Deliciously different apple cider vinegar Natural Umber in Northern Ireland has launched its new glass bottles with the enormously popular London high street store and website, Planet Organic.

Food NI member Natural Umber is a completely unique and apple cider vinegar produced near Dungannon in Co Tyrone, which won three Great Taste Stars and the coveted Golden Fork for Northern Ireland in 2018, from the Guild of Fine Food in London.

Fermented differently to other apple cider vinegars, Natural Umber retains the natural sweetness of apples.

Founded in 1995 by Renée Elliot, Planet Organic has been offering the widest range of organic foods to customers throughout London, promoting health in the community and a sense of discovery and adventure in shopping. The Planet Organic website stocks an extensive range of delicious organic products.

Planet Organic has launched Natural Umber with 14 in-store tasting sessions during the month of February. Added to that, they’re offering a special 15 percent discount both in-store and online.

The launch of Natural Umber with Planet Organic heralds further growth for the Tyrone-based producer, Mackle Apple, which has over 50 years’ experience, growing and producing apple products.

Managing director Michael Mackle, says: “We are delighted to launch with Planet Organic in London and we have no doubt that their customers will really enjoy the unique flavour of Natural Umber.

“Planet Organic has very exacting standards when it comes to what is offered their customers, so to be included in their listing is a huge honour for us.”

Pinar Guven from Planet Organic, adds: “I am completely amazed by natural sweetness of Natural Umber despite having no added sugars or honey. With its superior taste and freshness, it will be perfect companion for tonic and elixir recipes, or simply with sparkling water. We feel sure that Natural Umber will do extremely well across our business.”

 

The Yellow Door adds café and tea room at historic royal visitor attraction to growing business portfolio…

Northern Ireland’s leading outside caterer, The Yellow Door’s Simon Dougan, has secured his latest venture – providing dedicated on-site catering at Hillsborough Castle, which is due to open new catering propositions on the estate as part of the major project to open the Castle up to the public by Easter 2019.

The prestigious contract win will result in the creation of 35 new jobs at The Yellow Door and is worth in the region of £6 million to the company, which continues to expand its reach in this competitive market sector.

Work at the Castle is in the final stages of a five-year £20million investment by Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity that cares for the Castle, to re-open the doors of Hillsborough castle and grounds to the public on 10 April 2019.

Simon and his business partner, Barry Smyth, beat off stiff competition to win the five-year contract, which will see The Yellow Door providing all catering services at the newly built Hillsborough Castle Café and the Stable Yard Tea Room.

Winning tender

With its emphasis on quality, local, fresh, seasonal produce, and environmental goals such as recycling, on-site composting and working towards zero waste to landfill, the tender submitted by the dream team of Simon (NI’s leading outside caterer, and Barry, a Michelin-starred chef) proved a worthy winner.

“In keeping with the historic nature of Hillsborough Castle we also aim to use varieties of heirloom vegetables such as purple carrots, and some of the more uncommon herbs like lovage and blue hyssop, as well as Chilean guavas, which were reported to be Queen Victoria’s favourite fruit,” explained Simon Dougan.

The Yellow Door already grows a lot of these vegetables and herbs, but Simon and Barry are thrilled to be able to liaise with Hillsborough Castle’s Head Gardener at the reinstated four-acre walled garden on the choice of seasonal produce to be grown specifically for use in the new kitchens. “You just can’t get any fresher than that,” said Barry.

Perfect Match

Gina George, Retail Director at Historic Royal Palaces, said: “We are pleased to have awarded The Yellow Door the contract for our new catering outlets at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens. Following a five-year cross site £20million investment by Historic Royal Palaces, our new café and tea-room will open to the public when the Castle re-opens on the 10 April 2019.

“The Yellow Door perfectly matched our brief to ensure there is a strong emphasis on quality local and seasonal produce with a menu that will be inspired by the history of the estate. We look forward to working with them in this new chapter for the Castle.”

With The Yellow Door’s fame in fine dining, the new tea room is a perfect fit for Simon’s talented patisserie team, and in homage to the 18^thCentury Pineapple Houses and original Hot House walls that were discovered during the estate’s renovation work, Simon is going to create a Pineapple Signature Cake. “We’re also going to be working with local supplier Suki Tea to create a unique Hillsborough Tea to complement the cake,” added Simon.

Already one of the official caterers at Hillsborough Castle, where he has cooked for numerous VIP guests, Simon Dougan is equally passionate about his latest venture.

“We have catered for many VIP guests during their visits at Hillsborough, as well as weddings and high-end corporate events. Adding the new public café and tea room to our offering is the icing on the cake,” he explained.

Mash Direct have joined forces with Veg Power and ITV in an exciting new campaign, Eat Them To Defeat Them which launched last week across ITV. This is a new radical initiative to inspire children to eat more vegetables and Mash Direct are the driving force behind communicating this campaign across Northern Ireland.

With the help and support of key influencers such as Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Veg Power and ITV kick started this campaign with a national TV ad which premiered during Coronation Street on Friday 25^th January. It will continue to be aired during some of the biggest TV shows in the UK including The Voice, Dancing on Ice and Britain’s Got Talent reaching millions of viewers.

Eat Them To Defeat Them’s strategy is unlike the usual worn out health messages around vegetable intake and is fun and engaging to inspire both children and parents to view and consume vegetables differently. With a total advertising spend from ITV of £2m, the campaign will run for 12 weeks with a different vegetable focus each week. With the use of scary vegetable characters, the campaign depicts the kids as heroes as they help their parents save the world from being overrun by angry vegetables.

The much anticipated TV ad will be supported with in-store support across all major UK supermarkets as well as supporting creative that will be sent to schools. Mash Direct will be sending out 50,000 school packs to Key Stage 2 children across Northern Ireland and Scotland over the next couple of weeks promoting the Veg Power Campaign. If you want your school to be involved please get in touch with Mash Direct and be a part of this exciting healthy eating initiative. With the support from local governments, retailers, other food producers, schools and parents, everyone can together help tackle the rise in obesity and teach children to be brave with their vegetable intake as well as enjoying the vibrancy and nutritional benefits vegetables have to offer.

 

 

To officially launch the Veg Power Campaign in Northern Ireland, Mash Direct hosted a Veg Power Giveaway event at Belfast City Hall on Saturday 2^nd February. Media, influencers and school children were invited to raise awareness of the campaign and were rewarded with a free pack of Mash Direct’s farm fresh Carrot & Parsnip from their Mash Bus as well as a picture with Maris the Mashcot to raise awareness of this campaign.

Chief Operating Officer at Mash Direct, Jack Hamilton said, “At the heart of Mash Direct our focus has always been on health and convenience. This campaign is the perfect way to engage with children and make them love the huge array of vegetables that we have to offer. We are thrilled to be driving this campaign across Northern Ireland and we hope that the whole initiative will have a tremendous impact on the long-term health here. I’d like to say a big thank you to those who visited the Mash Bus on Saturday to launch this ground-breaking campaign in Northern Ireland.”

 

Long Meadow Cider are staging the first ever illuminations and sound show in an orchard in County Armagh.

The bespoke light and sound show has been created by Walter Holt from Travelling Tree Luminations.

The naked beauty of the apple trees, whose fruit make award-winning ciders, fruit juices and vinegars, will be transformed by light variation and sound.

There will also be a farm tour including a visit to the cold storage facility where apples can be stored from harvest season in September through to June the following year. There will also be an opportunity to see the pressing and blending facilities and to learn the history of the oak barrels.

The McKeever family, who own Long Meadow will be offering samples of their craft ciders and apple juice. There will also be two information sessions on their Apple Cider Vinegar explaining the various health benefits, the process in making apple cider vinegar and the opportunity to see the live Mother Culture (the natural bacteria grown within the vinegar).

“The Orchard Treeluminations event is a fantastic opportunity to see the raw, naked beauty of the trees transformed and illuminated by light and sound without foliage or fruit” said Catherine McKeever.

“I think we all have a vision of apple orchards complete with apple blossom or an abundance of fruit, this illumination event highlights the orchards in a totally different perspective, a raw, natural, resting state before the cycle of growth begins.

“We are hoping to raise the profile of agri-food tourism in Armagh and we hope to make this an annual event”

The ticket price includes a cup of hot mulled cider. The food is provided by Ballymoran Meats and Crepes 2 Go.

There will be free tea/coffee and hot chocolate for children. Donations are in aid of Katie Rose’s Journey. Indoor games will also be available. Treeluminations can be experienced any time between 6pm and 10pm. Apple Cider Vinegar sessions will be at 6.30pm and 8pm and Long Meadow Farm tours will take place at 7pm and 8.30pm.

Tickets cost £5 per child, £12 per adult and £30 for a family of two adults and two children. The tours will take place between 13^th and 16^th February. To book, go to www.longmeadowcider.com

 

 

Award-winning gastro-pub group, Balloo Inns, today announced a new addition to its team at Balloo House, Killinchy, County Down.

 

Renowned chef Danni Barry has joined Balloo House as Executive Head Chef expanding its awarding-winning culinary team.  She began working in a professional kitchen at the age of 14, was named Chef of the Year in 2016 in the Irish Restaurant Awards and was previously awarded a Michelin star.

 

Danni’s passion for authentic flavours, fresh local fish and quality seasonal produce complements the values and ethos of the Balloo Inns Group. Adding to the award-winning pub dining offering, Danni’s menus will feature elegant seafood dishes and popular pub classics.

 

The Balloo House announcement comes as Balloo Inns continues to go from strength to strength after a strong trading year.  All the establishments in the group continue to enjoy enduring popularity and critical acclaim, with all three retaining their spot in the prestigious Michelin Guide 2019.

 

Also revealing plans for an extensive £150,000 refurbishment of the upstairs restaurant due to commence Spring 2019, Ronan Sweeney, Balloo Inns Managing Director and owner said, “We are very excited about our plans for Balloo House, and proud that our work since taking over at Balloo House in 2003 has put the small town of Killinchy firmly on the culinary map in the UK and Ireland. With this latest expansion of our team, our customers can expect the great quality locally-sourced food through an exciting new menu created by Danni Barry, whose evident love for country pub dining makes for a great addition to our excellent team at Balloo House.”

 

 

Balloo Inns Group employs approximately 120 staff across its three restaurants: The Parson’s Nose in Hillsborough, Balloo House in Killinchy and Poacher’s Pocket, Lisbane.

 

Ronan Sweeney attributes Balloo Inns’ continued success to the tremendous combined talent of his growing team and the great emphasis they place on delivering the best quality food and service to its local and increasing international customers, adding:

 

“In 2019, we will continue to make significant investment in our people, striving to create the best working environment for each of our employees; all play a significant role in the success of our restaurants. Our business cannot succeed without happy, motivated employees and their wellbeing is a big priority for us.”

 

For more information visit: www.ballooinns.com