Portadown-based Irwin’s Bakery and Lidl Northern Ireland expand 20-year partnership deal

Tuesday 16^th February 2021: Irwin’s Bakery has proven a big success with Lidl Northern Ireland as the region’s fastest growing supermarket today confirmed a new and expanded contract for the full year ahead after a successful 20-year partnership deal worth more than £50 million.

Established in 1912 and employing more than 450 staff, the bakery has been a long-term supplier to Lidl Northern Ireland since it opened its first store in Cookstown in 1999. 

Under the new supply deal, worth £2.7 million annually, the family-run bakery will continue to supply customer favourites including Nutty Krust batch bread, Irwin’s Veda malted loaf and Jammy Joeys buns to 202 Lidl stores across the island of Ireland.

With a focus on innovation, Irwin’s has also introduced an expanded new product range to Lidl Northern Ireland this year including traditional buttermilk soda bread and a low-calorie wholemeal sliced bread at only 59 calories per slice.

Ben Woods, Supply Chain Executive at Lidl Northern Ireland, said:

“As a retailer committed to supporting local food producers, we are proud of our long-standing partnership with Irwin’s Bakery. A brand synonymous with Northern Ireland, Irwin’s was integral in supporting Lidl’s growth over two decades ago. Since then, we’ve worked strategically together to advance our business growth for the benefit of customers and staff.

Since 1999, our partnership with Irwin’s has delivered over £50 million of products through our store network across the island and we’re hungry for more. This renewed supply deal with Irwin’s will see a range of innovative new products introduced alongside family favourites and cements our commitment to investing in home-grown producers as we enter a new decade of growth in the retail sector.

Lidl’s increased focus on bakery has been enthusiastically embraced by customers locally and, with an extensive range of great-tasting, locally-produced products, we’re proud to provide our customers with the freshest, best-quality bread and baked goods for an authentic taste of Northern Ireland.”

Michael Murphy, Irwin’s Bakery Chief Executive Officer, said:

“We thrilled to count Lidl Northern Ireland as one of our major customers and to have supported its own success over 20 years. During this time, Irwin’s has enjoyed double digit growth across a variety of bakery sectors and our supply deal with Lidl Northern Ireland continues to grow year-on-year. Not only has this supply contract supported our growth strategy, but it has also enabled us to increase production, create more jobs locally and expand our range of products.

The renewal of the supply deal with Lidl Northern Ireland marks a new decade of partnership and we look forward to seeing where this will take us next. It’s great to work with a company that has the same brand values and commitment to its local communities and we will continue to support each other in our efforts. With an eye on future growth, we are keen to expand our scope of supply through Lidl Northern Ireland and hope to bring our authentic tasting products to new markets.”

The supply deal is the latest move by the retailer in its ongoing support and commitment to local food suppliers.

An independent report into the economic impact of Lidl Northern Ireland’s operations revealed that the retailer spends at least £290 million annually with suppliers across the region while also supporting 3,500 jobs.

In 2018, Lidl Northern Ireland struck a deal with Northern Ireland’s Dale Farm, the UK’s largest farmer-owned dairy co-operative, to supply locally made cheddar cheese to 8,000 Lidl stores across 22 countries in the UK, Europe and the United States.

In 2020, Lidl Northern Ireland announced a £24 million contract with Fermanagh-based bakery, Crust & Crumb, to supply an expanded line of pizza products across more than 1,000 UK and Ireland stores whilst top Northern Ireland horticulturalist Greenisland Flowers secured a new supply deal with Lidl Northern Ireland to ship over four million stems of freshly cut tulips, lilies and scented stocks, building on their existing partnership worth more than £7.2 million. 

The Irwin’s bakery range at Lidl includes a selection of batch bread, fruit bread, rolls and muffins, pan bread, wheaten bread and Veda malt loaf alongside sweet favourites, Jammy Joeys, Snowy Joeys and Iced Diamonds. 

For more information visit https://www.lidl-ni.co.uk/.

Mash Direct, Northern Ireland’s leading producer of vegetable dishes, has secured alisting of eight of their farm-fresh, convenient vegetable products on the shelves of 18 M&S Irish stores.  

The products available include Mash Direct Mashed Potato, Mashed Turnip, Carrot & Parsnip in regular and single servings as well as Green Cabbage and Potato Cakes. 

Mash Direct is a sixth generation farming family business in Comber, county Down currently owned and run by Martin and Tracy Hamilton and their sons, Lance and Jack.  Over the past 25 years from the initial dream of making traditional ‘Ulster’ Champ for convenience in 2004, the Hamilton family has grown Mash Direct into a National household brand, employing 245 people and serving up over 50 product lines.

Speaking about the new listing, Lance Hamilton, sales director at Mash Direct comments: “We are very proud to have achieved a listing in M&S stores across the island of Ireland.  We look forward to working with M & S Irish stores and having our Irish, 100% gluten-free, ‘field-to-fork’, vegetable accompaniments range that is locally grown on our six-generation family farm sit proudly on their shelves.”

The Hamilton family developed a small industrial kitchen on their farm to capture a traditional cooking style, specially designing and building a number of pieces of equipment including a unique masher and steam cooker. The bespoke equipment ensures that the vegetables can be steamed gently to retain optimum nutrients and capture the fresh harvested flavour and texture. Each dish is gluten-free and free from artificial flavourings and colourings.  

Mash Direct produces over 50 farm fresh products, 23 of which have won Great Taste Awards. From innovative creations, like Mashed Potato, Green Cabbage, and Potato Cakes, to traditional classics, like Carrot & Parsnip Mash, there are Mash Direct products for every occasion. All products are cooked to perfection and are the ideal accompaniment to individual home cooked meals, Sunday lunches or family celebrations. Suitable for microwave and oven heating.

Warrenpoint-based food-to-go manufacturer Deli Lites, a Food NI member company, has announced plans for a multimillion-pound investment as part of its strategy to grow internationally, which has been backed by Ulster Bank.

Deli Lites is run by husband and wife team Brian and Jackie Reid and employs a team of almost 300 staff. Clients include the likes of Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Costa.

The company has switched banking partners, with Ulster Bank now providing additional funding facilities to accelerate growth over the next five years.

The business has earmarked a significant investment for the implementation of new technologies to maximise sales, as well as investment in research and development.

Managing director Brian Reid said: “Despite the challenges the sector faced in 2020, our retail business and export markets remained strong. 

“As we invest in the future of the company, we aim to further develop our international business where we see significant opportunities. We are entering a very exciting period in our growth story and are ready to showcase what an Irish producer can do on the world stage.”

Caroline McKeown, senior relationship manager at Ulster Bank, added: “We are extremely pleased to support Deli Litesas it enters an exciting period of high growth.”

​Following the success of the inaugural Virtual Cheese Awards in 2020, the pioneering online event is back for its second year in partnership with Speciality Food and Great British Food.

Launched amid the Covid-19 pandemic to bolster the industry after key cheese and dairy awards were cancelled or postponed, the Virtual Cheese Awards has been a platform for producers to promote the very bestof British cheese and connect with fellow cheesemakers during an extremely challenging time for artisan makers.

The 2021 Virtual Cheese Awards will take place live online on Friday 7th May 2021, hosted by local food and drink champion and broadcaster, Nigel Barden. The awards will increase from 300 to 400 individual entries across nine categories, with a total of 42 individual classes. Entries open on 5th February.

“We’re proud to be returning with a bigger, better and even cheesier awards this year, which will continue to support and celebrate our fantastic British cheese industry,” says Sarah de Wit, founder of the Virtual Cheese Awards and cheese & dairy consultant. “We have a uniquely transparent and open judging process which was a great hit with producers last year, so entrants can see their cheese being judged live online.

“The Covid-19 pandemic is still negatively affecting so many producers, so we hope the Virtual Cheese Awards will act as a beacon to showcase innovation and excellence,” Sarah adds.

Categories for 2021 will include Best Cheddar Cheese, Best Territorial, Best Blue and Best Speciality cheese, as well as a new Dairy Free category for vegan products.

This year will also see the unveiling of a new category, Recognising Excellence, which will include six classes, such as Most Innovative Cheese Packaging, Sustainability in Cheese production and Cheese Hero, to be awarded to one who has gone over and above to support the cheese industry.

An overall Best of British Cheese will be chosen from the winners of the eight main categories and will receive a prize worth £4,000 to boost their business. This will include editorial and advertising in Speciality Food, which will land in the hands of more than 8,000 of the most important buyers in the UK and Ireland, along with a consumer feature in Great British Food.

“Speciality Food is proud to once again be supporting the Virtual Cheese Awards as media partner,” said Holly Shackleton, editor of Speciality Food. “These awards are genuinely pioneering in their use of technology and transparent judging processes, and we are delighted to continue to support and uplift the British cheese industry in this exciting way.”

The three finalists will also win a bespoke PR and social media consultation from food and drink comms specialists, North PR. All profits from the awards will go back into supporting British farmers and dairy producers through a donation to the Specialist Cheesemakers Association.

Renegade Monk scooped the Best British Cheese 2020 award. Made by Feltham’s Farm, the soft blue cow’s milk cheese is made from organic pasteurised cow’s milk and rind-washed in ale. “Winning Best British Cheese at the first ever Virtual Cheese Awards was so thrilling, we never thought we’d win,” says founder Marcus Fergusson. “It gave us renewed momentum and drive after we were hit hard through the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We would recommend all producers to enter as it gave our business a real boost. We loved the transparency of the judging process, which isn’t replicated in any other cheese awards,” Marcus continues. “It was fascinating to hear all of the cheeses analysed by such knowledgeable and unflinching judges.”

Entries open on Friday 5th February 2021 with a closing date of 24th March 2021. Early bird prices are £35 per entry for the first 150 entries, rising to £45 per entry thereafter. To find out more, visit: virtualcheeseawards.com

It’s June 2020 for the Rare Breed farmers and as the Coronavirus pandemic continues, the cycle of farming goes on, with our famers getting jobs done around their farms in the next episode of ‘RARE BREED – A Farming Year’ on UTV, Tuesday 16^th February.  

It’s peak silage season, and even though the animals are able to live outside during the summer, there are still lots of jobs to do. 

Near Randalstown in Antrim, James Alexander is in the midst of selling cattle. He produces in calf cows to sell to other farmers. He cancelled his cattle sale but he’s been able to sell online and to regular customers. It’s time consuming but he’s glad he has been able to do it, commenting “sales have never been better.” He prefers selling from home, saying, “I sell little or nothing through the ring.”

Later in the episode, James is showing round a visiting farmer from Scotland, Hugh Dunlop, who has been buying cattle from James for a few years. He likes that James has all the details of the pregnant heifers to hand and knows the day practically when she’ll give birth, and whether the calf will be male or female.

The Preston family from Gortin has brought their sheep in from the fields for a shower and skin treatment.  June’s warm weather has raised the risk of maggots caused by flies laying eggs on the sheep. It’s essential the time is taken to prevent any problems. Kenny’s glad to get them showered, but points out that sheep are a full time job, “Someone said to me once, when you’re not working with sheep, you should be!”  They are also picking lambs out for a sale in Lanarkshire, Scotland, hoping to get a good price for ram lambs, given the money invested in their upkeep and care.

Near Comber, Emily McGowan, is visiting Gabbie’snursery, from where they buy their seedlings.  Emily says it’s important for traceability purposes, and every seed sown in the massive greenhouses is sown to order. Trevor Gabbie has been supplying the McGowan’s for over 30 years, and Trevor likes to think that his processes and quality get better with every year, due to the attention to detail that’s taken.  They both have a laugh about the unusual names given to some of the varieties!

June’s changeable weather means that the best laid plans go awry. Near Ballygawley in Tyrone, accountant and farmer, Des Kelly is working on the hoof as he figures out how to get the day’s to-do list done. We meet Jack the Donkey who “mooches about with the cows”, and hear about his underperforming bull.  While the rain pours down he and farm hand Rodrigo make repairs to some of the machinery. Des is keen to highlight how dangerous farm machinery can be, and that they only have guards off to make the repairs. We meet his nephew Thomas from the neighbouring farm, and there’s a bit of banter between the two of them with Des complaining about Thomas’s driving skills, “Thomas drives too slow on the tractor!”

Back in Gortin and Kenny, Janice and Zara Prestonare preparing sheep for a virtual show. These replaced the usual country fairs in 2020. But arguably needed more effort as the farmers tried to get the best photos and videos of their prize animals! Kenny explains, “You like him standing like a kitchen table,” which is easier said than done!  Zara gets a sloppy kiss from one of the rams as she attempts a close up picture! Kenny says, “It’s like Faulty Towers!” as they only have another 10 to photograph!  

The episode closes back in Randalstown with Mya Alexander also taking part in a virtual show, this time for the Northern Ireland Limousin Cattle Club.  She’s posing for lots of pictures, so they can send two for the competition. James is glad to be helping support the show.

UTV’s Mark McFadden narrates the series. Sponsored by Moy Park, Rare Breed – A Farming Year continues on Tuesday 16^th February at 7.30pm on UTV.

Wondering how to say those three little words this weekend? Genesis Bakery has an adorable answer with its limited edition Afters By Genesis ‘Cupcakes for My Cupcake’.

You can say ‘I love you’ or ‘Be My Valentine’ by presenting that someone special with the cute cupcake couple which are sweetly packaged, with a spot to write your loved one’s name and are also perfect for sharing.

Imagine indulging your Valentine with delicious, light chocolate sponge cupcakes and chocolate sauce topped with tiny edible hearts. Think of the negotiation when you take your pick as one is topped with vanilla and the other with chocolate buttercream, or perhaps it would be best to be thoughtful and let your Valentine choose their cupcake first so as to avoid any Valentine’s Day arguments!

Paul Allen, executive chairman of Genesis Bakery said: “We developed our two-pack ‘Cupcakes for my Cupcake’ just in time for Valentine’s Day so lovers across the country could indulge in some deliciously sweet appreciation of each other over a cuppa on the most romantic weekend of the year. They’re tastier than a card and the perfect way to show you care!”

The Valentine’s cupcake couple follow on from the success of Genesis Afters range which launched late last year and are in nearly 500 SPAR, ViVO, Centra, Supervalu and Mace stores across Northern Ireland.

Follow Genesis on facebook at www.facebook.com/genesisbakeryltd, on Instagram at www.instagram.com/genesisbakeryltd and on twitter at www.twitter.com/genesis_bakery.