It’s one of the most anticipated events in the global culinary calendar. The
announcement of the Michelin stars, Bib Gourmands and Green stars each year is
always closely examined. We are delighted that Michael Deane’s mr Deane’s Bar and Social is the SECOND of his establishments to hold a Bib Gourmand. The restaurant is located on the sit
of the former EIPIC Michelin-starred eatery. The accolade was announced at a ceremony in Glasgow on Monday 17 th February, 2025

The award is given to what anonymous inspectors deem excellent, good
value dining. Typically, it spotlights places where diners can enjoy “two courses and
a glass of wine or dessert for under £35. It is already held by Deane’s at Queens,
also owned by Michael Deane.
Other Taste of Ulster members who hold the Bib are Wine and Brine, Waterman
House, James St, Cyprus Avenue, EDO, Roam and No 14 at the Georgian
House
Huge congratulations also to OX and The Muddlers Club, who have held stars for
several years now. No mean feat.
Proof, if it were needed that our food in Northern Ireland is so good!

Over the past five years, White’s Oats has grown its turnover to over £20 million, with significant volume coming from markets outside of Northern Ireland.
With over 30% volume share of the hot cereals market in Northern Ireland, White’s continues to leverage its reputation as best in class to strengthen its presence in international markets.
White’s Oats, will be attending the 30th anniversary of Gulfood, the world’s biggest food and beverage sourcing event, at Dubai World Trade Centre,
2025 marks White’s 15th year attending and exhibiting at Gulfood where it will showcase new product innovations including its new on the go Oaty Bar and High Protein Porridge oats.

Joining over 5,000 exhibitors from more than 129 countries, White’s is one of five companies from Northern Ireland exhibiting at Gulfood- the world’s largest food and beverage trade event and, a flagship event for connecting with global industry leaders and businesses, which takes place from 17-21 February at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

White’s, Ireland’s largest oat miller and Northern Ireland’s no.1 oat and breakfast cereal producer, has an established track record in international trade, exporting to global markets primarily in the UK, Republic of Ireland and the middle east region. The UK oat market has recorded a CAGR of between 3.5% to 4% in the past three years, a picture reflected in the global oat market which is projecting a 4.6% annual increase through to 20301. As such, these markets continue to be hugely influential for White’s having grown its export sales by 45% over the past five years.

Founded over 183 years ago, and now Ireland’s largest oat miller and principal organic oat miller across the British Isles, White’s specialises in producing porridge oats, oat cereals and oat-based snacks for the retail and foodservice market. White’s attendance at Gulfood will see White’s fly the flag for Irish oats, as it continues to leverage the event as a platform to drive international expansion and support its growth in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) territories in the next few years.

Speaking ahead of the event, Colin Kiddell, Business Development Spokesperson for the company said ‘’Gulfood is a firm fixture in the diary and has been for over 15 years, signalling our long-term commitment to international trade. The oats market has a strong long-term outlook, bolstered by the positive value of oats in the minds of consumers and we are seeing that resonate globally. Building on the success of our Oaty Bar and ActivOat High Protein porridge range, introduced in 2024, we continue to identify trends and opportunities globally that support our innovation, and we look forward to debuting our new range of consumer focused and insight led NPD to interested buyers at Gulfood.’’

Having secured significant business in recent years developing partnerships with international blue-chip retailers, including Carrefour, Lulu and Monoprix, and investing in its brand to realise global opportunities within the fast-growing oat market, White’s has reinforced its position as a leading producer of oat-based products. Its oats are now available through retailers across UK, Ireland and in selected export markets and have won a string of awards, including UK best cereal product in 2019. Its expansive portfolio includes traditional oats, organic oats, instant oats pots and sachets, toasted oats and granolas as well as its new oaty bar, reflecting a first for the brand into the ambient snack category.

“We continue to put our unrivalled reputation for quality and traceability first, supported by our close grower partnerships. These are qualities that continue to resonate with our partners across Ireland and in our export markets. As we look to the future, we expect to expand our presence further in international markets, with events such as Gulfood providing a crucial platform for deepening our relationships and exploring further market opportunities with key partners,’’ adds Colin.

The company’s participation in Gulfood 2025 is part of its broader strategy to double its turnover over the next five years. This year, White’s will also be attending PLMA Amsterdam in April, seeking to expand its reach within new markets and channels and showcasing its innovative oat products to key industry buyers.

White’s Oats will be at stand S1-A44 from 17-21 February.

Loughgall’s Long Meadow Cider, one of Ireland’s leading and most successful
producers of award-winning ciders, apple juice and apple cider vinegar, has gained
significant business with a top retailer across Ireland.
In addition to a breakthrough deal with Marks and Spencer (M&S), Long Meadow, a
pioneering family business and FoodNi member, has won an award from Ireland’s
CIE Tours as a top visitor attraction in Northern Ireland.
Owned by leading apple farmers and processors Pat and Catherine McKeever and
other member of the family, Long Meadow began supplying still apple juice to all 37
M&S food halls – 21 in Northern Ireland and 16 in the Republic of Ireland last
Wednesday.
Catherine, commenting on the latest listing, says: “We are thrilled to have started
supplying our pure apple juice in 750ml bottles to such an important supermarket
network throughout Ireland. It’s an immensely encouraging listing by one of the UK
and Ireland’s most respected food stores.”
Based on the family orchards in Co Armagh, Long Meadow grows and processes its
own apples for a wide range of award-winning natural products including juices,
ciders and apple cider vinegar for retailers, bars and hotels across Northern Ireland
and parts of the Republic.
The company won major UK Great Taste and Blas na hEireann awards for premium
quality and outstanding taste. It also gained a gold medal in Ireland’s prestigious
Family Business Awards last year
The very progressive producer, in addition, was named Drinks Producer of the Year
2024 in the coveted Good Food Ireland Awards.
The coveted annual award from CIE Tours recognises Long Meadow investment in
tourism from Ireland and further afield. The company organises a regular programme
of tours on the orchards and processing operations to accommodate visitors. This
investment includes the development of the Bramley Barn for visitors to enjoy the
firm’s produce and to learn more about apple processing.
The Bramley Barn has also been the venue for a wide range of events including
shows such a ‘Murder Mystery Nights’.

Lisburn’s Suki Tea Makers, Northern Ireland’s multi-award winning producer of
premium loose-leaf teas and a variety of infusions, has achieved a major business
award for its longstanding focus on environmental sustainability.
The locally-owned company, a FoodNI member, has been certified as a B
Corporation business which means it meets high global standards of social and
environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. Other FoodNI
members of achieve B Corp certification are Boatyard Distillery in Enniskillen and
Dei Lites in Warrenpoint.
The internationally respected accreditation comes from the B Labs operation, a non-
profit organisation founded in 2006 in Pennsylvania in the US to promote
sustainability worldwide and to create value for society. It is now a coveted
accreditation by companies to grow awareness worldwide among clients and
customers.
The B in B Corp stands for “Benefit for All’ in that all certified businesses endeavour
to benefit all stakeholders. Businesses that become B Corps have seen great
results: committed and motivated employees, increased customer loyalty, higher
levels of innovation, and market leadership.
Recent research shows that companies with B Corps out-perform their UK peers
across several business metrics. Compared to data from surveys of UK SMEs, it was
found that B Corp small and medium sized enterprises have, on average:
 Faster growth in turnover and employee headcount and higher expectations
about future growth
 Greater levels of employee retention, engagement and diversity 
 More robust governance processes 
 Greater focus on civic and community engagement 
 Higher levels of innovation 
 The same likelihood of success at securing external finance
There are now over 1,000 B Corp companies in the United Kingdom and over 60,000
worldwide. Suki is now among a very small but growing B Corp network in Northern
Ireland that also includes smaller and artisan enterprises such as Boatyard Distillery
in Enniskillen.
“We’re thrilled to announce that Suki Tea is now a Certified B
Corporation enterprise,” says Oscar Woolley, who founded the hugely successful
smaller beverage business with Anne Irwin in 2005. “This milestone reflects our
commitment to sustainability, ethical sourcing, and fairtrade,” adds Oscar.

“When customers choose our award-winning blends, they are supporting tea-
growing communities and helping us build a fairer, more sustainable world. This is
just the beginning! We’re excited to collaborate with other B Corps and B LabsUK to
drive innovation and use business as a force for good.”
Suki Tea Makers, which celebrates its 20 th birthday later this year, has invested
extensively in best environmental practice, leading the way, for example, in
sustainable packaging, including the removal of plastics, over the past decade and
more.
Suki has also won a string of UK Great Taste and Blas na hEireann awards for
quality products with outstanding taste. It has grown from an initial artisan tea stall at
St George’s Market in Belfast to be a leading loose leaf tea brand supplying
thousands of hotels, cafes and delis across the UK, Ireland and further afield.

The small company, among the most successful and respected globally focused
enterprises here, now operates from a leading-edge 9000, sq ft factory in Lisburn
that is 100 percent powered by solar and renewable energy. It was previously based
in three small units in a business centre in west Belfast.
Investing in and switching to a purpose-built factory outside LIsburn has allowed the
entrepreneurial business to make its production processes and logistics more
efficient, expand its product offering and create new jobs.
The unique ‘Tea Factory’ enabled the company to immediately double its
manufacturing and warehousing capacity, bolstering distribution and allowing for
continued growth and expansion into 30 global markets.
The new factory, according to Oscar, “provides the perfect creative space for
innovation in blending and recipe creation, and a dedicated tea-rista training room for
all customers”.
“The new factory is also assisting us in achieving our goals for net zero carbon,
leading the way for a cleaner future for our business,” he continues. “In line with our
mission to be an ethical and sustainable organisation, the new factory has allowed
us to reduce our Scope 2 emissions from electricity, for instance, down to zero,
superseding our environmental target to reduce the business’ emissions by 50
percent by 2030.”
The new facility, which was built in collaboration with a team of sustainability and
heating experts, is powered by renewable energy sources including a 10kW Solar
PV system. LED sensor lighting and PIR controls have installed throughout, along
with large windows for maximised used of daylight and recycling of key waste
streams.
A long-term supporter of Fairtrade and a committed Real Living Wage Employer, it is
important to Suki that it continues to operate as a business in as ethical and
sustainable a way as possible.

Craft beer lovers in New York, Boston and Philadelphia will soon be able to enjoy
award-winning brews from McCrackens Brewery and Distillery in Portadown, Co
Armagh. The company is a FoodNI member.
The enterprise, owned and run by Ryan McCracken, has signed a deal with a
leading US importer for some of its most successful brews for sale there.
Commenting on the latest market breakthrough, Ryan, the master brewer, who
initially began brewing beer at home as a hobby, says: “This landmark expansion
reflects years of growth for the brewery and is a significant step forward in our
mission to bring premium Irish craft beer and spirits from our handcrafted portfolio to
international markets.
“We’ve spent over a year working to finalise this partnership with the importer, a
respected specialist in shipping premium Irish products to the States now branching
out into the alcohol market.
“As a result, McCrackens will be among the first brands to spearhead this new
venture, showcasing the best of Northern Ireland’s brewing and distilling heritage to
the huge American marketplace.
“It represents a monumental achievement for our small business. Customers have
frequently asked when they’ll be able to find our products across the Atlantic, and
now we can finally say it’s happening,” adds Ryan.
The brewery’s beers and stout are already widely available across Northern Ireland,
from local outlets to selected Tesco NI stores, where the core range of IPA, Premium
Pilsner, and Black Irish Stout has become a staple for craft beer enthusiasts.
Customers further afield can also find the company’s brews products on Amazon
Prime.
The move into the US market will introduce McCrackens to a new audience of beer
lovers eager to explore authentic Irish craft brews. Initial distribution will focus on
New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, three cities with strong ties to Irish culture.
Plans are in place to expand to additional states as soon as practicable, reflecting
the brand’s ambition to establish a lasting presence across the Atlantic.
“This is more than a business expansion,” Ryan continued. “It’s about sharing a
piece of Northern Ireland with the world. Through our beers and spirits, we’re telling
the story of our rich and colourful heritage, our craftsmanship, the locally sourced
ingredients and the passion that goes into every bottle that we produce.”

Founded by Ryan in September 2018, the brewery draws inspiration from Ireland’s
rich history and storytelling tradition. Flagship products include an India Pale Ale
(IPA), Premium Pilsner, and Black Irish Stout, all of which have gained a loyal
following. Major industry awards have been gained for exceptional quality and
distinctive flavours.
Ryan has invested heavily in the plant in terms of new equipment for brewing,
distilling and on marketing the extensive range of handcrafted brews and the new
premium gin.
The brewery’s labels, according to Ryan, tell a story of Irish heritage, with the
McCrackens IPA label paying homage to Dunluce Castle on the rugged Co Antrim
coast.
“Each brew combines traditional craftsmanship with innovative techniques, reflecting
a deep commitment to excellence in products and all aspects of the business.”.
In 2024, the addition of a distillery also marked an exciting new chapter for the
entrepreneurial business in the shape of a distilling operation. McCrackens has
already released a Premium Irish gin made from the beer they produce and is
developing a range of premium spirits to complement its offerings, cementing its
reputation as a leader in Northern Ireland’s craft beverage industry. The new gin,
features locally harvested botanicals and continues the established McCracken
corporate identity.
“We’ve been expanding steadily over the years, and the launch of our distillery
allows us to bring a wider variety of premium products to customers. This is a natural
evolution for us, combining our brewing expertise with a passion for distilling,” he
explains.
Research suggests that the US craft beer market is currently worth around £20
billion, and consumers are switching from spirits and wine to beer as they curb their
spending in the face of price rises and inflationary pressures on domestic budgets.
Ryan, originally an IT manager, set up the brewery on the back of the outstanding
popularity of his home brews with family and friends. Wife Nicola had given him a
home brew kit as a Christmas present. The gift started Ryan, who had been
interested in craft beers for some time, on the journey into commercial brewing of a
range of ales and beers.
“I enjoyed beer and caught the home brewing bug,” he remembers. “I kept adding
equipment and experimenting with different beers which family and friends enjoyed.
In September 2018, I then launched the McCracken brand and began marketing my
brews in Portadown, then in other parts of Northern Ireland and Great Britain. I
expanded thee brewery and then moved into distilling a premium gin. I have plans to
develop more beers and spirits in the future. It’s been an exciting journey that still
has further to go,” adds Ryan.