Four Food NI member companies are well-placed to win major recognition in the Irish Quality Food Awards with branded products.

The four companies have eight branded foods shortlisted for the final stage of the prestigious awards later in October.

Local companies shortlisted for their own original products for major supermarkets are: Armagh Craft Cider, Portadown; Deli-Lites, Warrenpoint (two products); Glens of Antrim Potatoes, Cushendall (two products); and Rich Sauces, Bangor (three products).

The annual Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards recognise and celebrate the best in retail, wholesale and foodservice food and drink products available on the island of Ireland.

The ‘Q’ on pack award for winners is now the most recognisable mark of quality for retailers, food and drink manufacturers, foodservice providers, wholesalers, suppliers and small producers alike.

The awards are based on food and drink supplied to supermarkets especially in the Republic. In addition, Northern Ireland products have been successful as supermarket own brands.

The winners will be named at a major industry event in Dublin on 24^th October.

Products are assessed rigorously by a 200-strong panel of independent judges which samples and evaluates each and every product.

The branded products from Food NI member companies are:

Armagh Craft Cider, Portadown – Cider for Aldi Ireland;

Deli-Lites, Warrenpoint –  Boots Piri Piri Chicken Couscous and Feta Wrap, and Vegan Sweet Potato Spiced Hummus Wrap;

Glens of Antrim Potatoes – Dunne’s Simply Better Hand Cooked Clogherhead Sea Salt and White Wine Vinegar Crisps, and Shindig Mature Irish Cheddar and Sweet Corn Crisps; and

Rich Sauces – Abra Garlic Sauce, Abra Taco Sauce, and Vegetable Bouillion

£7m transformation includes brand new restaurant & bar, stylish accommodation and bespoke wedding offering

 Galgorm Collection today unveiled detailed internal and external transformational plans for their Templepatrick development, which it acquired earlier this year for £7 million.

Work on the multi-million-pound redevelopment, which will create a workforce of around 100 employees when complete, starts this week with a grand opening launch planned for next year.

All 24 guestrooms will be replaced and upgraded within the iconic property as part of the schedule, bringing a dynamic new look and feel. A brand new and expansive bar and restaurant, Hunters Bar & Grill, will also take centre stage on the ground floor and will be open to guests and walk-in visitors when it opens in March.

The hotel’s extensive conference and banqueting facilities are a key focus of the planned investment and will be a defining feature of the new hotel. A stunning new wedding event and function room – The Loft – is expected to be a major draw for bookings into 2020 and beyond.

Located in the heart of the picturesque village of Templepatrick, Co Antrim, the hotel is located only 15 minutes from Belfast City Centre and is just a 10-minute drive from Belfast International Airport.

Galgorm Collection Managing Director Colin Johnston said:

“With plans agreed and contractors in place, we’re incredibly excited to share our plans which will dramatically enhance this unique property, ensuring that its future as a premium, stylish boutique hotel is secured for a new generation of discerning visitors and travellers.

 It’s our shared mission to ensure that this development is firmly on the local, national and international map and continues to be a great place to stay, relax and work.

 Stunning new rooms and the addition of an outstanding restaurant and bar will fully complement a compelling new wedding brand which is backed by years of expertise and exceptional service – our ‘Love in the Loft’ wedding packages are already available to book now and we look forward to welcoming our first wedding guests over the spring and summer.” 

The purchase of the hotel in Templepatrick adds to Galgorm’s already impressive suite of hospitality investments this year. A £3 million investment is underway at Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort with the development of 17 cottage suites, refurbishment of the popular Gillies Bar, upgrade to 23 standard guestrooms, spa developments and a conservatory at Castle Kitchen & Bar at Galgorm Castle. In Belfast there has been a £100,000 investment at Café Parisien with its Grey Goose Terrace, due to open later this month.

Galgorm are renowned for creating world-class hospitality experiences throughout their award-winning properties in Northern Ireland and their stellar reputation was bolstered last month with Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort being awarded the Four AA Red Star Award for excellence in quality and hospitality, in addition to the property currently holding the title of Global Luxury Spa Hotel of the Year .

 

One of Northern Ireland’s most lauded chefs is taking his love of local to the next level with a brand-new commitment to plating up ingredients of provenance.

Noel McMeel, Executive Chef at the five-star Lough Erne Resort, has reconfigured the resort’s hot breakfast offering using only products from Fermanagh and its surrounding counties.

McMeel’s all-new ‘Taste the Island’ breakfast consists of Boxty from O’Doherty’s in Enniskillen, Black Bacon from Smoke House Meats in Maguiresbridge, Eggs from Cavanagh Eggs in Lisnaskea, Sausages from Lisdergan Meats in Fintona, Monaghan Mushrooms and Tomato from County Cavan.

McMeel, a long-term advocate of traceability and provenance, said “I was keen to go that extra mile – or less miles in this instance – to create a quintessential Irish breakfast that celebrates the wonderful fresh produce we have here on our doorstep.

“Provenance is key – not just because it helps the local economy but because it champions the things we can sometimes take for granted. My suppliers, like me, are passionate and full of love about food and I wanted to create something that put all this passion together on one plate and pass the greatness on to guests.

“Modern Irish food is all about simplicity – and the new ‘Taste the Island’ breakfast is just that – simple, hearty fresh produce from the Fermanagh Lakelands.”

McMeel’s celebration of local produce ties in with Tourism Northern Ireland’s exciting new campaign, Taste the Island- A Celebration of Our Food and Drink. The initiative is an eight week showcase of fabulous food and drink across Northern Ireland and will run from Mid- September to Mid- November 2019.

The ‘Taste the Island’ breakfast is available immediately at The Catalina Restaurant. For the latest packages visit www.lougherneresort.com

Hungary’s low-cost Wizz Air has listed healthy fruit crisps from Food Stories in Northern Ireland. Food Stories is a Food NI member company.

The Budapest-based airline has included the Belfast food company’s award-winning Pinkfinch fruit crisps to its in-flight menus.

The Wizz Air deal, the latest export success for Food Stories, which also produces a range of increasingly popular Cloud Corn popcorn flavours, follows a social media exchange between the airline and Michael Heaslip, the founder of the Northern Ireland food business.

The airline has recently listed the popular Pinkfinch Apple Crisps crisp flavour – in 35g packs. The product is made from real fruit but has the same texture as a potato crisp.

The company, founded and managed by Mr Heaslip in 2014, employs a unique vacuum crisping process which locks in the healthy flavours which can be accounted among the five-day healthy eating recommendation.

Mr Heaslip, commenting on the Wizz Air deal, says: “The airline’s food buyers loved the natural flavours of the crisps as well as the vegan, gluten free and high fibre features”

“I originally approached the buying team on social media to introduce the company and the crisps. They responded very positively, I then sent samples for taste tests. The crisps were extremely well received and the listing for in-flight menus followed.

“I was thrilled by their interest and decision to list the crisps on the airline’s extensive network in Europe and into North Africa and the Middle East. It’s a superb opportunity to put the crisps before millions of passengers from Budapest and other flight hubs.

“It’s hugely exciting new business for us in Europe with an important and ambitious airline. It’s a further indication of the accelerating market trend towards healthier snacks such as our unique fruit and veggie crisps,” he adds.

Food Stories also supplies its range of products, especially Pinkfinch to leading retailers in the UK, including Sainsbury’s, and Tesco Ireland as well as in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium and Scandinavia.

The snacks, in addition, are being exported to Hong Kong, Canada, and French Polynesia.

Wizz Air currently serves almost 150 destinations in 44 countries from its main hub in Budapest. It carried almost 34 million passengers last year and has a modern fleet of around 130 planes.

The low-cost airline has its UK hub at Luton Airport which serves Belfast with direct flights to Katowice in Poland and Lithuania’s Vilnius.

Ulster Bank has recently produced a new and important briefing on how the various Brexit outcomes could impact on individual businesses here. The bank has agreed that we should assist Food NI member companies by putting it on our website for information.

It is based on an assessment by NatWest, Ulster Bank’s parent company, on the probabilities of various Brexit outcomes in the near-term. It comes from discussions with customers.

These revolve around Deal, no deal or extension and relate to the various Brexit timelines (e.g. the 31st October 2019 EU exit deadline).

Basically No deal = Bad (sterling weakens & BoE slash interest rates to 0.1%).
Conversely, Deal = Good (sterling strengthens & BoE may not need to lower interest rates at all).

Extension = somewhere in between.

Where are we now?

With the UK Parliament passing legislation requiring the UK Government to seek an extension to Article 50 in the absence of a Deal, a No deal scenario by 31 October looks very unlikely (2%). Equally, the prospect of a deal looks increasingly unlikely. Following the Brexit plan revealed in the last 24 hours, the odds of a deal between the UK and the EU look even slimmer.  That leaves Extension (to 31 January 2020) as the most likely outcome in October with a General Election being slotted in before then (late-Nov / Early Dec 2019).

Stand back from the noise…nothing to see here

Boris Johnson’s “two borders for four years” Brexit plan was recently unveiled. It has been met with considerable criticism. This has nothing to do with business / economic interests and everything to do with politics.

Extension then Election

Needless to say what details have been revealed, the outlook suggests that the proposed plan is unlikely to be agreed to by the EU. The latter are not going to compromise ahead of a General Election. Similarly, Boris Johnson’s interests are best served by being seen to present a deal that the EU has spurned.