Mash Direct’s Burns Night range is back on the shelves of supermarkets across the UK and we are challenging you to host your very own Burns Night Supper with the help of our Neeps & Tatties and Burns Bites.

At Mash Direct we feel somewhat nostalgic over the Burns Night traditions honouring the life of the famous poet Robert Burns. In true Scottish spirit, a dram of whiskey is a key element to the evening’s proceedings just as it was in the making of Mash Direct. It was a glass of whiskey between Martin Hamilton, Founder of Mash Direct and a friend that sparked the inspiration to start the award winning company back in 2004. Additionally, our Mashed Potato and Mashed Turnip, otherwise known in Scotland as ‘Neeps & Tatties’ were two of the original products produced by the County Down based farming enterprise. So it comes as no surprise that we enjoy celebrating Burns Night and the historic line up of events to commemorate the famous Scottish poet.

Mash Direct are here to help you co-host the momentous Burns Night Supper with our Mashed Potato and Mashed Turnip as well as Burns Bites which celebrates the flavours of the occasion, bringing together Neeps & Tatties with traditional Scottish Haggis. These are coated in a crispy, gluten free crumb – perfect for your auld acquaintances.

Lance Hamilton, Sales Director at Mash Direct said, ‘It is great to have our traditional Neeps and Tatties as well as the more unique Burns Bites giving the traditional Burns Night dishes a modern twist. We hope everyone has a great Burns Night.’

To celebrate Burns Night we have turned two iconic locations tartan…can you guess what they are?

Mash Direct Burns Bites are retailed at £2.00 and can be found in Eurospar, Spar and Vivo. Additionally, Mashed Potato and Mashed Turnip are widely available across all NI retailers.

Four Northern Ireland companies will be showing a wide range of innovative products at Scotland Speciality Food in Glasgow from 20-22 January.

 

The companies will be taking part on a stand organised by Food NI in association with Invest Northern Ireland at the event, Scotland’s biggest show for food and drink buyers.

 

Taking part on the Food NI/Invest NI stand are:

Heatherlea Bakery, Bangor – breads, biscuits and cakes;

Irish Black Butter, Portrush – savoury spread;

Noisy Nuts, Ballygowan – flavoured nuts to accompany craft beers; and

Peppup Sauces, Portaferry – authentic Italian ketchup and pasta sauces

 

The Northern Ireland presentation at show in Glasgow is the first in a series of events being organised by Food NI in Britain in association with Invest NI during 2019.

 

The Northern Ireland companies, most launching in Scotland for the first time, are among 150 exhibitors from many parts of the UK.

 

The popular show gives trade buyers an impressive choice of good quality products, great networking opportunities and the chance to expand their business skills.

 

The show, now in its 11^th year, is open to the general public as well as trade buyers and is held at Glasgow’s SEC. Companies exhibiting all types of speciality food including gift food, bakery, cheese, cooked and cured meats, chutneys, preserves, oil and vinegars, herbs and spices, confectionery, tea and coffee, beers, spirits and cordials.

There are also exhibitors who specialise in food presentation such as lighting, packaging, refrigeration etc.

More than 1,000 trade buyers from department stores, farm shops, delis, food halls, restaurants and hotels are scheduled to visit the show which also features a seminar programme and awards for the best products

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copeland, the Saintfield-based producer of fresh fruit-infused gins has won its first business in Estonia.

The company, which sources fresh fruit such as raspberries, blueberries and blackberries from farmers in Killinchy and other parts of Co Down, has signed a distribution deal in Tallinin, the Estonian capital, for its small batch gins.

Copeland Gin, founded in 2016 by 25-year old Gareth Irvine, from Bangor, has begun shipping its rhuberry gin, which is made with rhubarb and blackberries, raspberry and mint gin and a limited edition spiced apple and blackcurrants to Actimer Ou in Tallinin.

The deal in Estonia came by way of Dublin, according to Mr Irvine. He explains: “Actimer’s managing director was in the Republic last year and saw one of our gins in a bar in Dublin. He tried it, loved the distinctive fruity flavour and subsequently decided to give us a call.

“I was absolutely thrilled when he called about doing business with us. This led to a distribution deal at the end of the year. The first consignment was shipped to Tallinin a few weeks ago,” he continues. “Initial feedback from the first bars to receive the gins has been immensely positive and hugely encouraging. We are looking forward to repeat business soon,” he adds.

The Saintfield company will be running a programme of tastings at bars and hotels in the Estonian capital and other cities later in the month.

 

“We’re really looking forward to showcasing the gins there and demonstrating how we process these from the freshest fruit grown by our farm suppliers in the Killinchy area,” he adds.

 

He sees Estonian as a strategically important market that positioned close to Finland, Sweden, Latvia and Russia.

 

“Our new distributor has contacts in many of these markets which we aim to develop in the year ahead,” he continues.

 

“We hope, in addition, that our developing success there and in other international markets will bring further positive benefits to our network of growers here.”

The company, he adds, enjoyed business growth of 120 percent last year and is poised for even faster in the year ahead.

“Our objective since the business was established in 2016 has been to create fruit-infused gins that surprise and excite consumers while also showcasing and celebrating local farm produce,” says Mr Irvine

The company, which has been assisted by Invest Northern Ireland and taken part in a range of marketing initiatives with the agency, has won listings with major retailers such as Tesco, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury, Aldi, Lidl and Musgrave Group, is also shipping its gins to Britain and the United Arab Emirates.

For more, contact Gareth Irvine on 07714 187651 or Sam Butler on 0771 308 9254