Innovation Challenge award for Deli-Lites in Northern Ireland
Food NI member Deli-Lites, a producer of food-on-the-go options, gained an award for innovation at the recent Lunch show in London.
Based at Warrenpoint in county Down, Deli-Lites, a family business owned by husband and wife team Brian and Jackie Reid, gained a bronze award in the Innovation Challenge competition for a novel Asian Bespoke Bowl.
The bowl also won a Great Taste Award earlier in the year.
The company specialises in gourmet sandwiches, wraps, paninis, soups and home-made desserts. It also operates its own bakery and supplies clients with gourmet coffees and teas.
Held at ExCel in London, Lunch is the principal event in the food-to-go calendar in the UK. Deli-Lites has taken part in the show over many years.
Formed in 1999, Deli-Lites is a leading supplier of food-to-go products to cafes and retailers in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The Republic of Ireland contributes over 60 percent of its business.
The Deli-Lites Bespoke Asian Bowl was among 14 products entered for the prestigious Innovation Challenge.
The initial shortlist was chosen by trade visitors to the popular show.
The shortlisted products then featured in a unique live ‘pitching session’ involving a panel of top buyers from Caffè Nero, KFC UK&I, Pret a Manger, EAT, Krispy Krème, Pod, Tortilla, Pure, The Gentlemen Baristas, Trade, Crussh, Small Batch Coffee Roasters and En Route International.
Jawbox Gin launches in Sweden
Award-winning Jawbox Gin, a Food NI member, has just launched in Sweden. The small batch producer of classic dry gin and two recently introduced gin liqueurs has linked up with market leading distributor Cask and Company in Stockholm to develop its business there.
The three gins featured in a major promotional drive in Sweden last week and are now being distributed to hotels, bars, cocktail lounges and retailers throughout the country.
Jawbox founder and managing director Gerry White, referring to the new distribution deal, says: “We are thrilled to have such an influential distributor in Sweden and to have experienced the tremendous interest there in our product range. Sweden looks likely to become a very significant market for all the Jawbox gins.
“Feedback from the trade at and following launch promotions in Stockholm has been immensely encouraging,” adds Mr White.
The single-estate gins are distilled in Northern Ireland featuring a unique recipe that also includes wild heather from the Black Mountain overlooking Belfast.
The company has been developing business in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland successfully and is also now focused on export sales. The original Jawbox classic gin, launched by Mr White in 2016, is already on sale in markets as diverse as Portugal and Australia.
A major drive is planned for Europe especially in the Netherlands and the US, where the company aims to launch early in 2019. New bottles are being developed in line with US requirements.
New children’s convenience foods from Northern Irish Cloughbane Farm
Food NI member Cloughbane Farm has launched its first range of convenience meals for the children’s market. The launch represents an investment of £200,000 by the farm-based company which has won a host of awards for its convenience foods including pies.
The company says the ‘Cloughbane Little Farm’ is a selection of healthy and convenient ready-meals, created for children aged 1 – 6 years. Made from quality, locally sourced ingredients, the new range is cooked on the family farm, just outside Dungannon in county Tyrone.
The products have already secured listings to the value of £750,000 with retailers including Aldi, Henderson Group and Musgrave Group, with several others to be announced soon.
Having been in development for three years, the launch of Cloughbane Little Farm is another significant development for the family business which now employs 50 people, having experienced 25 percent revenue growth since 2013.
Lorna Robinson, managing director of Cloughbane Farm, explains: “We have been producing award-winning cooked dishes and pies for almost 10 years. When our own family grew, and my grandchildren were born, I was reminded of how difficult it can be for busy families to find tasty, nutritious and quick meal options for children. And so, with the same passion for quality and taste that goes into all our products, we started to develop Cloughbane Little Farm.
“The meals have been rigorously tested throughout the development process and we are delighted with the result. Independent sensory analysis carried out compared Cloughbane Little Farm products to other children’s meals and the results show that panellists preferred the taste, appearance and texture of our range in every instance.
“As parents and grandparents ourselves, we understand how much care goes into selecting what young children eat, so these results are extremely important to us. We are proud to have created a range that helps busy families, without compromising on anything that matters.”
The Robinson family has been farming in the townland of Cloughbane in Pomeroy, county Tyrone for over 150 years. The fourth generation of the family founded Cloughbane Farm Shop in 2004. Since then, the company has gone on to secure multiple major listings for its prepared foods with retailers across the UK, including Tesco, Asda and Sainsburys.
Save the Date for Christmas Popup Shop!
We are excited to announce that we are opening once again with a host of local producers and crafters!
Please save the dates 30th November 2018, and 1st December 2018. Times and producers, will be listed in the coming weeks.
Paula McIntyre MBE, BBC Radio Ulster resident chef, Lecturer, and Cook Book Author will be here on the Saturday demonstrating another fabulous Xmas feast!
Childrens photography sitting, by Neal James will be on Friday and Saturday – times to be confirmed (booking essential).
So far, Corndale, Tamanagh Cheese, and Eoin McConnell photography have confirmed their stands to come back for another year.
Dont forget to tell your friends and family, we look forward to giving you a warm welcome to our event.
Balloo Inns Owners Crowned Hospitality Heroes at Prestigious Georgina Campbell Awards
26th September 2018: Amongst the very best in Irish hospitality, the owners of the Balloo Inns Group in County Down were singled out for their remarkable contribution to the industry and awarded one of the most prestigious awards at the Georgina Campbell Awards 2019 in Dublin yesterday.
Ronan and Jennie Sweeney were presented with the ‘Hospitality Hero’ award for exceptional individuals in Irish Food and Hospitality, the final award of the highly-respected ceremony. The pair own and manage the award-winning Balloo House in Killinchy, The Poacher’s Pocket in Lisbane and The Parson’s Nose in Hillsborough.
The annual celebration is Ireland’s longest-running independent food and hospitality awards. Presenting the ‘Hospitality Hero’ award, Georgina Campbell commented, “The contribution that Ronan and Jennie Sweeney have made to standards in hospitality, and especially in the casual dining sector, is remarkable.
“Their ambition, when they took over the famous 19th century coaching inn Balloo House in Killinchy in 2004, was to restore its reputation as one of the finest country dining pubs in Northern Ireland. They achieved this with spectacular success – and it was just the beginning… There is also The Poacher’s Pocket, with its terrific Poacher’s Pantry selling top quality meat, fish and game in season as well as bakery, deli products and premium drinks.
“And the charming Parson’s Nose in Hillsborough, which was recently given the Sweeney gold dust treatment, emerging as an even more impressive old-meets-new dining destination last year.
“The three Balloo Inns sum up all that is best about Northern Ireland food and hospitality for many regular visitors, and they have become the benchmark for quality pub dining.”
Commenting on the award, Ronan Sweeney said, “Jennie and I are very touched by this special award from Georgina Campbell, it is completely unexpected, and we are very grateful to receive this national recognition at the prestigious ceremony in Dublin. It is continually an enjoyable journey honing our offering to the highest possible standard and working with fantastic suppliers to serve the finest locally-sourced food across the all three of our dining pubs.
“We share this accolade with our talented and motivated 120 strong-team across the Balloo Inns Group and want to thank them for all their support, hard work and contribution.”
During the celebration, Georgina Campbell also commended the Hospitality Heroes for delivering programmes that benefit their team and the wider population.
Within the last year, the Balloo Inns Group have embarked on a series of initiatives focused on raising awareness and funds for Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke (NICHS). Additionally, the team across the three pubs benefit from an employee assistance scheme including counselling through Inspire Wellbeing.
Georgina Campbell finished her citation by remarking, “All this is very typical of this caring couple, it’s just what they do. Ronan and Jennie Sweeney, we salute you and commend the valued contribution of all of your team members.”
For more information on the award-winning Balloo Inns Group or to make a reservation visit www.ballooinns.com