Lights, camera, celebration! Antrim-based Golden Popcorn is toasting ten years of a
blockbuster partnership with Tesco NI.
Over the past decade, the supermarket giant has played a starring role in the
company’s award-winning retail success, offering its signature cinema-style popcorn
in Sweet, Salty and Sweet & Salty flavours —and more recently, its healthy snack
line, Gourmet Crunch—on shelves across Northern Ireland.
The company was founded in 1996 in Mallusk, and it supplied popcorn exclusively to
movie theatres across NI. Managing Director Sean McClinton and investors acquired
the business in 2014 and concluded its future hinged on a crucial plot twist:
transitioning to retail.
To make this bold move, Sean and his team developed a new recipe for “butter salt”,
which is responsible for the distinctive “cinema popcorn” flavour while ensuring it’s
made with only natural ingredients, free of allergens. In 2017, Golden Popcorn
moved to a purpose-built factory and office space in Antrim.
As the moment arrived to make their retail debut, Tesco NI rolled out the red carpet.
“We are proud to say Tesco NI was the first supermarket chain to offer a listing for
our retail popcorn bags and we’re thrilled to have our product on their shelves ever
since,” Sean remarked. “Tesco NI has been fantastic; they’re always open to
discussing Marketing and Product Development, and their support with product trials
has been invaluable.”
Tesco NI’s supporting role came into the spotlight again in 2021, when Golden
Popcorn launched sister brand Gourmet Crunch, and Tesco once more was the first
one to store the product in NI. The vegan snacks are made from cassava and are
available in Thai Sweet Chilli, Mature Cheddar & Spring Onion flavours. The new
Louisiana BBQ and Irish Salt & Balsamic Vinegar flavours will be launched at Tesco
in the next few weeks. 
“We’re delighted to say Golden Popcorn has had a box office smash of a decade,”
Sean added. “When we first started, our turnover was around £400K—now, we’re on
track for £4.5M in 2025. Partnering with Tesco has been incredible.”
Tess Osborn, Head of Fresh Foods Sourcing NI at Tesco, commented: “We are
thrilled to offer such a high-quality and beloved local brand like Golden Popcorn as
part of our ongoing commitment to supporting local suppliers. We’re proud to help NI
businesses shine and contribute to the local economy.”

Jarlath Watson credits the Echlinville Distillery’s single estate approach with giving its whiskeys a sense of provenance, community, tradition and authenticity. “A sense of place that’s completely unique to us,” is how Watson, the distillery’s head of whiskey and financial director, describes it.

Echlinville’s adventurous story is of the land from which it originates and the people who bring it to life. Tucked away in a gorgeous corner of the Ards Peninsula in Co Down, it’s run by Watson and Shane Braniff, a local businessman and farmer who has farmed the land since since 2007.

From the outset, they have never been ones to follow convention. Before they even got their distilling license, one of their first moves was to resurrect an old iconic brand, Dunville’s, in 2012. This earned them tremendous praise and in 2021, they did the same with the much loved Old Comber brand.

They now produce whiskey for these brands and the host of others they own completely on the grounds of the distillery. And I mean completely, as in every single step is done there, as Watson tells me.

“We are a true single estate, field-to-glass distillery, the first in Ireland to do everything on-site, from the ground up,” he says. “Every step of the production process, from sowing and growing, harvesting, malting and milling, mashing and fermenting, distilling and dunnage, maturing to vatting, blending, bottling and labelling is completed by us.

Dunnage, for the uninitiated, is an old school three barrel stack style of ageing whiskey. Echlinville is reconnecting the farm, the floor malting the distilling and the dunnage, or as Watson puts it, “weaving together again the people and processes in whiskey making that have become unbound by industrialisation”.

It’s an amazing commitment to tradition and to capturing the terroir of the estate, but its not the distillery’s only defining characteristic. Watson spoke at great length about their two whiskey stills and why they adhere to a double distillation method and not the triple distillation that is more common with Irish whiskey.

“Our mantra was always to produce waxy, full-bodied and full-flavoured whiskeys. We were never going to run a third distillation, as we believe this would sacrifice too much of the character we wanted in our whiskeys,” he says. “Our Scottish cousins have shown us that double distilled single malts can be some of the best in the world, so that was never in doubt.”

They have also pioneered a rather unique, slow style of extracting flavour, a process they have dubbed trickle distillation.

“Creating an exceptional whiskey is all about time; there’s no substitute for it. At Echlinville, that’s not just about the time the whiskey spends in casks, it’s also very much about the time taken to distill,” he says.

“The slower the distillation, the better and sweeter our spirit, so we slow the still right down to ensure maximum copper contact for our liquid, and achieve a spirit that is as full bodied and complex as it is delicate and sweet. It is not the most economical way to produce whiskey, but as I’ve said before, we do not and will not compromise on quality.”

Echlinville’s clear spirits are also quite exceptional. The gins all use barley grown on the farm, as well as a heady mix of local botanicals. The vodka, called Weaver’s, is clean and crisp, superb in a Moscow Mule, and as any poitín fan will tell you, has done stellar work in this category too, especially with the famous Bán brand.

Here are just a few of the exceptional releases that have come from Echlinville’s stunning portfolio. For details of the distillery tour, and stocksts, see echlinville.com.

Get ready to embark on a foodie journey at the first Taste Mid Ulster Restaurant
Week 10 th – 16 th March. This week-long celebration, from Mid Ulster District Council
will shine a spotlight on the people and places behind the vibrant food and hospitality
scene of Mid Ulster, featuring a range of restaurants, each showcasing dishes made
with the finest locally sourced ingredients.
Whether you’re a resident or a visitor, Taste Mid Ulster Restaurant Week offers an
exceptional opportunity to discover the diverse and delicious dishes and places that
make Mid Ulster a must-visit place to dine out. From exciting, curated tasting menu
evenings, hearty comfort food, unique food pairings, cooking demonstrations and
masterclasses – the week will provide unique culinary experiences to satisfy every
palate and budget.
Taste Mid Ulster Restaurant Week participating restaurants include: Ardtara
Country House (Chef Ian Orr), Dawsons Restaurant (Chef Stephen Hope), The
Castledawson Inn (Chef/Joint Owner Ciaran Devlin from Channel Four’s Four in a
bed), Friels Bar & Restaurant (Chef Mark Wilson) , Dorman’s Bar & Restaurant (Chef
Martin Buick), Mary’s Bar and Restaurant (Chef Gerard Donnelly) , Glenavon House
Hotel – Cellar Restaurant (Chef Patrick Mallon), The Tailor’s House (Chef Lauren
Shimmin – Master Chef: The Professionals 2024 contestant), Corick House Hotel &
Spa (Chef Thomas Kiss), The Royal Hotel (Chef/Joint Owner Stephen Thom), The
Old Thatch Inn (Chef Bridie McConomy), The Tap House (Chef William Johnston)

and The Food Doc(Chef Gary Nicholl) – with more to be revealed ahead of the
event.
Chair of Mid Ulster District Council, Councillor Eugene McConnell said:
“Mid Ulster is full of exceptional talent in chefs and cooks, such as Lauren Shimmin
(contender on MasterChef) and Ciaran Devlin (Channel Four’s Four in a Bed) to
name but a few, and lots of innovative food and drink manufacturers who are hidden
gems. Mid Ulster Restaurant Week is a celebration that is all about exploring and
discovering our district’s rich culinary scene. Our hospitality industry has shown
incredible resilience over the past few years and the local food scene in Mid Ulster is
going from strength to strength. We look forward to collaborating with hospitality
businesses to ensure this event is a success.”
For more information on the Taste Mid Ulster Restaurant Week visit
www.visitmidulster.com and Visit Mid Ulster on Facebook and Instagram

Titanic Distillers in Belfast, a Food NI member, has landed a £5 million equity
investment from Whiterock to expand its sales team, drive growth, and establish
key distribution channels.
Titanic Distillers, Belfast’s first working distillery since Prohibition in the US,
produces premium blended Irish whiskey, pot still Irish whiskey, and Irish vodka
distilled from sugar beet.
The £5m funding package is comprised of equity investment from Whiterock’s
Growth Capital Fund, which makes investments of between £1m and £5m for
minority shareholdings in growth and scaling companies from Northern Ireland.
The investment has already been used to hire two senior drinks industry
executives to help drive the next phase of the brand’s growth.
Colin Green, former commercial director of Diageo Ireland, has joined to
implement the brand’s international sales strategy, while JC Rice, former head
of sales for Tennent’s NI, will manage sales in Great Britain and Ireland. Both
will oversee the growth of Titanic Distillers existing sales team during 2025.
Stephen Symington, chief executive of Titanic Distillers, said: “This equity
investment will help fund the next phase of growth for Titanic Distillers. It has
already enabled us to bring unrivalled expertise into our team in the shape of
Colin and JC, who will drive our sales in new and existing markets.
“Craftsmanship is at the core of Titanic Distillers. We have created a whiskey
that the people of Belfast can be proud of and have a unique brand that we are
excited to now showcase to customers around the world in a modern and
contemporary way. Whiterock is a fantastic partner to have with us as we put
the new strategy into action.”
The business also plans to use the new funding to expand its existing footprint
across the UK and Europe, as well as move into the US and Asia.
The company expects to formally establish its US team in the coming months,
including the appointment of a chief revenue officer, with the initial focus on
New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania – all said to be states with strong Irish
heritage – before targeting the rest of the country.
The company also plans to increase its visibility and sales in the travel retail
segment of the market through new partnerships with duty free specialists, and
to build on existing success in European markets, such as France and
Germany, by targeting neighbouring countries such as Belgium and Poland.

David McCurley, director of Whiterock, said: “We are delighted to invest in
Titanic Distillers as they continue to grow and expand their presence in the
whiskey market. Over the past few years Titanic Distillers has successfully
established its brand in both the drinks and tourism industry here in Belfast,
achieving impressive growth. It is positive to see the hard work and dedication
of the team paying off and we look forward to supporting the company’s plans
to enter new markets.”

A range of authentic South Asian noodles from Portadown are now on sale in
all 37 Iceland stores across Northern Ireland.
The noodles have been developed by Karri Kitchen, the entrepreneurial food
business led by Shera McAloran, originally from Indonesia and now resident in
the Co Armagh town.
The new products – plain noodles, sweet chilli and soy glazed noodles – are the
outcome of ongoing collaboration between Iceland and the Karri Kitchen team,
according to Lee Wortley, sales manager of the hugely successful food
manufacturing business. Karri Kitchen is a Food NI member company.

“Iceland is a mainly frozen product business and so we carried out some
research with the store’s team and identified a significant opportunity for the
three chilled noodle side dishes in their fresh chilled section,” he says.
“Working with major supermarkets and distributors to pinpoint opportunities for
our expertise in South Asian foods is a key element in our business growth
strategy.
 “The noodles are a very convenient way for home cooks to add them to meals.
The noodles are ready to eat and can be used to add unique South Eastern
flavours to various dishes. We are delighted to have been able to bring the tasty
noodles to Iceland stores across Northern Ireland and look forward to
continuing our work to provide other authentic taste options to one of the most
successful chilled food retailers,” he adds.
The business with Iceland is another important development for the company
which is now among the most successful and progressive enterprises here. The
company already supplies a range of award-winning South Asian packaged
meals to major supermarkets, including Tesco and Lidl, and convenience
grocers such as the Henderson Group and its Eurospar and Spar outlets.
Founded by husband and wife team Shera, a talented chef, and Chris
McAloran, an experienced Portadown businessman in 2019, Karri Kitchen,
based at Carn Industrial Estate, has won a host of awards for quality,
outstanding taste and innovation.