Burren Balsamics, the award-winning producer of infused balsamic vinegars in Northern Ireland, has won its fourth order from Harrods, the iconic department store in London, in less than six months.

The company, a Food NI member, which is based at Richhill in Co Armagh, has received significant new business for its range of balsamic vinegars infused with local fruits including Armagh Bramley apples.

The balsamics are on display in the Knightsbridge store’s vast food halls which draw customers from Great Britain and many other parts of the world.

“We were absolutely thrilled to receive our fourth order just a few months after we won our first business to supply an initial nine lines to the luxury store,” says Susie Hamilton Stubber, who founded the business in February 2014. 

“Harrods is proving to be an immensely important customer for us in London, a market we’ve been targeting for some considerable time. Harrods has given us an important springboard in Great Britain.”

Burren Balsamics has won a host of accolades for its vinegars including UK Great Taste and Blas na hEireann food awards. In addition, Burren’s Irish Peat Smoked was recently awarded Best New Product at the Great British Food Awards. 

Mrs Hamilton Stubber creates the novel products with business partner Bob McDonald, an experienced development chef. 

The vinegars are blended from natural ingredients including quality fruits from local farmers such as blackcurrants, strawberries and blueberries. The company also produces chutneys and jams. Other customers for the vinegars include Aldi Ireland.

Wilson’s Country, Northern Ireland’s leading potato packer and producer, has reported that its potato sales to shops and supermarkets grew at more thandouble the local market average in 2020.

The Wilson’s Country brand grew by almost 18 percent last year against a market rise of just eight percent. The company, which is based in Craigavon, county Armagh, has also been confirmed as the top fresh produce brand in Northern Ireland, according to rankings from Kantar.

They show that the Armagh potato packer is now positioned above many of the world’s most prestigious food and drink names, when it comes to local consumer recognition and their shopping preferences.

The Northern Ireland potato market, according to Kantar data for 2020, grew at just over eight percent in volume, while they recorded the Wilson’s Country Brand growing at almost 18 percent for the same period.

Wilson’s managing director Lewis Cunningham says: “The Kantar figures reflect the culmination of many years’ work and investment. We have always been committed to delivering consumers total satisfaction, where product quality, eating satisfaction and convenience are concerned. 

“By taking this approach, we feel that we are also providing best value for money.” 

He continued: “The reality is that the potato is no longer viewed as the humble spud. Consumers realise that fresh potatoes can be at the centre of an exciting culinary experience and can be used in so many different ways – boil, mash, slice, roast, saute, dice and of course chips

“Variety plays a part in this regard. But so does convenience. In our own case we have developed the ‘You Say Potato’ range, that includes fresh cut chips, skinny chips and baby potatoes with garlic and herb butter. This key step forward for the business has helped to boost our sales dramatically while allowing Wilson’s Country to remain true to the company’s founding principles,” he adds.

Cunningham says all the company’s potato sales have increased significantly across Northern Ireland over the past 12 months. 

He explained: “All of the key indicators are up: market value, number of shoppers buying potatoes and the volume of potatoes purchased per visit. 

“All of these parameters have been reflected across the industry and particularly in our own case.”

He attributes most of these developments to the Covid-19 lockdowns and the fact that people are now cooking much more than ever before in their own homes. 

He adds: “People have had time at home to prepare and enjoy food with their families.

“Consumers are also much more interested in the provenance of the food they are preparing and cooking.”

The Covid-19 lockdowns impacted adversely the company’s business with hotels, restaurants and contract catering. “It’s now exactly a year since Covid reached Northern Ireland and sales especially to the food service sector have simply been decimated for the last 12 months. In our own case the processing sales to the food service and contract cateringsectors have fallen by over 60 percent. A return to what was the norm for this sector pre the Covid pandemic, unfortunately still feels some way off.

“The perfect scenario moving forward would be for local consumers to retain the interest in potatoes that has been rekindled over recent months and to have this reflected in their eating choices, both at home and while out,” he adds.

It was interesting to compare notes about our coronavirus exit framework with colleagues from Scotland, Wales and England last week.  Their view was that a timetable based on reaching goals was more sensible than one based on indicative dates. It’s hard to know. Northern Ireland is also the only part of the United Kingdom not to have some indicative dates of when progress is projected to occur.

Executive ministers are quite right to be concerned about another lockdown that could result in even more damage being inflicted on society and the economy. We all share this concern. No-one wishes to see the sacrifices of the past year being squandered by premature measures especially as a result of political pressure. 

The pandemic has presented the five-party coalition Executive with unprecedented challenges which ministers and advisers, especially medical experts, have generally handled very well. They’ve been operating in largely unchartered territory. They deserve great credit for their dedication, commitment, skills and leadership to overall community wellbeing. 

The Executive’s commitment to economic recovery has also been encouraging, and a number of important initiatives have been taken in support of key sectors. Of course, I’d wish to see much more done to ensure the survival of our hospitality sector which is such an important part of the local economy. 

The endeavours of the industry to ensure the safety of customers and employees merits even greater recognition and financial support. As I wrote last week, hospitality can drive the regeneration of our city and town centres which have been under pressure for many years and been devastated during this awful pandemic. 

Hospitality will draw people back into city and town centres and enhance their attractiveness when the lockdown is eventually lifted. Strong recovery in hospitality is also essential to support tourism in the aftermath of the lockdowns. While it’s likely to be a couple of years before tourism returns to the pre-pandemic position, the sector requires greater investment now. A vibrant hospitality sector also benefits the overall food and farming industry.

Food production has developed in many sectors during the pandemic in ‘feeding the nation’. In Food NI, we’ve been impressed by the resilience of our companies and their focus on coming up with new ideas for consumers. The food industry is poised for further growth here and in key markets such as Great Britain and Ireland. 

There were also several large and small companies showing products – with Invest NI –  at the big Gulfood show in Dubai last month. They all did very well. There’s a strong appetite with the food industry for further growth in Great Britain, Ireland and global markets. This ambitious industry would clearly benefit from greater support for marketing its original products abroad when the pandemic ends. 

It’s also important to recognise the six local distilleries winning at last month’s prestigious World Gin Awards, recognition which will be beneficial as they seek global sales. They were: Belfast Distillery; Boatyard; Echlinville; Killowen; Symphonia; and Wild Atlantic, many of them Food NI members. In addition, Irish Craft Beverages gained widespread acclaim in the US for its highly innovative Irish Whiskey Dram in a Can, the very first canned Irish Whiskey.

There was also some hope from Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak last week in his Spring Budget. The crucial business rates holiday is being extended to the end of June, and the furlough scheme will now run until the end of September. Help for the self-employed will also continue. In addition, assistance for small businesses will be extended. 

Also important was the chancellor’s decision to maintain pressure on costs such as fuel prices and also to encourage investment. The continuation of the existing low level VAT rate was also an important development for this immensely important industry which will be an engine of recovery. Better days ahead. 

Peas Please gathered stories from nearly a hundred people across the UK in the midst of COVID-19 restrictions last summer (June–August 2020). These paint a picture of people’s experiences in accessing fruit and veg at a time of national crisis and demonstrate how people’s usual routines were disrupted, with many seeking out alternative ways to access fruit and veg.    

Peas Please found that:  

• being able to buy enough fruit and veg was a problem for those on below average incomes 
• more people used local shops and veg box schemes during this time 
• price was a barrier 
• quality was sometimes poor 
• more people grew their own. 

The report is the first in a planned series that will seek to better understand the UK’s veg environment from a citizen perspective, working closely with our 170 Veg Advocates to do so. 

Independent ‘field-to-fork’ brand Mash Direct (www.mashdirect.com) has been recognised by Innovate NI as a ‘Silver Level Innovator’ on behalf of the Department for the Economy.  

Mash Direct is an innovative farming enterprise, run by the Hamilton family, at their family farm in County Down close to the shores of Strangford Lough. They grow and produce quality, convenient ‘field to fork’ vegetable and potato side-dishes, boasting 23 Great Taste Awards, ranging from Mashed Potato to Cauliflower Bites.  

Jack Hamilton, Chief Executive Officer, Mash Direct comments, “We are very excited and proud to announce that we have been recognised by Innovate NI on behalf of the Department for the Economy for our innovation.  This recognition is a credit to the staff here at Mash Direct who are constantly striving to develop our ever-growing portfolio of fresh, healthy and convenient vegetable side dishes.”

Innovate NI is a Department for the Economy initiative which is delivered by Invest NI in partnership with local councils and further education colleges. 

The main aim of the programme is to increase the number of businesses throughout Northern Ireland engaging successfully in innovation.  The programme recognises innovative businesses and provides guidance on the best practice to help businesses innovate successfully. 

Mash Direct produces over 50 products that are 100% Gluten-Free and free from artificial colourings and flavourings and are available throughout Ireland and the UK.  All products have very low food miles and are easily traceable from ‘Field to Fork’ whilst also coming in recyclable packaging, contributing to a low carbon footprint for the company.

Inaugural awards will take place online in 2021

www.irishfoodwritingawards.ie

The high quality of food writing in Ireland across print, broadcast and online will now be recognised and celebrated with the launch today (2nd March 2021) of The Irish Food Writing Awards. This inaugural year will see the awards being held exclusively online with a virtual Awards Event in September. Once restrictions allow, the annual Irish Food Awards will adopt a traditional format of judging meetings and a Gala Awards Ceremony each autumn.

Food writing in Ireland is diverse, and this is reflected in the award categories which will include restaurant writing, cookery writing, features and drinks writing. There will also be  awards for online content, photography, podcasts and audio, writing on sustainability in Irish food, and investigative writing.

The judging panel features well-known international names from the world of journalism and food. Already confirmed are René Redzepi of Noma in Copenhagen, writer and broadcaster Jay Rayner, investigative journalist Joanna Blythman, author and food columnist Trish Deseine, chef and author Richard Corrigan, critic Tom Parker Bowles, founder of Saveur magazine Colman Andrews and The Guardian wine writer Fiona Beckett.

The Irish Food Writing Awards are the initiative of journalist and food author Suzanne Campbell. “I had always wanted to see an awards for food writers in Ireland as there are great journalism awards for other sectors. So I decided to take it on myself this year as something really positive both for writers and the food sector.”

“The aim is to reward excellence in food writing. It’s quite a diverse field; paid journalism is under threat but content is more popular than ever. So we wanted to highlight the best content out there; whether it be investigative journalism on Irish food systems, or cookery writing, or food photography”.

“The food community has really come behind us in an extraordinary way. Everyone we’ve asked to support the awards or to judge has just said yes immediately. It’s been incredible!” 

On board with Suzanne is Paul O’Connor, a food publicist and former restaurateur “It’s been a really tough year for restaurants and many have had to close or adapt very quickly to survive. Journalists have been so important getting that word out there and supporting chefs so much during this pandemic. Also as a former restaurateur and head judge of The Irish Curry Awards, we’ve found that awards really build community. They celebrate both food and the people behind it, so this time it is the writers that are being celebrated, I’m delighted to join up with Suzanne on this venture”

The Irish Food Writing Awards will recognise writing from throughout the island of Ireland. The awards are open for entries, via the website, from the beginning of April until the 31st of May.

Website is atwww.irishfoodwritingawards.ie

Twitter @Irish_Writing

Insta @IrishFoodWritersAwards