Three Food NI members win Farming Life awards for excellence

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Three Food NI member companies have been successful in the annual Farming Life Agri-Food Awards.

The annual awards celebrate excellence in farming in Northern Ireland.

The successful Food NI companies were –

Ballylisk of Armagh Cheese – the company run by Dean and Mark Wright is based on the family farm at Tandragee and produces luxury cheeses from milk from the farm’s dairy herd. The company was named Artisan Producer of the Year.

Cavanagh Eggs, Newtownbutler, Co Fermanagh: John and Eileen Hall, owners of the business, won the Poultry Farmer on the Year

Glastry Farm Ice Cream of Kircubbin, Co Down, a producer of luxury ice cream and low fat sorbets founded and managed by Will Taylor, was named Dairy Farmer of the Year.

The awards offer farmers and businesses operating in the farming sector a great opportunity to showcase their achievements and increase their profile.

Sponsors include pork processor Cranswick Country Foods which is associate sponsors of the awards.

Other sponsors include Alltech, Moy Park, the Farm Safety Partnership, Cookstown, Lantra Awards, Creagh Concrete, the RSPB, the Department of Agriculture, environment and Rural Affairs and AJS Promotions.

A huge congratulations to all of the 2018 award winners, from all of us at Food NI!

UK innovation award for Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil

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Food NI member company Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil has won a silver medal in the British Farming Awards 2018 for innovation in farm diversification.

Based near Limavady in Co Derry, the farm based company has become a market leader in the development of cold-pressed rapeseed oils in a range of original flavours.

The Northern Ireland company, run by husband and wife team Richard and Leona Kane, achieved its award in the hotly contested Diversification Innovator category.

The British Farming Awards celebrate the creative thinking, innovation and dedication of the UK’s farmers. Broighter Gold, managed by Leona, was the only finalist from Northern Ireland.

The awards also showcase diversity and a willingness to adapt regardless of whether you are a farmer, farm worker, new entrant or a member of an established family business.

Broighter Gold is based on the Kane family farm at Broglasco at Myroe on the edge of Lough Foyle just above sea level on reclaimed land.  The arable farm covers 360 acres – 120 are used to grow rapeseed for oil processing.

The fertile ground grows high yielding crops of wheat, barley, oilseed and potatoes. Ireland’s greatest find of gold artefacts from the Iron Age of the 1st century BC was found on the farm and is now held by the national Museum of Ireland.

In addition to the development of infused rapeseed oils, the company has expanded into industrial tourism by developing an exhibition centre through the global Economusee network of working museums.

Formed in 2011, Broighter Gold has gained a string of top quality awards including UK Great Taste Awards.

The Kane family are fourth generation farmers. Their business started when Leona ran out of olive oil when cooking and her husband suggested the cold-pressed rapeseed oil he’d been using to make bio-diesel.

A large number of businesses now stock their ‘liquid gold’ and specially blended infusions, of which another four are in development.

The company now sells its oils throughout the UK and Ireland and has exported to France. It is a member of the global Economusee network of working museums.

Farming Life Award Finalists

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Winners will be announced at our Black Tie Gala Awards on Thursday 18th October Tickets Now On Sale £65pp plus admin fee.

Read more at: https://www.newsletter.co.uk/farminglifeawards/

 

The finalists are as follows:

Dairy:

Dean Wright

Trevor Wilson

Glastry Farm

 

Beef:

J.M.Morrison & Sons

Geoffrey Rodgers

William McElroy

Kerry farmer’s delight over impact last cow on his dairy farm is making after donating it to Rwandan family

Philip Truesdale

 

Sheep:

Patrick Donnelly

Clive Richardson

 

Pig:

Derek Warke – Glenroe Farms

James Millar

 

Poultry:

Gareth Murray

Kevin & Collette Scullion

David Millar –

John & Eileen Hall – Cavanagh Free Range Eggs

Niall Delargy – Glenballyeamon eggs

 

Arable/Horticulture:

Richard Orr

Richard Kane

 

Wildlife Friendly:

Cecil Nelson

David Arrell

John Bonnar

 

Vet:

Craemill Veterinary Clinic

Cahir McAuley

 

Agri Food:

Willowbrook Foods

Corndale Farm

Mash Direct

 

Artisan Producer:

Ballylisk of Armagh Artisan Cheese

Broughgammon Farm

Glastry Farm Ice Cream Ltd

Tom & Ollie

 

Commitment to Training:

Moy Park Ltd

Rural Support

Farm Safety Foundation

PM Training Solutions

 

Farm Safety Partnership’s Innovation Award:

JEPS Farmsafe

Falkiner Small

Machine Eye

 

Woman of Excellence in Agriculture:

Anne Morrison MBE

Jackie Fitzpatrick – Castlewellan Show

Eileen Hall – Cavanagh Free Range Eggs

Rhonda Geary

 

Young Farmer/Student:

Andrew Patton

Andrew Hamill

Anna Millar

Joe Casey

Jonathan Ewing

Laura Kennedy

 

Best Promotional Campaign or Event:

Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend

Balmoral Show

The Q8 Oils Spring Farm Machinery Shows

ABP Angus Youth Challenge

Holstein NI Charity Open Day

 

Unsung Hero:

Keith Morrison

Brian Hunter

Eimear McGovern

Crumbs! Northern Irish bakers win top bread awards

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Crumbs! Northern Irish bakers win top bread awards

Stars of the bread-baking world gathered together at St John’s Church, Hyde Park on Tuesday 16 October 2018 for the much-anticipated announcement of the winners of Tiptree World Bread Awards with Brook Food www.worldbreadawards.com

The awards ceremony was hosted by Stephen Hallam, Master Baker, Managing Director of Dickinson & Morris and Chair of the Judges who was delighted to declare James Herron of Cookie Jar, Newcastle as Winner in the hotly-contested Irish Wheaten Loaf category.

James was presented with his trophy by John Graham of Andrew Ingredients.  The category is supported by Food NI who help to courier the freshly-baked loaves to London for the Judging Day, as well as by Andrew Ingredients.

Meanwhile John Agnew of Ann’s Pantry, Larne, claimed Runner Up and Peadar Quinn of Deli Lites, Castwellan, scooped Third.

“The field was more competitive than ever,” says Hallam, whose fellow judges, all 90 of them, included legendary baker Richard Bertinet, Dr John Foster of BBC’s Victorian Bakers, Harry Lomas, Executive Head Chef, Wembley Stadium.

Patrick, John and Peadar beat off competition from hundreds of loaves sent in from around the United Kingdom – delivered by courier, taxi and in person on the morning of the judging at Cathedral Hall, Westminster Cathedral, to ensure maximum freshness.

Tiptree World Bread Awards with Brook Food, launched in January 2013, seek to celebrate the very best of British bread baking. “The choice, range and quality of bread in Britain today is immense,” says Caroline Kenyon, Director of the Awards.

Full list of categories and winners: 

Overall Winner

Istvan Nadhazi M’s Bakery, Bournemouth French Country Sourdough

Brook Food Sourdough 

Ed Clark, Pastonacre, Pastonacre, Norfolk, Sourdough

Zeelandia Wholegrain

Dominic Salter, Salt Bakehouse, Gloucestershire, Seeded Khorasan Sourdough

Ciabatta

Martha Brown, Forge Bakehouse, Sheffield, Long Fermented Ciabatta

 

Gluten Free

Davina Steel, MannaVida, Essex, Garlic & Rosemary Focaccia

Carr’s Flour Baguette

Justin Gourlay, Real Patisserie, East Sussex, Artisan Sourdough Baguette

Real Bread Campaign supported by Shipton Mill

Istvan Nadhazi, M’s Bakery, Bournemouth, French Country Sourdough

Great British White

Linda Kianfar, Foodhaven, East Sussex, Farmhouse

Fruit Bread

Ian Hill, Riddle Me Rye, Edinburgh, Chocolate, Cherry, Almond & Toasted Coconut Sourdough

Flatbread

Roger Haycock, Roger’s Bakery, Huddersfield, Focaccia

Speciality Sweet

Paul Robinshaw, Flour Water Salt, Macclesfield, Copenhagen

Speciality Savoury

Mark Bennett, Patisserie Mark Bennett, Dorset, Roasted Roots & Herb Sourdough

Muntons Malt Bread

Carina Carlstrom, Loaf Bakery, Farnham, Seeded Malted Flatbread

Irish Wheaten Loaf

James Herron, Cookie Jar, Newcastle, NI, Traditional Wheaten Bannock

Tiptree Showstopper

Tami Isaacs Pearce, Karma Bread, London, Challah Queen Tzanzhong Orange Blossom

Tiptree Patisserie Trainee Baker

Caroline Jevachandran, National Bakery School

Home Baker Open

Jessica Van der Schee, London, Country White

Home Baker Sourdough

Graham Kinnear, Northamptonshire, Cheddar & Ale Sourdough

People’s Choice

Today Bread, Walthamstow

Special Merit Award

Tami Isaacs Pearce, Karma Bread, London, Challah Queen Tzanzhong Orange Blossom

 

 

Mash Direct Croquettes Win All Ireland Gold

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Big celebrations for the Mash Direct farm this week as their Potato Croquettes won a Gold Award at the Blas na hÉireann, Irish Food Awards in Dingle, Co. Kerry. Now in their eleventh year, The Blas na hÉireann awards are the biggest competition for quality Irish produce in Ireland and has one of the highest recognition amongst Irish consumers.

An astonishing 2,500 products were entered to win Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards in over 100 food and drink categories. They are the biggest blind tasting of produce on the island of Ireland and the criteria on which the product is judged is now recognised as an international industry standard. The last Blas award won by Mash Direct was back in 2008 when their Green Cabbage was awarded Bronze.

Director of Mash Direct, Jack Hamilton, said: “Winning Gold for the Gluten Free Potato Croquettes is a massive testament to the constant innovation and quality improvement our Mash team put in to make this product even more delicious year on year. Our Potato Croquettes now have even more of a wow factor on the shelf in supermarkets and we couldn’t be more proud to take the Gold home to County Down.”

“It was great to see over 30 Northern Irish food and drink brands walk away with Blas awards displaying the exceedingly high standard of food produce at home and the success of these brands across the island of Ireland.”

Second time’s a charm for Dale Farm at Costcutter Supplier Awards

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The largest UK farmer-owned dairy cooperative, Northern Ireland headquartered Dale Farm, has become the first company to be named ‘NI Supplier of the Year’ for two consecutive years at the Costcutter Supermarkets Group’s (CSG) annual Supplier of the Year Awards.

Over 150 CSG suppliers from across the UK attended the prestigious awards ceremony at York Racecourse, where Dale Farm was presented with the overall Northern Ireland award in recognition of its first-class dairy products and excellence in service.

Sam Boyd, Regional Sales Manager for Dale Farm said:

“Achieving this accolade for the second-year running represents significant industry recognition for Dale Farm – a real testament to the strength of our ongoing customer partnership, the dedication of our area sales team and the high level of trust placed in us by CSG as a dairy partner.

“2018 was a particularly positive year for our relationship with CSG. We worked in close partnership to adapt and increase our in-store dairy range and have further plans in place to expand our product portfolio over the months ahead. 

“Due to the exceptionally warm summer weather this year, we were able to increase distribution significantly to successfully support CSG stores and meet demand.

“This year we also became the lead supplier of milk to CSG stores, further strengthening our relationship – one which we hope continues long into the future as our businesses support one another’s growth,” Sam said. 

Huw Edwards, Trading Director at CSG added: 

“It is important for us to recognise and celebrate the fantastic service we receive from our suppliers and we congratulate the team at Dale Farm for being named Northern Ireland Supplier of the Year for two years running. This exceptional achievement is proof of Dale Farm’s commitment to providing first class products and service, ensuring our stores offer the consumer the very best in dairy, every day.”