French Village Bakery, a Food NI member, has invested £850,000 to expand its current operations and develop its catering division.

The Belfast-based business opened in 1981 as a producer of artisan breads, cakes and buns. In 2014, production moved to a purpose-built bake house, where the business was able to diversify into the catering industry.

Now, the family-owned bakery is to develop this area with the help of an £850,000 investment sum, supported by Danske Bank. The move will create 10 new jobs.

“We feel there has been a natural progression from when the business supplied sandwiches and catered small events to catering for large corporate events and weddings,” said French Village Bakery director Ashley French.

“With the catering division being located at our bake house, we can also use the skill set we have in the bakery to assist with products required for catering events, from fresh bread to wedding cakes,”

“The support of Danske Bank has allowed us to expand our catering kitchen and equip it with top-of-the-range equipment, such as new ovens. We’ve also been able to break into new markets and that has really helped us get a foothold in the larger catering market.”

French added that the business would continue to develop its product range and expand its operations.

 

 

The Company..

The producer of the Dart Mountain range of artisan cheeses, has launched a series of beer and cider flavoured jelly spread.

 

The company, which is run by husband and wife team Kevin and Julie Hickey is based at Dungiven in Co Derry. It has developed the four-strong range of jellies using locally sourced artisan beers and cider under the ‘Wee Crafty” brand.

 

The novel spreads have been created by Mr Hickey, an experienced caterer, to accompany cheeses especially Dart Mountain’s successful range that now includes a goat’s milk product.

 

The small company has also developed a popular range of cereal products which have won a number of awards for quality and outstanding taste.

The Products..

The four spreads from the Food NI member, are:

 

Armagh Craft Cider using Long Meadow Cider from Loughgall in Co Armagh. This is best paired with Dart’s Sperrin Blue and Carraig Ban goat’s cheese.

 

Derry IPA using an India Pale Ale from Heaney Brewery, a beer with a hint of spice and a full malty body. This flavour is great with any of Dart Mountain’s cheeses.

 

Irish Kolsch using beer from Northbound Brewery in Derry, a sweet and fruity ale honey for cheese or to glaze any meat, vegetables or added to stews.

 

Dark Ale from Lacada Brewery in Portrush, a sweet and malty ale for glazing roasts and vegetables or with cheese.

 

The spreads are all available in 100g jars.

 

Mr Hickey, who founded Tamlagh Foods in 2012 with wife Julie, says:

“Creating the new range of jelly spreads made business sense because of our longstanding knowledge gained producing a range of six artisan cheeses. We wanted to develop products using beers and cider from other local producers. The new spreads are also based on the success we’ve enjoyed, especially in competitions such as UK Great Taste, with our relishes and chutneys,” he adds.

 

 

 

 

Deane’s EIPIC and OX restaurants in Belfast have been named among the world’s very best.

 

The two restaurants, Northern Ireland’s only Michelin star eateries, are named in the latest issue of La Liste of the top 1,000 at a gala event in Paris.

 

La Liste focuses on restaurants providing “outstand excellence and universal appeal in world gastronomy”.

 

Michele Shirlow, Food NI chief executive, congratulating the two restaurant owners, said: “This is a marvellous endorsement of the restaurants and also of Northern Ireland’s culinary excellence. It is a very timely listing that follows Northern Ireland’s recent recognition as the “World’s Best Food Destination’ in the prestigious World Travel and Tourism Awards in London.

 

La Liste is based on “the compilation of hundreds of guidebooks and millions of online reviews” and features “an impressive set of 16,000 top-rated establishments in 165 countries”.

 

The list is shaped by the opinions of an panel of international of food experts led by founder Philippe Faure. The listing is based on an impartial and objective process involving the latest technology that cross references almost 600 food publications to calculate an annual score that sets a ranking for each restaurant.

 

The latest listing also includes restaurants run by two other Northern Ireland chefs – Clare Smyth, from Bushmills in Co Antrim, the chef/owner of Core in London, and Antrim’s Mark Abbott, the head chef at Midsummer House in Cambridge. Both restaurants have also won Michelin stars

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council’s chairman of development committee, Alderman William Leathem and members of the Business Solutions Team visited Lisburn-based Howell House, the cakes and biscuits division of Irwin’s Bakery in Craigavon, following wins at two industry awards in Britain for product quality and customer service delivery.

The first award was for ‘Ambient Supplier of the Year’ from AF Blakemore, the UK’s largest Spar wholesaler, and the second was a ‘Local Shop Quality Food Award’ for Spar own-label Luxury Lemon Drizzle Cake.

Mr Leathem said: “Congratulations to Howell House on their recent achievements.  The brand has become a firm favourite in households and it is great to see the business and employees rewarded for the high standards they have instilled in the business, both in terms of product quality and customer service.

“Awards like this motivate the staff and the business to continue to work hard and strive for more.  Howell House is a great example of our thriving local food and drink sector and I have no doubt that there will be further success to come.”

Gary Mason, Irwin’s Bakery, explained: “We worked closed with the team at Blakemore to develop our range of Spar own label cakes, and in February 2018 secured a deal to supply a Lemon Drizzle, Belgian Chocolate and Victoria Sponge to over 900 stores in Britain.

“We are extremely proud of the working relationship we have cultivated with AF Blakemore – supplying quality produce and maintaining a high level of service delivery and support throughout the successful estate wide launch of the new cake products. The Ambient Supplier of the Year and Local Shop Quality Food awards really are testament of this.

“We want to recognise our staff in Howell House and say a big thank you for all of their hard work and dedication in delivering such a high-quality product in large volumes to Spar in Britain. The Local Shop Quality Food awards are renowned for recognising excellent in new product development – the whole team should be very proud of their achievements.”

Howell House was acquired by Irwin’s Bakery in 2006 in order to introduce a specialist hand-made cakes and biscuits manufacturing division to the overall Irwin’s business.

 

 

 

Alice McIlhagger from Brambleberry Jams in Lisburn will be exhibiting at the UK’s Original Sustainable Department Store in Shoreditch, London alongside 45 other British businesses.

 

Brambleberry jams will be showcasing Sea Salted Caramel Sauce and other homemade jams and Christmas relishes inspired by Alice’s home cooking.

 

The store, organised by social enterprise and ethical business collective Blue Patch, is lighting up a Shoreditch high street for just one week, enabling visitors to buy directly from the finest British brands, join creative workshops, be pampered, solve burning environmental issues and get social.

 

Mrs McIlhagger, commenting on the initiative, said: “I am thrilled to be involved in this immensely important initiative to promote sustainability. It’s a tremendous showcase for the company and our portfolio of homemade products.”

 

The store will feature 45 brands and runs from 11th to the 16th of December at the Espacio Gallery, nestled in the heart of London’s East End and a stone’s throw from Brick Lane. In true department store style there will be something for everyone. Ethical shopping made simple – and just in time for Christmas!

 

Blue Patch founder and chief executive Jane Langley said: “Our members are some of the best designers and producers in the country. However, because they won’t compromise quality and utilise every second of the day making, artisans and local manufacturers have little resources available to get to customers. Listening to the issues led us to develop our concept department store so that our ethical collective of 350+ members can showcase their products, reach their customers and get to know each other too.”

 

“With social enterprises and co-ops creating alternative business models that put people and planet first, the retail market is getting a well needed boost.

Shoppers will also be invited to join free workshops run by members throughout the week.

 

“Encountering enthusiastic experts with ‘can do’ fixes for the climate crisis in a store sparkling with beautiful products plus the chance to meet the makers, sets the scene for a new kind of high street store, one that’s social, entrepreneurial and sustainable too. It’s the power of positive shopping, Blue Patch style!

 

Blue Patch is a curated ethical marketplace for sustainable, local and heritage products from the British Isles and beyond, including furniture, clothing, gifts, beauty and services such as ethical banks, electric car hire and sustainable printers. Launched in 2014 by Jane Langley, Blue Patch provides a collaborative business network for SMEs and sole traders. A triple bottom line social enterprise, 100% of Blue Patch’s income supports members and every penny of the (eventual) surplus will fund renewable energy, conservation and community programmes.

 

Brambleberry Jams homemade hand cooked products will be available all week.

 

 

“The Winter Estate Punch”

Ingredients

300ml Shortcross Gin

200ml Warm Apple Juice

150ml Warm Lemon Juice

60ml Crème de Mure

Cinnamon, dehydrated fruits and star anise

Method

Gently warm apple and lemon juice in saucepan.

Add Shortcross Gin and Crème de Mure to a punch bowl.

Add in warmed ingredients.

Garnish with cinnamon, star anise and dehydrated fruits.

Serve warm in a tempered glass.