Carol’s Stock Market, a Food NI member, was formed by Carol Banana. They have an extensive range of natural stock products and a unique beef bone broth for home cooks.
She uses only the best locally sourced ingredients.
“I wanted to create a truly special turkey stock for Christmas and only wanted to use the best of ingredients but still keep it truly local,” Carol says.
Carol also uses locally sourced, organic vegetables and herbs. She supplies delis and independent stores in Northern Ireland and the Republic.
The Product – Free Range Turkey Bone Broth
A Free Range Turkey Broth made by Carol’s Stock Market. The product has been made in partnership with Galloway Turkeys of Randalstown. The broth is available in 500ml pouches and ideal for the Festive Season.
The broth is carefully simmered over 24 hours to unlock the delicious turkey flavours.
“Shortcross Gin, Northern Ireland’s original and multi-award winning craft gin has won its first business in Australia.”
Shortcross Gin is a family owned company, based in Crossgar. They already sell their small batch gin to 30 global markets. The multi-award winning spirit will now be supplied to a major distributor in Sydney for businesses throughout the country.
The Distillery is set at the picturesque and historic Rademon Estate and is ran by David & Fiona Boyd Armstrong. David explains the deal followed a business trip to Australia.
“We had been exploring opportunities and identifying business contacts in Australia for some time before making our first trip over. It’s such a huge and dynamic market with tremendous potential for our premium gin.”
“We found encouraging interest in our quality and distinctive taste! We were delighted to line up a distributor we believe will be a good fit for us. It’s a young and vibrant market. They are keen to experience new and unique spirits with provenance, outstanding taste and heritage.”
David & Fiona Boyd Armstrong, of Shortcross Gin, Crossgar.
The Gin…
The unique product features botanicals harvested from the estate, such as apples, elderflower and elderberries. The distillery also uses water from a well on the estate. This gives the company complete control over the ingredients and production.
Shortcross Gin has just introduced two new limited edition expressions. The first new edition is matured in Bordeaux casks in collaboration with JN Wine, a leading wholesale and retail wine business. The second is its Bartenders Series Edition 1, a unique gin developed by one of Dublin’s top cocktail creators.
In addition to its current product, the distillery, which also has a popular visitor centre, is soon to launch an Irish whiskey that’s made from scratch on the estate.
Success…
Shortcross Gin have won a string of international awards.The quality of the company’s gin was also recognised, earlier in the year. It was awarded two golds in the Gin Masters – part of the annual Spirits Business Awards – the most prestigious UK award for distilleries.
For more information – click here : https://www.nigoodfood.com/producers/shortcross-gin/
“Kennedy Bacon have launched new rebranded Bacon Bits – small chunks of dry cured meat.”
Kennedy Bacon…
Kennedy Bacon have been farming Glenhordial since the 1940’s.
The farm is situated in an area of natural beauty in the hills above Omagh on the edge of the Sperrins.
Mervyn Kennedy has been involved from a young age rearing and fattening pigs.
He attended various courses and after much experimentation he produced a tasty traditional cure.
New Look…
The company is based near Omagh in Co Tyrone. Founder, Mervyn Kennedy, has introduced newly branded Bacon Bits. These are small chunks of dry cured meat, used as an ingredient to flavour a range of savoury dishes.
The new product comes in 200g packs feature branding and packaging developed with Holywood’s Priory Press. In addition, they will shortly launch a 1kg catering pack for chefs.
Mr Kennedy, who launched the new Bacon Bits at the recent Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre and is a stalwart of other farmers’ markets across Northern Ireland, says:
“We are revamping our packaging across our product range to strengthen our identity as we continue to win business with supermarkets. We’ve already secured business with SuperValu. The new branding will ensure the products stand out in the stores. We are also including recipes on the sleeve for home cooks on how best to use the products.” he adds.
Mervyn Kennedy with the newly rebranded Bacon Bits at Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre.
A third generation farmer, Mr Kennedy rears over 2,000 pigs and dry-cures a range of bacon and ham products on the farm at Glenhordial, near Omagh.
“What helps to set my product apart is my unique dry-curing technique. It’s my own recipe from my experience of rearing my own pigs. I also slice, prepare and package the bacon. This means the entire process is under my control, ensuring consistent quality and provenance. It’s cured for between seven and nine days using my recipe which also takes into account current health concerns particularly about salt and sugar.”
“It’s cured in the most traditional style possible. We use the minimum amount of cure, which leaves it less salty. The result is a tasty product that allows the pan/grill to stay clean. We add no water, so it tastes as it should, savoury, yummy and moreish particularly at breakfast.”
The company has also won a string of accolades for its products including UK Great Taste Awards.
For more information – click here : https://www.nigoodfood.com/producers/kennedy-bacon/
“íon Distillery, Food NI member, has launched Northern Ireland’s first locally distilled Cuban-style Rum. The rum is included with new vodka and gin, all distilled ‘from scratch’ in Tyrone.”
íon Distillery…
íon Distillery is a new project, which officially launched on the 18th November. With a belief in simplicity, quality and innovation. íon Distillery produces a range of intriguing spirits influenced by nature and history.
Each bottle is hand-made in small batches and stone filtered.
Home of Ireland’s first 100% locally made craft rums well as a range of unique gins and vodkas.
íon Distilling produces all its spirits from scratch in their own distillery in County Tyrone.
Their Spirits…
All their spirits are made using water from their own artisan well, which is filtered through ancient volcanic rock that lies beneath their distillery.
Their rums are made with the finest Central American Molasses, using a purpose built Caribbean “Doubler-style” copper column still which is unique in Ireland/UK. They use authentic rum yeasts and age their spirit in bourbon barrels for a totally authentic, yet unique product.
Their vodkas are made in house in a dedicated hand made still from the finest wheat, rye and barley blends. It is distilled up to 10 times to create an exceptionally clean and unique spirit. Perfect to sip or as a great base for cocktails.
Finally their gins, using their own base spirit comes alive with the infusion of the finest botanicals sourced from around the world. Produced in a dedicated gin still, with subtle peppery notes and a dry citrus finish. The gin embodies their ethos perfectly – íon Distillery : Purity of Spirit
Their New Products…
The new spirits are the brainchild of Darren Nugent. Nugent owns and runs the successful Pokertree Craft Brewery in Tyrone. Pokertree Craft Brewery started in 2013. He launched the spirit distillery to help grow the overall business.
“We certainly have a good range of ales and stout which are popular especially in Northern Ireland and ROI. However, I saw an opportunity to grow the business faster by investing in distilling spirits.
I decided the development of the business would benefit substantially by distilling Northern Ireland’s very first Cuban style rum. While I’ve introduced spirits I will still continue to brew and develop the Pokertree beer range.
Market research indicated a growing demand for premium and different spirits produced here offering new taste profiles. All our spirits are distilled on-site here. They are all made from scratch,” he adds.
The new spirits from íon Distillery in Co Tyrone!
He’s invested in three copper pot stills and associated condensing columns in a new plant in the Tyrone village.
“I opted to invest in three separate stills for the rum, gin and vodka because I wanted to focus on the purity of each spirit. I did not want to try to produce all of them on one. This is also why we’ve chosen the ‘Purity of Spirit’ streamline. The three stills represent a very significant investment for a small business. I believe íon Distillery is unique in Ireland in having separate stills for each spirit we produce,” he explains.
The Rum Still…
The still for the rum has a capacity of 3,000 litres. The Rum is handcrafted in small batches using fresh water from the distillery’s own artesian well and are then filtered over volcanic rocks found in the depths around the distillery.
He readily admits that creating the three spirits has been “a steep learning curve”. “Rum is a complicated spirit that I’ve been researching for several years. There are very specific rules and techniques involved in its production. We distil the rum from the finest molasses from Central America using a purpose-built ‘Doubler’ copper column still, unique in the British Isles.
“Our focus on authenticity is carried forward in our use of rum yeasts. Our first rum is a spirit aged in bourbon barrels and featuring Caribbean spices to produce a spiced rum that’s whiskey casked and has very distinctive flavours and taste.
The Gin Still…
Smaller in size, compared to the Rum still – the Gin still has the capacity of 500 litres.
The gin is made from our own base spirit with the infusion of the finest botanicals sourced from around the world,” Darren says.
The Vodka Still…
Similar to the Gin still – the Vodka still has the same capacity of 500 litres.
The vodka is also distilled in-house in a dedicated hand-made still from the finest wheat, rye and barley blends. It is distilled up to 10 times to create an exceptionally clean and unique spirit – perfect to sip or as a great base for cocktails.
For more information about son Distillery – click here : http://www.iondistillery.com
Great Taste ** gold star for the goats butt wheat beer. Won gold in the all Ireland Killarney beer festival for the Spitting Llama Belgium triple beer and Silver with the Goats Butt wheat beer
Where To Buy
NI-wide in all good craft beer off sales, restaurants and bars. If you want it in a stockist near you then drop them a line and they’ll make it happen
Selection of Hillstown Brewery’s products; including their Gold Star Great Taste Award winning the Goats Butt Wheat Beer.
For more information about Hillstown Brewery – click here : http://www.hillstownbrewery.com
Making beer and beef its business…
A farm in County Antrim started brewing beer to feed to its cows – but now bottles it for everyone.
Hillstown Farm and Brewery, near Gracetown, is as much about beer as it is about beef after starting to brew four years ago.
For more information & to watch the video click here : https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-northern-ireland-46147006/the-farm-making-beer-and-beef-its-business
Food NI Member – Finnebrogue artisan release a range of Christmas products for UK superstore Asda.
Finnebrogue Artisan
Finnebrogue is a name synonymous with good food. It started as a producer of superb venison but has since branched out into other meat products and vegetarian/vegan alternatives.
A family run business with 470 employees, Finnebrogue began operations in 1985 and has been supplying Asda with its Extra Special sausages since 2014.
They look at what is wrong with food and try to make it better. Their innovative thinking has led to multiple awards and nationwide acclaim.
Their most recent success story is their Naked Bacon. It has become the biggest breakfast revolution for a generation!! It is the first mass produced rasher to be made without nitrites. Nitrates have been shown to be carcinogenic when used in processed meats. Dennis Lynn – founder of Finnebrogue Artisan – recently received an innovation award!
For more details about their recent award click here : https://www.nigoodfood.com/innovation-award-finnebrogue-artisan/
The Asda Products
Finnebrogue Artisan have introduced a range of products in Asda stores throughout the UK – just in time for Christmas!!
The main attraction is an ‘Extra Special Ultimate Pig in Blanket’!
The range is also made up of – Red Onion Stuffing & Bacon Wraps. Pork, Plum & Sloe Gin Cocktail Sausages. Veggie Caramelised Red Onion & Rosemary Stuffing Slab and a Pork, Cranberry & Orange Stuffing Slab.
The addition of the new Christmas line will see Finnebrogue Artisan stocked in 584 Asda stores in the UK.
Moray Gray, Finnebrogue Artisan’s new product development manager for Asda, said:
“We have continued to build our relationship with Asda, thanks to our innovative approach, dedication to new product development and consistent quality. The supply of the Extra Special Christmas lines is testament to this and we’re extremely proud that our produce, including the Ultimate Pig in Blanket, will be available to shoppers across the UK.”
“Ours is the UK’s first pig in blanket table centrepiece. They are traditionally extremely popular at Christmas and bought in their thousands, so we’re confident a larger variant will appeal to those customers who usually have them on their festive shopping lists.”
Michael McCallion from Asda :
“At Asda, we’re always keen to support Northern Ireland’s agri-food sector and help local food companies grow their business through Asda’s national channels. It is fantastic to see Finnebrogue Artisan’s products on sale throughout the UK, especially at this time of year, when food – and in particular local produce – is in high demand for the Christmas table.”
