reduced physical footprint compared to others. It is the only distillery in the world using these combined processes.

The company, in addition, worked with stakeholders – suppliers, customers, and community 

 partners committed to best sustainable practise with business relationships that are respectful and enduring.  Symphonia was committed to producing gin in the most environmentally friendly way possible.

A new book which is helping primary school children better understand the science behind local farming and food production has been endorsed by Asda NI.

Visitors to the Asda stand at this year’s Balmoral Show were among the first to meet the author and receive their own signed copy of ‘Northern Ireland: Our Food, Our Story’.

Written by Dr Vanessa Woods, the fully illustrated book uses poetry to explain otherwise complex topics such as sustainability, traceability, food nutrition, and biodiversity, in an age-appropriate way.

Available to every primary school in Northern Ireland, Asda has fully supported the regional launch of the educational resource.

Joe McDonald, Snr Manager Asda NI said: “What better platform to engage with young consumers and help them understand NI’s unique food and farming offering, than the Balmoral Show.

“We were delighted to welcome Vanessa to our stand and ensure as many of our young visitors as possible went home with this great educational resource.  With hundreds of Asda’s top quality, locally sourced products also being sampled on our stand, it was the ideal way to connect and communicate the farm to fork message to our future generations.”

Poots:  Agriculture minister Edwin Poots is pictured showing the book to the Snijder family from Lisburn at Balmoral Show

Armagh family firm, Troughtons, a specialist in ciders, juices and minerals and a Food NI member, now have products included in the prestigious Craft Gin Club box in Britain.

Craft Gin Club is the UK’s number one subscription club for gin lovers, introducing artisan gins, mixers and foodie treats to their 100,000 subscribers each month. The Premium Indian Tonic from Troughtons ‘Raising Spirits’ range of tonics and mixers was the perfect pairing for the gin in the ‘frightfully good Craft Gin Club Halloween Box’.

Director Mark Troughton said: “This is a first for us – a wonderful opportunity to raise our profile UK wide and see our products enjoyed by thousands of Craft Gin Club’s members, which includes television’s Philip Schofield, who is a huge gin fan.”

Mark added: “The Craft Gin Club October boxes have only just been sent out and in less than one week we have seen a major growth in online sales already with people taking their drinks to a new level with our “Raising Spirits” range of tonics and mixers.  It has been an amazing journey and Craft Gin Club has been great to work with.” 

Using County Armagh spring water from their estate at Ballinteggart and the finest naturally soured ingredients, Troughtons has quality craftsmanship and sustainability at the forefront of everything they do.  Mark said: “We pride ourselves on honouring tradition whilst pushing boundaries. It is exciting and a privilege for us, as passionate artisans, to be part of this vibrant and exciting special box.”

Northern Ireland food and drink producers have punched well above their weight in this year’s Blas na hÉireann Irish Food Awards. They are the largest blind-tasted food awards on the island of Ireland. The results were announced online on Saturday 4th October 2021.

The bronze, silver and gold winners from Antrim across a range of different categories are: Dale Farm – Gold, Dundarave Estate – Bronze, Johnson Brothers– Silver & Bronze, Ke Nako Biltong – Silver & Bronze, Mauds Ice Creams – Gold,  SeaSugar Handmade Confectionery – Gold & Bronze, SUKI Tea Makers -Gold, Silver & Bronze, Tartine at Distillers Arms – Gold, The Brownie Barn – Silver and Tom and Ollie- Gold

In Armagh, Holmes Bakery won Gold, Silver and Best in County, Armagh Cider took Silver & Bronze awards as did Burren Balsamics. L’Artisan Foods won Gold as did Long Meadow Cider. There was a Bronze award for McCrackens Brewery and White’s Oats took home Silver and Bronze.

Taste Joy Company won Gold & Best in County Derry-Londonderry, Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil won Gold & Bronze and Corndale Farm took a Bronze trophy. 

In County Down, Cookie Jar won Bronze, Corries Meats a Silver, Crawford’s Rock Seaweed Company – Bronze,  Deli Lites – Silver, Prephouse took Silver and Bronze prizes and Rooney Fish won Gold & Best in County.

Finally, for Tyrone, there was a Chef’s Larder award for En Place Foods and Karro Food Ltd won Silver, Bronze and Best in County.

Congratulations to all the winners!

One of Northern Ireland’s leading chilled and frozen food producers, TS Foods, has secured two new listings for their iconic Tony’s Chippy brand worth £150,000 with Aldi Scotland. 

The two new products – Spicy Lorne Sausage Bites and Spicy Beef Bites –  have a firm regional focus, that offers consumers a fast and convenient meal solution as either a supper or a sharing occasion with family and friends.

 The new range is available at all Aldi stores across Scotland with an RRP of £2.00.

 Founded in 1978 by Tony and Ann Steele, Castlewellan, county Down-based TS Foods is now run by their daughter Joanne Molloy and son David Steele. 

 Managing director, Joanne Molloy, says: “Tony’s Chippy was the first brand TS Foods offered to consumers over four decades ago and we are pleased that the range continues to evolve in order to remain relevant to today’s consumer – particularly as retailers like Aldi have been working harder than ever to bring their customers exciting offerings to enjoy at home to keep in-home dining interesting and fresh and we’re proud that these two new products deliver this.

“Scotland continues to be an exciting market for us and we are pleased that our new products are being well received by Scottish consumers,” she adds.

Pictured: Joanne Molloy – Managing Director – TS Foods Ltd

Two Northern Ireland companies have won recognition in the annual Nourish Awards, the UK’s most important competition to find the best health foods.

The successful local companies, both winning silver awards, were Crawford’s Rock Seaweed Company from Kilkeel and That Protein, a specialist in high protein superfoods, from Belfast.

Crawford’s Rock, Kilkeel won silver in Cupboard Essentials and Ingredients for its Seaweed Seasoning with Toasted, Nori, Pepper Dulse, Chilli and Sesame Seeds; and

That Protein, Belfast won silver in Breakfast Foods and Drinks for its Blissful Double Choc Protein Porridge – it’s the fourth year in a row that the company has won a Nourish Award. The porridge was launched late last year. The company is owned and managed by clinical nutritionist Darlene McCormick.

Crawford’s Rock was formed by Michelle Wilson and has also recently won a UK Great Taste three-star award.

In 2017, the Nourish Awards were launched to celebrate a new generation of health foods in the UK – meeting current consumer demand and advocating a healthier lifestyle.

The aim of the awards is “to help and support health food brands and businesses by providing the recognition they deserve, which can help with getting that crucial investment, open doors to supermarkets and ultimately get product off the shelves”.

Now the UK’s leading health food award, entries are judged by an expert panel of nutritionists, health and food industry experts. Their role is to look for real and natural food products, with most of the categories accepting gluten free options alone.

Nourish Award winners receive the Nourish logo and a PR kit to maximise the benefits of winning.