Craft brewer Ryan McCracken is gearing up to grow sales of his beers especially in markets outside Northern Ireland through an investment that will triple production at his small brewery in Portadown.

Ryan, the founder and managing director of McCracken’sReal Ale, had invested in the brewery before lockdown and continued to keep the small operation alive through off-sales and on-line business particularly in Britain.

While the relaxation of the regulations on bars serving foodhelped sales, he admits that “we are still a long way off from where we should have been by this stage”.

He continues: “Times are really tough for craft breweries with limited resources. The lockdown came as we were exploringbusiness in Britain and were developing our network of hospitality customers across Northern Ireland. Everything was looking good for our beers. Lockdown hit the sector really hard,” he says.

“Thankfully we are still growing and gaining new outlets,” he says.  “However, I’ve found there is still a lot of apprehension particularly in restaurants about taking new ranges on in case they are forced to close again and are left with a lot of stock they cannot do anything with.  The continuing closure of the so called ‘wet’ bars is another serious problem for smaller breweries.

“We had invested in a new kegging line prior to lockdown and are finding the continued restrictions with ‘wet’ pubs have had a considerable impact on growth in this area,” he adds.

The planned upgrade of his systems, he continues, “will essentially triple our production and allow us to expand into other markets and minimise any potential risk in certain sectors of having to close down again”.  He hopes to be able to hire an additional three people in brewery. “Once we begin producing to our maximum volume we will be able to offer further opportunities. We just need some certainty in the market. Opening the wet pubs would be an important step in the right direction for the industry,” he adds.

Many wet pubs have long been an important springboard for Northern Ireland’s enterprising craft beer industry, offering opportunities and feedback to more than 40 small breweries producing a broad range of beers, many of which have won awards in national competitions. Several, including McCracken’s, have also achieved worthwhile sales abroad.

Ryan’s first business in Britain was in fact secured in the early stages of the lockdown with help from Rademon Estate, one of our craft distilleries and the producer of the multi-award winning Shortcross Gin.

Ryan, who founded the brewery in September 2018, responded to an offer from Shortcross to include craft beers and other beverages on its successful e-commerce site.

He explains: “I contacted Shortcross in response to an offer from the distillery to include smaller drink producers on their e-commerce shop during what was a very challenging time for us all. It was a very generous gesture and I was delighted when they subsequently put my seven strong range of beers on-line. This was a tremendous boost at a time when my sales to local hotels, restaurants and bars had stopped because of the lockdown.

“Unfortunately, licensing laws in Northern Ireland don’t allow craft brewers to sell on-line or to callers at the breweries. This approach is inhibiting the industry’s growth. The listing on the Shortcross e-commerce shop was a real breakthrough for us,” he adds.

“I received firm orders from beer lovers throughout the UKand the Republic of Ireland,” he continues. “This was very encouraging because I had been planning a trip to Britain to help me to pinpoint potential distributors.

“The Shortcross shop linked to my website which provides more detailed information about my business and the beers. It was great to see cash starting to flow again at such an early stage of the lockdown,” adds Ryan. Contacts made in Britain have continued to place orders.

Ryan, an IT manager, set up the brewery in a specially converted building at the home he shares with wife Nicola and family. He began brewing as a hobby in 2014 when Nicola gave him a home brew kit as a Christmas present!

The brewery has a broad range of bottled-conditioned ales and had begun supplying ale in cask and keg form. He has also extended the range hand crafted in the brewery with his four-strong team to include an American Pale Ale and a German Hefeweizen. They will all be showcased during Armagh’s Food and Drink festival on 19th September.

It was immeasurably encouraging to hear of generous comments for two of our innovative dairy companies, Abernethy Butter in Dromara and Bangor’s Clandeboye Yoghurt, from two culinary experts, both well-known and respected television personalities.

Nigella Lawson opted for Abernethy’s dulse butter as her best flavoured butter, while celebrity chef Yotam Ottolengi, the owner of six delis and restaurants in London, expressed his preference for Clandeboye Yoghurt when in Northern Ireland.Clandeboye, I was delighted to hear, has also just announced investment in a new building to meet the growing demand for its exceptional yoghurt.

Such endorsements are exceptionally important as food and drink companies endeavour to recoup sales in Britain. The lockdown, due to coronavirus, has impacted on hospitality and temporarily reduced that market for many of our local talented food and drink companies.  There have been so many painstaking weeks, months and years, spent by the individuals in these companies innovating to meet the rigorous standards of high-end chefs and retailers all over the UK.

Thankfully Northern Ireland’s reputation as a source of excellent food has been building in recent years and hasbenefited enormously from the support of many top chefs, restaurateurs and retail buyers. Among the most supportive has been Ewan Ventners, the managing director of the iconic Fortnum & Mason in London’s Piccadilly, who has just announced he’s moving on to another post outside the retailer.

Many of our producers have gained business with the high-end store during his time at the helm in which he has revolutionised its food and drink offering. He was instrumental in two major food and drink promotions involving dozens of smaller businesses from Northern Ireland showcasing their talents at the iconic store.

Among companies to achieve listing in Fortnum & Mason are Hannan Meats in Moira, now a key supplier of beef and bacon to the store, Glenarm Organic Salmon, Abernethy Butter, Ballylisk of Armagh Cheese from Tandragee and gin producers Echlinville of Kircubbin and Crossgar’s Shortcross. Mr Ventners will be missed. He became a very close friend of our own Peter Hannan, who regularly hosted visits to Northern Ireland by Mr Ventners and members of his food and drink buying team

I’d also wish to extend congratulations to local meat producers which have been successful in the recent Meat Management Industry Awards. Linden Foods in Dungannon, gained two major category awards for products developed in collaboration with top retailer Marks and Spencer. The awards were for Britain’s Best Meat Pie for its M&S MMMummy Meat Loaf and Best Beef Product for its M&S British Duke of Beef.

The awards are an excellent example of the commitment, versatility and flexibility of our leading processors in creatinginnovative foods that meet the exacting requirements of buyers in major retailers and appeal to consumers across the UK and Ireland. They also demonstrate, the outstanding quality of raw materials produced by our excellent farmersespecially in dairy and meat. We have some of the best farm produce available anywhere in the world.

The endorsements from celebrity chefs, food writers and in major national competitions coincided with the first Back British Farmers Day last week.

The day was held to showcase the amazing contribution to the UK economy at a time when concern is growing again about the likely adverse impact on the agri-food industry from the trade negotiations with the US, which is demanding unfettered access to the UK marketplace. Over one million signed up to the campaign supporting food produced to world leading standards.

The Prime Minister and many of his Conservative Party colleagues conspicuously wore wheatsheafs in their lapels to show their support for our farmers and their role in feeding the nation, especially during the recent initial lockdown. I wonder has this administration woken up to the importance of high-quality food since the Prime Minister suffered with coronavirus. The campaign is wake-up call about the importance of food which is the foundation of health and a strong immune system. One can only hope.

Clandeboye Estate, home to Clandeboye Yoghurt, has announced it will invest over £2million to expand its yoghurt business and create 13 new jobs.

The Bangor SME is building a new factory on the grounds of Clandeboye Estate, which will help it to increase the production of its multi award winning yoghurt, and grow sales in international markets.

Making the announcement, John Hood, Director of Food and Drink at Invest Northern Ireland, said: “Over the last twelve years, Clandeboye Estate has built its farm based artisan yoghurt brand into a premium offering. Our support over the years has helped it to grow in ROI and now GB, with major retailers such as Aldi, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Asda stocking its products. We are delighted to continue to support Clandeboye with this new investment, which will assist it to quadruple its production capacity and double its workforce in the Ards & North Down area. 

“Last year, food and drink companies generated over £5billion for the Northern Ireland economy. The sector has remained resilient throughout COVID-19 and it continues to be a major contributor to our local economy. It is great to see companies like Clandeboye focusing on innovation to remain competitive and continuing to expand and invest.”

 Invest NI has offered the company £470,000 support towards the new factory and machinery. The support towards the expansion will also enable the company to expand its team with an additional 13 jobs across a range of production and management roles.

Bryan Boggs, General Manager of Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt, said: “As the only yoghurt manufacturer in Northern Ireland, our mission is to grow Clandeboye Yoghurt as sustainably as possible and to maintain the high quality of our natural yoghurt offering. Everything from grazing to production takes place within the Clandeboye Estate, with milk sourced from the Clandeboye herd and local producers – a complete ‘farm to spoon’ journey.

“Over the last twelve years, Invest NI’s ongoing guidance has been invaluable to the growth of our company. Its support is enabling us to build a new factory and invest in specialist machinery. This will give us the capacity to produce up to 80 tonnes of yoghurt per week, over four times what we normally produce.  All of this combined will help us to increase our export sales and expand in the GB market.”

 

This project is part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the Investment for Growth and Jobs Programme 2014-2020.

 

Linden Foods in Northern Ireland has won two category awards in the influential UK’s Meat Management Industry Awards.

Based in Dungannon, county Tyrone and now part of ABP, Linden Foods, a Food NI member, won awards as part of its collaboration with top food retailer Marks and Spencer (M&S). The awards were for Britain’s Best Meat Pie for its M&S MMMummy Meat Loaf and Best Beef Product for its M&S British Duke of Beef.

The awards reflect the longstanding and successful business relationship between M&S Food and Linden Foods, one of Northern Ireland’s most innovative producers of beef and other proteins.

The awards were among 18 announced in what is the UK’s leading competition for meat processors. Other companies with links to Northern Ireland included in the awards were Dungannon’s Dunbia – for minted lamb kebabs produced at its plants in Wales – and Cranswick Country Foods, which has a factory in Ballymena – for its Sainsbury’s British Pork Crackling Rib Roast. Cranswick was also chosen as Manufacturer of the Year and won the Best Poultry Product for its Aldi Specially Selected Butter Basted Roast Chicken Breast.

The initiative moved online for the first time this year as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic. Celebrity magician Ben Hanlin, co-presented the awards, adding a touch of magic to the proceedings.

Otherwise the ceremony followed the established format and recognised excellence across 18 categories.

Graham Yandell, publisher of Meat Management magazine which organises the annual awards, said: “Despite the challenges we faced in the run up these awards, it’s great to be able to recognise the amazing people, products, companies and organisations that make up this wonderful industry.

“We had nearly 1,000 products entered and judged earlier this year and voting and nominations were once again very substantial across all the non-product categories.

Pam Brook, editor of Meat Management magazine, added: “Many congratulations to all our worthy winners, finalists and highly commended. In the most challenging of years, it’s great to be able to take the time to recognise some of the most important figures that help keep this country fed on a daily basis.

Glastry Farm Ice Cream is to supply its luxury ice cream and low fat and vegan sorbets to EUROSPAR stores in Northern Ireland in a significant deal for the farm-based producer with Henderson Group.

Based on the family farm of Will Taylor, the founder and managing director of the multi-award winning dairy ice cream and sorbet producer, near Kircubbin in Co Down, Glastry, a Food NI member company, is to supply more than 70 EUROSPAR supermarkets across Northern Ireland.

Glastry is supplying EUROSPAR with four ice cream flavours in tubs – Yellowman Honeycomb; Vanilla Bean; Lemon Meringue; and Chocolate and Salted Caramel; and vegan Raspberry Ruffle Sorbet, a double gold winner in the UK Great Taste Awards.

Sales manager, Rory McLaughlin, commenting on the agreement with Henderson Group, says: “This a real game changer for us because it means our luxury ice cream and sorbet will now be available across Northern Ireland for the first time. Ice cream and sorbet lovers will be able to enjoy our premium products from a network of highly successful EUROSPAR supermarkets within the market leading Henderson Group.

“What the deal does is to give Glastry Farm Ice Cream and sorbets coverage to most parts of the province for the very first time through one distribution point. The access provided to the EUROSPAR network will enable us to reach out to many thousands of potential customers with our creamy ice cream and vegan sorbets.

“While we’ve been working steadily to develop our market reach over the past few years, this agreement makes this possible much quicker than we could have hoped to achieve by our own limited resources as a smaller food enterprise.

“We are, therefore, immensely excited by the potential of this new business for our range of products which are made from fresh cows’ milk sourced from our own pedigree and grass and clover-fed Friesian herd and processed using 75 percent renewable energy. Other ingredients are locally sourced.

“As a result, our naturally delicious products, all made on our working dairy farm, have an exceptionally low carbon footprint,” adds Rory. Ice cream and sorbet production is now virtually zero waste.

Michelle Dineen, Trading Manager at Henderson Wholesale, says the company prides itself in its support for local artisan producers. “We’ve consistently worked with innovative and bespoke local producers helping them expand and bring their ranges to a wider consumer base.

“We’ve some of the world’s finest food crafters here in Northern Ireland and the award winning Glastry Farm brand is up there with the best.  We’re pleased to welcome Will and his team to our supplier network and look forward to helping them bring their quality range of ice creams and sorbets taste to many more shoppers locally.”

Henderson Group is a local family business achieving 83^rd place on the latest 2019 Sunday Times HSBC Top Track 100 league table of the UK’s private companies.

The group owns the SPAR, EUROSPAR, VIVO, VIVOXTRA and VIVO Essentials franchises in Northern Ireland. Henderson Wholesale has been distributing food and grocery-related products to the convenience retail sector for over 120 years and is the largest operator of its kind in the country.

The group is committed to sourcing local fresh foods from farmers, growers and suppliers, with over 75 percent of fresh products sourced on the island of Ireland.

Operating out of its head office in Mallusk, the group employs over 4,000 employees across Northern Ireland.

Glastry Farm Ice Cream was launched by Will Taylor as a diversification project in 2007 on the back of research he had carried out throughout Europe on various projects. Glastry – the Irish for townland of the green pastures – has been in the Taylor family for six generations.

Diversifying further into sorbets resulted in these being vegan, low fat and egg and dairy free.

The company has gained a string of national awards for the quality and outstanding taste of its ice cream and sorbets. These include gold in the last seven years in the UK Great Taste Awards for its ice cream and sorbets.

In addition, the company’s products have won three gold medals and two silver in Blas na hEireann, the Irish National Food Awards, which are held annually in Dingle, Co Kerry.

Northern Ireland’s Forest Feast, the Original Snack Explorers, has launched a new Slow Roasted & Seasoned Nut range, to meet the growing demand for premium in-home and sharing savoury snacks.

The innovative range of nuts are all seasoned in-house with local and artisan ingredients, and then slowly roasted in small batches to absolute perfection. Forest Feast is a Food NI member.

Speaking about the launch, Bronagh Clarke, marketing director at Forest Feast, says: “We are delighted to launch this new range, it showcases our in-house seasoning and roasting capabilities and answers a real need in the category for premiumisation.

“We have seen strong growth in sharing snacks as the nation continues to spend more time at home.  Consumers are looking for snacks that elevate their nights in with each other, and they are leaning more towards indulgent and artisan products with honest ingredients”.

Launching with six variants, each one has unique ingredients and packs a punch in flavour.

• Slow Roasted Colossal Cashews with Sea Salt. These are the largest cashews in the world, slowly roasted and tossed in hand-harvested Sea Salt.
• Slow Roasted Californian Pistachios with Sea Salt. Grown in the heart of California, and slowly roasted in-house with hand-harvested Sea Salt for beautiful little gems to crack open & enjoy!
• Slow Roasted Sea Salt & Black Peppercorn Nut Mix. Colossal Cashews, Almonds, Macadamias, Pecans and Jumbo Peanuts all slowly roasted together with Sea Salt & Crushed Black Peppercorns.
• Slow Roasted Pitmaster Smoked Almonds & Peanuts. A delicious Deep South flavour, with a touch of Oak Smoked Irish Sea Salt on slowly roasted Almonds & Peanuts.
• Slow Roasted Serrano Chilli Honey Almonds & Peanuts. Serrano Chilli glazed Almonds and Peanuts with the sweet golden taste of Blossom Honey, for the perfect pairing.
• Slow Roasted Heather Honey Peanuts & Cashews. Colossal Cashews and Jumbo Peanuts glazed with the unique golden nectar of Scottish Heather Honey and roasted with Sea Salt.

Forest Feast Slow Roasted Nuts are Gluten Free, and are available now with an RRSP of £3.00/120g.

Based at Craigavon in country Armagh, Forest Feast is a brand of Kestrel Foods, a UK leader in snacks including nuts and dried fruits.