Major showcase of Northern Ireland food and drink at Borough Market

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Award-winning food and drink from Northern Ireland will be showcased at London’s iconic Borough Market for a fortnight around St Patrick’s Day and follows a successful presentation over St Patrick’s week last year.

 

Taking part will be a host of producers which have been successful in the annual Great Taste Awards and other regional, national and international awards. They will be showing a wide range of products including meats, traditional Northern Irish breads, snacks, sauces and spirits especially gin.

 

The colourful presentation will feature cookery demonstrations by Northern Ireland celebrity chef Paula McIntyre using the region’s quality and innovative products.

 

Food and drink from Northern Ireland will be on sale at Borough Market from 13-17 and 20-23 March.

 

Michele Shirlow, Food NI chief executive, commenting on the unique Northern Ireland showcase, says: “We are delighted to be returning to Borough Market in 2019 after our first and hugely successful presentation last year. Companies taking part last year found it a hugely rewarding initiative last year in terms of sales and the contacts they developed that led to ongoing business at the market.

 

“We found shoppers keen to sample and buy the products and also to talk to the people producing them. Borough Market is an ideal platform for producers to reach out to discerning food shoppers in London and from further afield.

 

“We are aware that food and drink is becoming more about who we are than ever before. Shoppers seek out experiences than heighten senses, brands that explain who we are, and as always, they want taste perfection every time. They can count on Northern Ireland to provide food and drink with heritage, provenance, authenticity and outstanding flavours.

 

“The success of those taking part last year led to tremendous interest among our companies in returning or taking part for the first time. Several newcomers will be showing food and drink at Borough Market for the first time in London.

 

Having just won the title of Best Food Destination at the International Travel and Tourism Awards we will also be showcasing Northern Ireland as an inspiring food destination.

 

“We plan an immensely colourful and stimulating presentation during the show…with loads of opportunities to taste and buy our finest products. And chef Paula McIntyre will be demonstrating how to combine the products to create delicious meals,” adds Mrs Shirlow.

Among Northern Ireland food and drink companies taking part at Borough Market 13-17 and 20-23 March are: 

Ø  Shortcross Gin

Ø  Noisy Nuts

Ø  Burren Balsamics

Ø  Whites oats

Ø  Rooney Fish

Ø  Indie Fude

Ø  Lacada Brewery

Ø  Harnett’s Oils

Ø  Cavanagh Eggs

Ø  Erin grove preserves

Ø  Kennedy Bacon

Ø  Hillstown Brewery

Ø  Mash Direct

Ø  Woodlab Distillery

Ø  Lecale Harvest

Ø  Glens Of Antrim Crisps

Ø  Boatyard Gin

Ø  Graham’s Bakery 

Ø  Finnebrogue

Ø  Krazi Baker

Ø  Farmegeddon

Ø  Kestrel Foods

Ø  Big Cox Cider

Ø  Ke Nato Biltong

Ø  Irish Black 

Ø  Granny Shaw’s Fudge

Ø  Peppup sauces

PETER HANNAN AND BROUGHGAMMON FARM HONOURED AT IRISH FOOD WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS

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Peter Hannan from Hannan Meats in Moira has been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Irish Food Writers Guild. It was presented at an event at Glovers Alley in Dublin today. The Guild said the award was “in recognition of his continued work as one of Ireland’s most dedicated and highly-respected food champions”.

Peter Hannan grew up on a beef and sheep farm in Co. Kildare and founded Hannan Meats in 1991. Hannan Meats still serves its first five clients as well as some of the finest establishments in the UK, Ireland, France, Holland, Belgium and Switzerland. Provenance is one of the guiding principles of Peter’s business, and he works closely with a network of almost 150 of the best beef farmers in Northern Ireland and the Republic to produce the highest-quality meat.

Hannan Meats is also a 50% stakeholder in the renowned Glenarm Shorthorn Beef scheme. All of Hannan Meat’s beef is dry-aged in their four Himalayan salt chambers, which have a combined capacity of 6,000 primal cuts. The chambers are made of over 8,000 hand-cut Himalayan rock salt bricks that were imported from Pakistan’s Punjab region to Peter’s facility in Moira, Co. Down. The beef is aged in the chambers for an average of 35 to 45 days, though they also provide an ‘extra aged’ product for clients that ranges from 80 to 100 days. This ageing process concentrates the flavour of the meat and seals in the natural juices, producing unique, flavoursome, award-winning beef. Hannan Meats has won 230 Great Taste Award stars, with five Golden Forks, 15 Top 50 Foods awards and two Supreme Champion awards, making Hannan Meats the first producer in the history of the Great Taste Awards to take the top prize for a second time. They have also been awarded gold five times in the World Steak Challenge and have won the Gold Award in every steak category in the Blas na hÉireann awards. Last year Peter also won the BBC Food and Farming Awards Derek Cooper Outstanding Achievement Award. Today the Irish Food Writers’ Guild is proud to present Peter with our Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his continued work as one of Ireland’s most dedicated and highly respected food champions.

 

There was another award for Broughgammon Farm in County Antrim. They were lauded for their “exceptional commitment to the environment, which goes above and beyond their ethical farming contribution to the Environment”.

The Broughgammon Farm rears male goats that would have otherwise been put down at birth to product delicious and healthy cabrito kid goat meat. Charlie and Becky Cole believe in a sustainable, local food chain and as such encourage back-to-basics, nose-to-tail, fork-to-field and seasonal eating. They now rear free-range rosé veal and seasonal wild game as well.

The farm also has an eco-farmhouse, on-site butchery facility and farm shop that use solar thermal heating, low-flow appliances and photovoltaic solar panels. The farmhouse uses an air-source heat pump, a mechanical-ventilation with heat recovery system, wind energy, a wood pellet boiler and rainwater harvesting tanks that supply all non-potable water. While members of the Countryside Management Scheme between 2006 and 2015, the Coles preserved species-rich grassland to encourage nesting birds and wildflowers and planted many hedgerows to act as wildlife corridors between tree plantings. They are constantly re-evaluating their environmental impact and looking ahead, with plans to incorporate rainwater harvesting on the livestock housing and a natural water treatment plant for the butchery and farm shop.

The IFWG Food Awards are unique, as no one can enter themselves or their product into the awards and no company knows it has been nominated or shortlisted for an award. The Guild is the sole nominating and decision-making body. The exception to this is the Community Food Award, for which the Guild invites nominations every year from the general public as well as their own members.

 

 

Cloughbane Farm Foods launches vegan meal options

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Cloughbane Farm Foods in Northern Ireland has launched an innovative range of vegetarian/vegan foods in response to the growing market trend towards free from options.

The company, based on a family farm near Pomeroy in rural county Tyrone, has introduced a four-strong range of vegetarian/vegan meals developed by its experienced in-house product development team. Cloughbane Farm is a Food NI member company.

Lorna Robinson, who launched the food processing business in 2002 with husband Samuel as a farm diversification project, says the new vegetarian/vegan range is based on extensive market research and consumer testing.  The company is a multi-award winning producer of a range of convenience meals now on sale through major retailers in Northern Ireland, Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland. Awards won include UK Great Taste and Spar Fresh Innovation.

Mrs Robinson continues: “Our research identified a gap in the market for a meat free option which is both healthy and locally produced. While our research showed that 20 percent of new product launches in the ready meals market were suitable for vegetarians, only two percent were geared for vegans.

“Consumers are also becoming more time poor as they try to balance their working life with their personal life, all whilst trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This fuels demand for healthy, nutritious foods with an emphasis on convenience. So, this is where we have stepped in.

“We are passionate about good, local, natural food and we like to support our farming ethos wherever possible. This is why the potatoes we use within our products are bought from Wilson’s Country, which grows their potatoes on their own farm in Co. Down and vegetables from Quinfresh, Co. Tyrone.

“By supporting local farmers and businesses we believe we are helping to make a positive impact on the economy and helping to maintain a positive future for all parties,” adds Lorna.

The company has invested around £200,000 and has added two members of staff in the development of the innovative range. Listings have been secured with the Henderson Group – Spar and Eurospar. Tesco is also likely to introduce the range soon.

The range is as follows: Vegetable Lasagne which is low in calories, saturated fat and sugar and is a source of protein; Vegetable Pasta, low in fat and saturated fat, low in sugar, salt and calories and is also a source of protein; Three Bean Casserole also low in calories and sugar, is free from saturated fat and is dairy-free and gluten-free; and Spicy Root Veg and Lentil Casserole is suitable for vegans is low in calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar, is both free from dairy and gluten and is a good source of protein.

The innovation-led company also recently launched a Little Farm range of children’s meals.

Cloughbane, based on a  180-acre family farm owned and run by Sam and Lorna Robinson and their two sons, is now among the most successful and progressive farm diversification businesses in Northern Ireland. It draws its meat, mostly from Aberdeen Angus and Limousin cattle, raised on rich pastures in county Tyrone.  Other ingredients are sourced largely from other local suppliers including neighbouring farms.

 

 

 

 

Food Stories ‘goes Dutch’ with innovative popcorn

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Cloud Corn popcorn from Food Stories in Northern Ireland is now being enjoyed by shoppers in the Netherlands.

 

Belfast-based Food Stories has won its first sales in the Netherlands for its sweet and salty flavour share bags from Stach Food, which is based in Amsterdam and has a 19-strong network of stores across the country.

 

Stach is a leading retailer of gourmet and luxury foods including snack and convenience products.

 

Founded by managing director Michael Heaslip in 2014, Food Stories is now developing business for its Cloud Corn popcorn and Pinkfinch fruit and vegetable crisps in international markets. It also recently lined up business in markets as diverse as Canada and Belgium.

 

The latest business also follows the participation of Food Stories in international food trade shows.

 

Commenting on the new sales in the Netherlands, Mr Heaslip says: “Stach is a respected and innovative food store chain, a network on a par with the UK’s Whole Foods. It is, therefore, a great first account for us in this important marketplace and will, hopefully, open up further business for our popcorn and crisps in the Netherlands in the near future.

 

“A lot of the supermarkets look to Stach for new product ideas,” he adds.

 

The store chain was attracted by Cloud Corn’s features which include being gluten-free, high in fibre, and suitable for vegans.

 

Starting five years ago selling food products to independent retailers in Northern Ireland, Food Stories has evolved as a product development and marketing business exploiting business opportunities in international markets from the significant growth in popcorn and healthy snacks.

 

As part of his focus on exports, Mr Heaslip decided that all the nutritional information on the packaging should be in six languages – English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch and Italian.

 

The small company is also the first Northern Ireland food producer to win business in French Polynesia. It currently employs four people.

New £17m nitrite-free bacon expansion by Finnebrogue

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Food manufacturer Finnebrogue is to create up to 125 jobs following a £17 million investment in its nitrite-free bacon facility in Northern Ireland.

Finnebrogue, a Food NI member company, is behind the successful Naked Bacon brand which is now popular with shoppers at major retailers in Britain. It also produces and sells The Good Little Company range of sausages and recently opened a vegetarian factory.

The latest investment, which is supported by Invest NI, has enabled the company to establish a dedicated manufacturing facility in Downpatrick for the production of its nitrite-free bacon.

Denis Lynn, chairman of Finnebrogue, says: “It has been known for decades that nitrites used in curing meat can cause cancer.

“That’s why, despite being the UK’s leading top tier sausage maker, we refused to make a single rasher of bacon until we could figure out a way to make it better and safer.

“We always set out to make food the best it can be, without being bound by the way it has always been done. And so, after much research, we discovered a process that uses fruit and spice extracts to flavour the pork, keep it pink and retain shelf life.

“We are using this technology in our Naked Bacon and we’ve had a great response from both retailers and consumers.”

Production of Naked Bacon began last year in Downpatrick and for the first time in the UK and Ireland nitrite-free bacon is now widely available in supermarkets.

Invest NI has offered the company more than £1.3 million of support towards the capital investment and to help create the new jobs. The 125 new posts will be created by 2022, with 30 already in place.

Brian Dolaghan, executive director of business and sector development at Invest NI, adds: “Agri-food is one of our priority sectors and it is great to see the new facility operational and producing this cutting-edge product.

“Our support is ensuring Finnebrogue is able to capitalise on its innovation and realise growth. The local economy will also benefit from this fantastic food innovation as the 125 new jobs will deliver over £3 million to the economy each year in salaries.”

 

New dairy free ice cream from UK industry leader Morelli

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Morelli, the UK champion ice cream producer, is to launch a dairy free product that’s also ideal for vegans.

Based in Coleraine, Morelli, a Food NI company, was last week named the UK’s leading ice cream producer by industry body the Ice Cream Alliance (ICA) at the annual expo in Harrogate.

The family business, which also won silverware for its successful vanilla and strawberry flavours, has developed a dairy free ice cream in response to the growing demand from consumers seeking products free from allergens such as lactose.

The new ice cream, also suitable for vegans, will be widely available within the next few weeks from the company which has been pioneering ice cream in Northern Ireland since 1911 and is now among the UK industry’s most successful and respected.

Sales and marketing director Daniela Morelli-Kerr explains: “Creating the dairy free product was complicated. The first step, of course, was to replace the milk with ingredients that maintained the creaminess and flavour of ice cream.

“We settled on a base of healthy coconut fat, a sugar replacement, and plant extracts. It is water based but it is not a sorbet. We are confident that we’ve succeeded in creating a really delicious ice cream with these ingredients and made it suitable for consumers who are lactose intolerant. It’s also ideal for vegans,” Daniela adds.

The first two dairy free flavours are likely to be established favourites chocolate and salted caramel.

The company, which employs 20 people at Coleraine, has been working on the dairy free ice cream with its suppliers of ingredients for the last six months.

Morelli brought the coveted UK National Champion award to Northern Ireland for the first time ever.

“We were thrilled to win our industry’s top award,” continues Daniela. “It’s a very special endorsement of our business here, in the Republic of Ireland, where our sales are growing strongly, as well as in Great Britain, a target growth market for us, from the judging panel of industry experts. Our new vegan variety should also whip up further growth,” she continues.

 

“It doesn’t get any better than bringing national silverware back to our home in Northern Ireland and we will be sharing the celebrations with our ever loyal staff, suppliers and, of course, our marvellous customers,” adds Daniela.

And business in Britain looks set to grow steadily from the success in the awards.

ICA President and Head Judge, Henry Nurkowski hailed the company’s tremendous achievement, saying: “Morelli’s Ice Cream was outstanding. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication by the family to produce a top quality product from the best available ingredients and to do it consistently. The Morelli family thoroughly deserves this award,” he adds.

The family business, headed by Daniela’s brother Arnaldo Morelli, has long been at the forefront of successful innovation in iced desserts here. It launched the first diabetic friendly ice cream in Northern Ireland.

A frozen yoghurt was also created successfully from yoghurt sourced from Clandeboye Estate in Bangor. The yoghurt subsequently collected a gold medal at the Blas na hEireann Awards – The Irish National Food Awards – held annually at Dingle. Another original flavour was developed using Irish Black Butter, a savoury spread from Armagh Bramley apples and produced in Portrush by Alastair Bell.

“These and other products that we’ve developed over the years reflect the strength of our commitment to source as much as possible from local suppliers. All our milk comes from local farms through what used to be known as the Ballyrashane Creamery in Coleraine,” she adds.