Two Food NI members shortlisted in Irish manufacturing awards

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Two Food NI member companies have been shortlisted in the second Irish Made Awards by Irish Country Magazine. Shortlisted in the Food category are Harnett’s Oil from Waringstown and Mash Direct of Comber, both based in Co Down.

In addition to its listing for its award winning culinary oils and marinades Harnett’s Oils is included for its Duvillaun Irish Sea Salt, which it processes in Co Down from Atlantic salt harvested from Duvillaun Island in Co Mayo.

Mash Direct is among Northern Ireland’s most successful agri-food businesses and a major supplier of vegetable sides and convenience foods to retailers worldwide.

Both Northern Ireland companies are essentially farm-based family businesses that have developed successfully from farm diversifications. Harnett’s uses oil seed rape and hemp from the farm at Waringstown to produce culinary oils. The family also rears lamb on the Mournes.

The winners will be chosen by public vote closing on 6th August for a gala presentation in September in Dublin.

The shortlist for the various categories was drawn up by a panel of expert judges at this summer’s Bloom festival in Dublin.

Irish Country Magazine editor Jennifer Stevens and deputy editor Klara Heron were joined on the judging panel by director of Guaranteed Irish Brid O’Connell, food writer and editor Ross Golden Bannon, fashion journalist Ruth O’Connor, chief executive of Bord Bia Tara McCarthy and interior designer Roisin Lafferty.

The panel was impressed by the calibre of the entries and spent hours going through over 300 submissions to narrow down the shortlist for the public vote. Branding, design, place in the market and company website were among the criteria taken into account by the judges.

Each of the 10 category winners will feature in a special issue of Irish Country Magazine in September and the overall winner will receive an advertising package from Irish Country Magazine worth €5,000 and a membership and mentorship prize from Guaranteed Irish.

 

Genesis Crafty in line for major UK bakery award

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Food NI member company Genesis Crafty is among over 30 companies shortlisted for the prestigious Bakery Industry Awards 2018.

The awards are scheduled to be announced at a gala occasion in London at the start of September.

Based at Magherafelt, county Derry, Genesis Crafty is the only Northern Ireland bakery among the 31 shortlisted in nine categories in the annual awards. Genesis, a family owned and managed bakery, is in the running for the coveted and hotly contested Craft Bakery of the Year 2018.

The awards showcase the quality and innovation from bakeries, both commercial, from across the United Kingdom.

Genesis, previously known as McErlain’s family bakery, is run by six McErlain brothers, all fully qualified bakers.

They took over the bakery from their parents, Joe and Roberta, who founded the small home bakery in 1968, and have seen it grow to be among the most successful independent bakeries in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

The bakery is now a major supplier of a wide range of bakery items including cakes, biscuits, scones and morning goods, and traditional Irish breads to leading supermarkets in the UK and Ireland.

The company, which works closely with major retailers on new product development, has won a string of UK Great Taste Awards and Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards.

Genesis was the first on the island of Ireland to set up a dedicated bakery academy to address the problem of a staff shortage especially among bakers.

The awards are organised by British Baker publication.

Local Bakery scores big win with Ocado Listing

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Award winning Holmes Bakery based in Craigavon, County Armagh have had 6 lines listed with Online supplier Ocado.

Holmes Bakery sell a wide range of hand crafted traybakes and biscuits throughout Northern Ireland the UK and further afield. Recently the company has seen strong growth in export sales with Hamper companies particularly interested in including their premium range in gift hampers.

This latest listing with Ocado comes at a time of exciting growth for Holmes Bakery which has seen staff numbers grow over the last year. Ocado service a huge range of premium online products to consumers throughout the UK. For Holmes bakery the listing represents the culmination of many months hard work.

Holmes bakery have worked hard to develop an exquisite range of handcrafted biscuits and traybakes. The proof of the pudding is in the eating and Holmes Bakery have been awarded several great taste awards namely for their Butter Shortbread, Flakemeal and Christmas Pudding.

Gillian Castles from Holmes Bakery commented “ We are thrilled to have had 6 lines listed with Ocado and we feel that our premium selection will fit well with their customers. Holmes is more than just a bakery, with us it’s a family tradition. The fact that our hard work and focus on great quality ingredients and traditional methods has paid off just makes the whole family so proud.”

Ocado will be listing – Fifteens, Caramel Fingers, Toffee Crispies, Florentine Slice, Milk Chocolate Rocky Road and Salted Carmel and Pecan nut Slice, all will be available for online purchase from the beginning of July.

https://holmesbakery.com/

Delicious black garlic butter from Abernethy Butter

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Food NI member Abernethy Butter is launching a delicious new taste in a unique and handcrafted black garlic butter.

The family-owned and managed business, which is based at Dromara in Co Down, has already won acclaim for the new premium butter from celebrity chefs in Britain especially Nigella Lawson.

The new black garlic butter is handmade and hand rolled by master butter maker Will Abernethy, who runs the business with wife Allison, and is a deliciously different response to requests from chefs in particular for a garlic butter in addition to the three butters already in the company’s multi-award winning portfolio.

“While chefs and other customers have been asking us about a garlic butter for some time, we wanted to produce a completely different, richer and deeper flavour. So, we took expert advice and came up with the idea of fermenting garlic for a much more original and stunning flavour.

“While there are other garlic butters, our black garlic is really quite different especially where it counts most – outstanding taste,” says Allison Abernethy.

“As a result, our black garlic butter is both highly innovative and a great tasting product for spreading or as an ingredient for a range of dishes. We’ve taste tested it among chefs and other foodies and been immensely encouraged by the universally positive feedback.

“We believe that we’ve come up with another original and winning taste,” she adds.

The new black garlic butter joins a portfolio of three products which have won widespread acclaim for their flavours especially from leading chefs in Britain and the Republic of Ireland.  It has already been shortlisted in the prestigious Delicious magazine’s annual Food Producer Awards.

As well as Nigella Lawson, other renowned chefs using Abernethy Butter products include Heston Blumenthal, Marcus Wareing and Andy McFadden.

The other butters, which have won UK Great Taste Awards, are all handmade and hand rolled and are: an original; a smoked; and a distinctively Irish seaweed and sea salt.

The company’s seaweed butter, furthermore, was recently used by top chef Clare Smyth in a dish prepared for a wedding meal for Prince Harry, Duke and the Duchess of Sussex.

Abernethy Butter sources fresh milk daily for its butter from a grass-fed herd on a dairy farm close to the creamery.  In addition, to its acclaimed butters, Abernethy produces an award winning butter fudge.

Our visit to Daisy Lodge Cancer Home for Children

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We recently visited Daisy Lodge in Newcastle, a beautiful log building which offers therapeutic breaks for families who have a family member who has cancer. The establishment is utterly stunning, offering five star accommodation and carefully prepared meals using the best locally sourced produce. Daisy Lodge believe that the food served is an important part of what they offer, giving families peace of mind that their loved ones are receiving good quality local produce. They also offer relaxing surroundings were families can enjoy the scenic aspect and children of all ages can enjoy the entertainment available in a safe secure environment.

Daisy Lodge are very grateful to all local food producers, businesses and amenities in their area who support Daisy Lodge throughout the year, these include  –

Ø  Moy Park

Ø  Finnebrogue

Ø  Carnbrooke Meats

Ø  McPolin Eggs

Ø  Cafe Maud’s

Ø  Froth Coffee shop

Ø  Hales Fruit and Veg shop

Ø  Coco’s children’s play area

Ø  Down District Council

Ø  Add A little Sparkle

Ø  Morellis

Ø  Seaforde Gardens and Butterfly House

Ø  Funky Monkeys

Ø  Burrendale Hotel

 

Joan Burden, the Hospitality Manager, said that the support from all of these businesses was invaluable, meaning more resources could be focused on all important services like counselling for the families. Joan mentioned that the ongoing support is overwhelming and it really is heart-warming that so many local businesses offer support to this worthy cause. Joan was also keen to highlight the support and time offered by all the volunteer staff at the lodge, again this saves resources which can then be put towards other services.

COME SEE WHAT DALRIADA FESTIVAL HAS TO OFFER

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With a few days until the number one family outdoor festival comes to Glenarm Castle, the event organisers at Dalriada Festival have just confirmed that kids will have the opportunity to cook with Jenny Bristow in a fun filled pizza making competition, while parents can enjoy the many artisan food products on offer throughout the festival weekend.

Adrian Morrow said: “While the Dalriada Festival has become synonymous with hosting some of the biggest and best names in entertainment, for us it’s as important for our family festival to entertain the next generation with attractions dedicated to children and a we’ve introduced a real fun opportunity for them to hone their cooking skills with the wonderful Jenny Bristow.”

As well as pizza making, Jenny will be demonstrating her expertise in creating mouthwatering dishes on a Morso Outdoor Oven and festival goers will not go hungry as they will be treated to an abundance of locally produced food and drink including Noisy Nuts, Papas Minerals ginger ale, chillies from Blackfire Fine Foods and Copeland Gin. Indie Fude will be showcasing the best of local quality produce and all tastes will be catered for in the ‘food to go’ area where visitors can enjoy delicacies from Linen Hill Street Kitchen, Hungry Dog, Chowder Up Seafood, Simply Scampi, Parkgate Farm Country Catering, Pheasants Hill Farm Kitchen, The Rollin Stonebaker, The Pasta Wagon, Sizzlers and Braemar Ice Cream. For those who want to take a wander around the Glenarm Castle gardens, they can also visit Granny Shaws Fudge Factory and relax in the Walled Garden Tearooms.

Christine Cousins, Food NI, said: “Dalriada Festival has a great foodie focus which is growing year on year. As Glenarm Castle is the home of Glenarm Shorthorn Cattle and Glenarm Salmon you would expect to see a fabulous array of locally produced food and drink offerings and you won’t be disappointed. Over 25 local food and drink producers and street food vendors are showcasing at the event this year. The quality of our local produce is being recognised worldwide and a fantastic selection of these are available to sample and buy at the event. Meet the producers, hear their stories and you will understand how passionate they are about what they do. The Smokin Yankees, who represent Northern Ireland in BBQ competitions all around the world, will be doing BBQ demos throughout Saturday and Sunday and they will be creating delicious BBQ offerings with both the local salmon and beef for all to try, plus some other exciting recipes. I would urge you to come and Taste the Greatness of what Northern Ireland has to offer.”

Producers attending the festival include Red Dog Aristan Food, Armagh Cider Company Ltd, The Irish Black Butter Company, Long Meadow Cider, Scotts Crispy Onions, SD Bells, Lacada Brewery, Dundarave Estate, Delilites / Past Tense Treats, Causeway Coast Foodie Tours and Toast the Coast.

There will be an eclectic mix of homegrown and international talent with performances by Alabama 3, Hermitage Green, Matt Cardle, General Fiasco, Gareth Dunlop, The Electric Swing Circus, Runabay, Dana Masters, Ben Glover and Ryan McMullan.

Daily, weekend and camping tickets are available to buy online at www.dalriadafestival.co.uk.

Dalriada Festival is kindly supported by: Purplebricks, Calor, Glenarm Organic Salmon, Go Outdoors, Hallidays of Bushmills, Kilwaughter, Larne Football Club, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Pet and Country, Punjana, Tourism Northern Ireland, Tweed Fuels, Downtown Radio and Cool FM.