White’s Oats, Northern Ireland’s award winning and market leading porridge and oat cereal brand, has announce its Title Sponsorship with Team Joe Barr for 2020.

Following a record breaking year in which 60-year-old World Ultra Cyclist Joe Barr was crowned winner of the 2019 World Cup for his age category (60-69); the World’s Ultra Cycling Association most prestigious award, Joe Barr will undertake his most ambitious season yet in 2020.

White’s Oats and Team Joe Barr will activate the sponsorship under a campaign message of ‘reaching further’ as together they endeavour to bring the world ofendurance cycling to cyclists and non-cyclists and inspire others to reach further in their own everyday lines.

Joe will undertake five physically and mentally gruelling races on a global stage to compete for the most coveted title of all – ‘Overall World Cup Winner of Endurance Cycling. The year will also see Joe compete for an historic third ever win for Race around Ireland; a race local man Joe holds dear.

Danielle Mc Bride, brand manager of White’s Oats, says: “Joe and his team have had an amazing year, putting Irish cycling on the map globally and we were honoured to be a part of his journey in 2019. Team Joe Barr’s commitment to excellence, performance and success are values that White’s emulates- ourselves a local company passionate and dedicated to growing and milling award winning porridge oats of the highest quality and we couldn’t think of a better sponsorship partner for 2020.

‘’It’s set to be a thrilling year of performance cycling and as sponsor and Team Joe Barr nutrition partner we very much look forward to the challenge of keeping Joe fuelled with our range of porridge oats and oat cereals to reach further in 2020.’’

Jillian Mooney, Performance Nutritionist at Team Joe Barr adds: ‘’We are thrilled to have White’s Oats on board as Title Sponsor for what is sure to be Joe’s biggest undertaking to date. In order to achieve world class performance, building nutritional resilience is Key and for Team Joe Barr that means quality nutrition from natural real foods. White’s Oats has been producing multi-award winning porridge oats for over 178 years and is an excellent fit as a trusted and quality nutrition partner that will help Team Joe Barr go the distance.’’

Carol Banahan, the founder of Carol’s Stock Market in Derry, has been recognised in a UK award for enterprise.

Mrs Banahan, the developer of a range of natural bone broths and gravies, was named runner-up in the Northern Ireland category of the prestigious National Business Women’s Awards 2019.

The category in the UK awards celebrates business women operating in Northern Ireland and was open to business owners, leaders and inspirational business women who have achieved accomplishments of significance over the past 12 months. Successful finalists were required to show qualities of vision, innovation, entrepreneurial drive, leadership and to demonstrate their commitment to gender diversity.

The National Business Women’s Awards are made up of 21 categories that allow any successful business in the UK to enter these prestigious awards. All entries are judged by up to four of a national panel of judges. The pinnacle of the awards is the Grand Awards Celebration, in Wembley later in the year.

Mrs Banahan, commenting on the recognition, says: “I am delighted to have reached the shortlist for the final stage and to have achieved this national recognition which should help as I seek to grow sales especially in Great Britain. It’s immensely encouraging.”

Mrs Banahan recently announced a business link up with chef Paula McIntyre to develop new products for launch later in the year.

Based at Derry’s Skeoge Industrial Park, the small company, a Food NI and a Slow Food NI member, has developed a range of natural products for home cooks in particular.

Originally from Dublin, Mrs Banahan returned to Ireland in 2014 after a successful career in investment banking in Canada. A keen cook, Mrs Banahan set up her food production business with help of the Foodovation centre at the North West Regional College in Derry.

Finnebrogue Artisan, a Food NI member based inDownpatrick, won a national supply deal with Asda to produce 10 special Christmas lines, which will be available in its 578 UK-wide stores.

Six of the 10 products have been created especially for this Christmas, including a range of vegan products – stuffing balls, cocktail sausages and a vegan Wellington centre piece.

Other new products for this year include pork & red onion cocktail sausages, pork, sage & onion balls and the BBC Good Food & Good Housekeeping award-winning pigs in blankets festive feast stuffing centre piece.

Due to shopper demand, Asda has brought back four lines produced last year by Finnebrogue such as pork, sage & onion stuffing, pork cocktail sausages, sausage meat and bacon & chestnut stuffing.

The deal builds on Asda and Finnebrogue’s existing relationship, which has seen the family business supply sausages to the retailer since 2014.

John Cowen, Finnebrogue’s account manager for Asda, said: “We’re pleased to grow our long-standing relationship with Asda through the development of products for this year’s extra special Christmas range.

“We pride ourselves on innovation and are confident customers will love these new festive products and flavours, which cater to everyone at the Christmas table.”

Asda’s NI regional buying manager Emma Swan added: “We work alongside suppliers to create innovative, affordable, delicious and high-quality products, and this year’s Extra Special Christmas accompaniments from Finnebrogue are no exception.”

Mash Direct’s Tracy Hamilton Awarded MBE in the New Year’s Honours List for services to the Northern Ireland agri-food sector

The award was made in recognition for Tracy’s “unwavering commitment growing and developing food and drink companies across Northern Ireland as well as championing diversification and diversity in agri-food”.

In the early 2000s, Tracy worked tirelessly with her husband Martin to create the Mash Direct brand on the family farm in Comber.  She has since worked to share this knowledge and best practice amongst start-ups for those aiming to set up small food and drink businesses across the region.

Over the years Tracy has worked tirelessly in sharing her knowledge and best practice in food, farming and sustainability through various bodies which led to her becoming the first woman to sit on the Board of NIFDA (Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association) as well as serving as a Visiting Professor at the Ulster Business School at the University of Ulster and a Director of Food NI for ten years.  She is also a Director of the Northern Ireland Heritage Gardens Trust, sits on the Committee of the Irish Tree Society and is the Vice President for Ireland of the International Dendrology Society.

Speaking about her award, Tracy said “This is an incredible honour, I am in total disbelief. I feel very fortunate to be recognised and feel that this award belongs to the Northern Irish Agri-Food Sector as a whole and the incredible enthusiasm and hard work of all involved.”  

Tracy has won numerous entrepreneurial and agricultural awards for her contribution to agri-food including:

 

Hong Kong shoppers will soon be able to enjoy the unique flavours and outstanding quality of Glenarm Shorthorn meat from Hannan Meats in Moira, Co Armagh, Northern Ireland.

They will be able to buy the multi-award winning meats from iconic UK grocer Fortnum and Mason (F&M) which has just opened a two-storey shop at Victoria Dockside in Tsim Sha Tsui. The store, F&M’s first shop in Asia, is also an integral part of the high-end K11 Musea Mall in an affluent part of Kowloon.

Peter Hannan, managing director of Hannan Meats,which is based at Moira in county Armagh, announcedF&M’s decision to list the company’s much acclaimed Glenarm meats in the Hong Kong store, which opened in October. He continues: “We’re thrilled and excited to be featured in the new store, part of a major international expansion plan being implemented by Fortnum and Mason, the UK’s outstanding retailer of premium quality products.

“The decision is also a significant extension of the very close relationship we’ve enjoyed with F&M for over a decade and involves a range of premium Glenarm meats – aged in our unique complex of Himalayan Salt Chambers – that have been successful in the retailer’s popular store in London’s Piccadilly.

“A substantial consignment of our products is already on its way to Hong Kong and we look forward to supportingF&M with a series of in-store presentations there during 2020. It’s also our first retail business in Asia.

“The new store in the upmarket Musea Mall in Kowloon is an ideal location for all our products and we expect to do good business there over the next few years,” adds Mr Hannan.

Hannan Meats is now the most successful company in the UK Great Taste Awards, including winning two Supreme Champion titles for Guanciale and Glenarm Shorthorn Ribs. The company has also won Blas nahEirean Irish National Food Awards, British Charcuterie Awards and British Sausage Awards.

Hannan Meats, in addition, is supplying its award winning Himalayan Salt Aged Glenarm Shorthorn Ribs, Glenarm Shorthorn Sirloin, beef fillets, bavette, beef cheeks, T-Bones, Cote de boeuf steaks, lamb striploins and lamb racks, guanciale, ribs, chuck and brisket burgers to the hotel and restaurant at Le Portetta, one of France’s premiere ski resorts.

The 4-star ski resort is located at the slopes of Courchevel Moriond and features a luxury hotel, lofts and mountain lodges. The resort is famed for the quality and variety of its food.

Respected UK chef Angela Hartnett, who runs the kitchens at Cucina Angelina at La Portetta, was instrumental in the significant business with HannanMeats. She specialises in Italian influenced mountain food there.

 Mr Hannan adds: “I was delighted when Angela approached me to supply her excellent restaurant. Angela has enjoyed our meat in Britain over many years, and we’ve formed a tremendous friendship with this outstanding chef who appreciates premium quality ingredients especially our meat.”

Carnbrooke Meats in Dromara, suppliers of consistently high quality bespoke cuts of meat, poultry and game into Northern Ireland’s leading hotels and restaurants and their own retail outlet, paid £1,700 for an eye catching winner at the Hilltown Mart Christmas Show and Sale. Carnbrooke Meats is a Food NI member company.

Show judge Nigel Matchett choose as Housewife’s Choice a grade E3 heifer, aged 17 months, from a Newtownards farm. Sponsored by Joseph Walls, the Housewife’s Choice class drew a strong entry with the winner ideal for a butchery business built on farm quality assured produce.

Carnbrooke Meats founder and managing director Jason Hamilton, a butcher with over three decades’ experience, leads a team of 30 servicing high end clients including Hastings Hotels and leading restaurants including Michelin star winners Muddlers, Deanes and Ox .

“Customers also travel from all over NI to our artisan butcher’s shop in Dromara,” explained Jason. “An outlet offering extra touches of service as you buy the quality cuts of meat top chefs prefer.”

“In a decade we have built a sound reputation for an ability to supply every conceivable cut and preparation of beef, pork, chicken, lamb, duck and deer .

“Carnbrooke works with local producers, such as the Mourne Lamb Group, to source quality stock. Paying farmers for every kilo of lamb supplied provided the quality and specification matches our needs. Why only pay to 21 or 22kg when every kilo can be used? That does not make sense for us or our suppliers.

“Pork also comes off a farm within a very short distance of our EU approved premises. Mostly from John Ferguson at Begney Hill, Dromara. Beef is procured from Northern Ireland farms as our customers demand and deserve the best. Our rural community has produced top quality food for generations so why would anyone look elsewhere for the best available?”

At Carnbrooke Meats, the team of master butchers can cut orders to a customer’s exact specification. Having a purpose-built dry-ageing chamber on-site means you can order how long you want it to be hung.

Carnbrooke commercial director Jacqueline Hamilton, who recently joined her husband in the business after a 20-year career working with farmers and vets, adds: “Offering prime cuts from this award winning Housewife’s Choice heifer to our customers, be they chefs or families demonstrates Carnbrooke Meats is the prime supplier of local meat with traditional taste and values.