Prep House Sauces in Crossgar, county Down has created a delicious new Original Relish just in time for the BBQ season.

The new relish is described by the company, a leading Northern Ireland family business and a Food NI member, as “a blend of spices, sweet sultanas and onions”. The new relish is available in 350g plastic bottles at RRP £2.69.

Prep House marketing manager Barry Fitzpatrick says the new relish is the latest in a line of innovative products developed by the company which is now a major supplier to leading retailers, including Aldi, and foodservice operations across the island of Ireland.

“We are experiencing significant growth in retail sales in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland because the lockdown has led to huge growth in home cooking and increased interest in our flavour-rich sauces. The relish adds delicious flavours for BBQ meats in particular.

“We’ve been inundated with retail orders and are currently working overtime to meet these,” he adds.

Prep House has won a string of national awards for its original sauces and dressings, is now supplying the relish to independent retailers specially in Northern Ireland where it has 23 people on the payroll in a state-of-the-art factory.

“The new relish is also a further example of the market knowledge and expertise of our new product development team. They created the unique recipe in our modern development kitchen, a £1 million investment, and trialled with our focus group,” Mr Fitzpatrick adds.

Awards for taste and quality have been achieved from the UK Quality Food and Drink, Great Taste Awards and the Blas nahEireann Irish National Awards.

“The new relish is in line with our strategic objective to enable more home cooks here, in the Republic and abroad to recognise that when a Prep House sauce or dressing is added they have a distinctively delicious meal,” says Mr Fitzpatrick

Original products in its extensive portfolio include vegan, gluten-free and fat-free.

Northern Ireland’s Armagh Cider Company has seen online sales in Britain soar from a deal with Amazon for its award-winning ciders, mixers and other soft drinks shortly before the Covid-19 virus outbreak. The listing has led to the company supplying its ciders to customers at the heart of England’s orchard country.

Owned by Phillip and Helen Troughton on their apple farm, Armagh Cider is now one of Ireland’s biggest producers of ciders and soft drinks including its successful and innovative Orchard Twist, a crafted non-alcoholic, lightly sparkling applejuice with a twist of flavours. Orchard Twist is a natural drink with no added sugars, no artificial flavours or colours that’s also gluten free and can be counted as one of a five-a-day health regime.

Mark Troughton, Armagh Cider’s marketing manager, describes the listing for the company’s products in Amazon as “an immensely important and very timely deal particularly in Britain”. “We hadn’t been very active online until the virus led to the closure of the pubs, hotels and restaurants which were major customers especially for our range of mixers and ciders,” he says.

The company, a leading innovator in the local beverage industry, had been talking to Amazon for some time before the outbreak and had just signed a listing for our products. “While we are still supplying ciders to supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s and off sales in Northern Ireland, the Amazon listing has enabled us to develop very significant business in Britain, a market we’ve been targeting for many years. And it’s also shown us the tremendous potential of online sales there.

“We are now shipping, on average, more than 10 cases a day to Amazon for customers in many parts of Great Britain. As a result of the agreement, our online business has grown by more than 25 percent in the past month,” Mark adds. It is offering free delivery for orders placed through its online shop.

The company, Northern Ireland’s oldest processor of ciders from its own apples, is lining up the launch of several new products include cloudy lemonade and a four-strong range of tonics in larger 500ml bottles. The four flavours are orange, lemon, raspberry and cucumber and lime. The new natural products are developed in-house and free from preservatives and additives. The mixers are marketed under the Raising Spirits label.

“Innovation has always underpinned our business and has seen us diversify from producing award-winning cider, sparkling and still apple juice and cider vinegar to now include an extensive range of mixers and fruit infused sparkling waters. This is the way we stay ahead in our highly competitive business,” adds Mark.

The Troughton family has been growing apples there for five generations since 1898. The first cider was introduced in January 2006 as ‘Carsons Cider’. The small farm-based company has since gained a host of awards including UK Great Taste and Blas na hEireann.

Erne Larder Preserves, the Northern Ireland producer of a range of gourmet ketchup, sauces, jams and pesto has signed its first ever business in Belgium, it’s first sales outside the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

Based in Enniskillen, county Fermanagh, Erne Larder, which is owned and run by experienced chef Declan O’Donoghue, is now supplying its complete range of products to the high-end Wesley’s Butcher Shop in Brussels, the Belgium capital and EU hub.

The new deal for the Northern Ireland family business was facilitated by the Artisan Food Club in Britain which listed Erne Larder last year. Wesley’s is selling the company’s Irish Bacon Jam, Irish Bacon Ketchup, Irish Whiskey Marmalade, Irish Stout and Onion Chutney and Fiery Jalapeno Relish.

Mr O’Donoghue, who launched the business on the back of an extensive career as a top chefs in hotels and restaurants in Ireland in 2017, says: “Our first business in Belgium couldn’t have come at a better time for us because of the current trading difficulties in doing business in the UK and Ireland.

“The new listing gives us a good foothold in Brussels with a business in an area that’s popular with people working at the European Commission from many parts of Europe,” he adds.

“I am looking forward to holding tasting sessions there once the virus outbreak has ended,” he says.

Wesley’s Butcher’s Shop, which is in the European Quarter of Brussels has been trading there for over two years and specialises in premium beef, including Irish Black Angus, Irish lamb and poultry. In addition to the meat business, the shop provides a range of artisan deli products. The butchery also has extensive on line sales and operates a delivery service.

Erne Larder’s customers in Northern Ireland also include European discounters Aldi and Lidl supermarkets in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The original recipes for Erne Larder’s range of products were created by Mr O’Donoghue using his experience in hotels and restaurants

Erne Larder products are also now also on sale in delis and independent stores across Northern Ireland and in many outlets in the Republic.

A key element in his approach is a focus on locally-sourcedingredients.

 

Even in tough times like these there is good news and congratulations must go to Alex Greene, of Michael Deane’s EIPIC Michelin star restaurant in Belfast, on winning the Northern Ireland heat of the popular Great British Menu competition earlier this month.

Alex developed some highly original dishes for the judges and now goes into the final.  Alex and the other talented Northern Ireland born competitors; Paul Cunningham of Brunel’s in Newcastle; Shauna Froydenlund, originally from Londonderry but now at Marcus Wareing’s flagship in London; and Leigh Ferguson of Moira-based Clenaghan’s; really showcased the best local cuisine and products such as Peter Hannan’s steak, Abernethy Butter and Ballylisk of Armagh Triple Rose cheese. Congratulations to them all for showcasing the talent of our home grown chefs and producers.

The dishes created show just what we’ve been missing since the prudent decision was taken to lock virtually everything down to fight Covid-19. While there was really no sensible alternative, the decision continues to damage our foodservice sector which had become one of the driving forces in our once vibrant tourism industry.

The hospitality sector was the first to have been directly affected by the coronavirus as restaurants and bars were required to pull the shutters down. This has also meant problems for the food and drink producers and retailers who sell to them. And many of our most successful food and drink firms were focused primarily on supplying hospitality establishments.

The suggestion that many of our restaurants, cafes and pubs may not reopen are worrying. Food NI supports the calls for urgent funding from the Executive to ensure the survival of this most important magnet for visitors. Remember that visitors are attracted to a holiday destination by the reputation of its food and drink and restaurants. They also, on average, spend a third of their holiday budget on food and drink. The rates holiday must be extended for the current three months toat least a year.

It will be some time, however, before the tourism industry returns to its pre-virus position. While there may be some movement towards the end of this year, it will probably be next year before visitors return in significant numbers. The industry will depend on support from local people keen to eat out again after months cooking at home.

The new normalcy post virus may see home cooking remaining popular. This, of course, provides a greater opportunity for local suppliers and may well also see continuing demand from consumers for dishes delivered by many of our leading restaurants or provided on a call and collect basis. Many of these are listed on our website www.nigoodfood.com.

The deadly virus has also changed the way that all food and drink companies are having to work, as consumer behaviour changes. We’ve also seen many artisan and smaller food producers switching to offer call and collect and delivery options. Such initiatives have developed as smaller companies sought to ensure cash flow. While delivery services can be a tough way to make money, consumers may continue to demand the option using social media as well as phone ordering. These companies are also listed on our website.

The shocking crisis has also seen many food and drink producers, which were dependent on foodservice, moving to develop retail business particularly in the short-term. This may mean they will seek to reduce dependence on one sales channel for the medium and long terms.

And those food retailers who are able to stay open have had to change their business practices, both in terms of their staff and customers. Many businesses are encouraging as many staff as possible to work from home, and government guidelines mean that they need to add other measures such as socially distant shopping, the supply of hand sanitiser for customers, the wiping down of trolleys and baskets, and the use of contactless payments. These will continue as the outbreak slowly disappears….and this may take many more months of uncertainty. Excellent hygiene standards will continue to demanded in the months and years ahead.

It is inevitable that flexible and versatile businesses able to change quickly the way that they do business, who they do business with, what they do, and how they engage and communicate with their customers will be the ones that will come out of this stronger than ever. In the meantime, I encourage you to support local companies offering home delivery, call and collect and take away services. It all helpsthem and the wider economy

Countryside Services Ltd is continuing to manage the Agri-Food Co-operation Scheme & encourages

new applicants to email their Expression of Interest forms to agrifood@countrysideservices.com

The Agri-Food Co-operation Scheme offers support to small and micro businesses who wish to avail of funding interventions to help progress their new idea, new product, process or technology.  By joining together with others in their supply chain, they can see their ideas come to fruition with 50 days expert help from a Facilitator dedicated to the group, as well as an array of other measures to develop the skills of the group members.

Up to £30,500 of support measures are available to each group and includes Specialist Mentoring, Training, Business Tools, Study Tours and Co-operation Support.

Mandina Fulton from Countryside Services Ltd, who is managing the scheme on behalf of DAERA explains “We have active groups participating in the Agri-Food Co-operation Scheme from a diverse range of producers – from artisan food businesses located in rural or coastal regions wishing to collectively market their goods – to farmers getting together to further a novel idea which will aid their supply of product to current or newmarkets.”

Some of the funding received includes group websites, logo design for use on banners and group promotional material, the provision of mentoring by a marketing specialist,as well as advice from crop scientists and agronomists.

Mandina continues “We would like to encourage new applicants to join the scheme even in these challenging times in which we find ourselves. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call to discuss any new project ideas you may have.”    

The Agri-Food Co-operation Scheme is open to producers in the Agricultural and Horticultural sectors, as well as the Food Tourism and Artisan sector.

For Expression of Interest Forms and further information contact:                  

Particularly vulnerable residents in Ards and North Down who are required to self-isolate and have no means to obtain basic food supplies are being provided with vital support by their local council through a free weekly food distribution service.

The countrywide initiative is being promoted by the Department for Communities with the support of councils, health trusts and other partners. Council officers in Ards and North Down have redeployed to form a Covid-19 Community Support Team and are working hard to identify people in the borough who are vulnerable from lack of social contact or who are in desperate need of food.

More than 600 food boxes containing mostly non-perishable items have already been delivered direct to the doors of those most in need, ensuring they have access to basic food supplies. The boxes are being delivered on a weekly basis to vulnerable people who, for various health reasons, need to ‘shield’ and have no other way to access food.

The Chief Executive of Ards and North Down Borough Council, Stephen Reid, said:

“It’s absolutely vital that we support our vulnerable residents at this difficult time. By delivering basic food supplies direct to their doors, it means our vulnerable citizens can stay at home and stay healthy. However, I must stress that we don’t have a limitless supply of boxes so if people have other ways of getting food they should continue to do so.”

He added: “We all must play our part to avoid transmitting the virus and this service will undoubtedly help to save lives in our borough while providing essential support to those most in need.”

The food distribution service complements a range of measures that the Council has implemented to support local residents. These include a directory of services – available from the Council website – that outlines information such as various community and voluntary support networks, pharmacies and their operating practices as well as local businesses that offer food delivery services.

In addition, the Council has also created two additional telephone support teams. They maintain contact with vulnerable people who are socially isolating and need comfort, and they also provide help and advice to concerned members of the public, community and voluntary organisations as well as referrals from Advice NI.

Residents that qualify for this assistance who have not yet been contacted should telephone the Community Helpline on 0808 802 0020 – phone lines are open every day from 9am to 5pm. Alternatively, email covid19@adviceni.net or text ‘ACTION’ to 81025.

For more information, visit ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk.