The Guild of Fine Food’s annual Shop of the Year awards, an accreditation scheme which recognises and promotes excellence in independent retail, has announced its shortlist for 2018. Among the 42 independent retail outlets named, Indie Füde, a deli based in Comber, Co. Down is in the running for Best Delicatessen.

Having had a written entry reviewed by a panel of respected industry experts, Indie Füde, which champions small-batch artisan producers from Ireland, will now undergo two further rounds of judging this summer; an announced visit from one of the judges and a mystery shop by Shopper’s Anonymous.

Previously forming part of the Great Taste accreditation scheme, Shop of the Year has evolved to apply an even more rigorous and robust judging process dedicated solely to retail. Celebrating delis, farm shops, cheesemongers and more, Shop of the Year offers independent retailers a chance to achieve a stamp of approval with real integrity, much like Great Taste does for food and drink products.

From overall shopping experience and financial performance to staff training opportunities and environmental initiatives, the panel of judges, which includes Edward Berry of The Flying Fork, Stuart Gates, who has worked for both Harrods and Fortnum & Mason, award-winning retailer Tracey Colley and Georgina Mason from Gonalston Farm Shop, will rate, score and feedback on every aspect of the shops before agreeing on an overall category winner.

On Thursday 20 September, Shop of the Year 2018 will reach an exciting finale when the world of fine food gathers at No. 42 Southwark Street, the Guild of Fine Food’s London base, to find out the winners of Best Delicatessen; Best Farm Shop or Garden Centre with Food Hall; Best Grocer, Village or Community Shop; and Best Specialist Cheese Shop.

Food NI member Copeland Spirits in Northern Ireland has become the first local gin brand to be listed with German discounter, Aldi. The brand’s ‘Rhuberry’ flavoured gin is currently listed in the supermarket chain’s stores in Ireland.

 Copeland Spirits, based at Saintfield in county Down, was established in 2016, following a successful crowdfunding campaign by founder Gareth Irvine.

The range now boasts two permanent lines, ‘Rhuberry’, which will be carried by Aldi Ireland and ‘Raspberry and Mint’. Both flavours feature herbs and fruits grown in Northern Ireland, championing the produce and skill of local farmers.

 The ‘Rhuberry’ flavour is a collaboration with Finlay’s Farm Balloo and showcases the quality of rhubarb and blackberry, both grown locally and carefully selected. With a 37.8% ABV, this gin defies the perception of flavoured gins in that it has all of the flavour of a liqueur, yet offers all of the artisan quality of a premium gin.

 Commenting on the new listing with Aldi Ireland, founder of Copeland Spirits, Gareth Irvine said: “Our range aims to provide the consumer with gins that excite but it’s us who are the most-excited at the minute. To be listed in Aldi Ireland, after such a short time in business is both a testament to our unique offering and the quality of NI produce.

 “It’s incredible to represent the local gin scene across Aldi Ireland’s stores and share a taste of Northern Ireland with consumers. Our gin is more than just a gin, it’s a bottling of Northern Ireland’s great outdoors and a celebration of our local produce and skilful farmers.

 “Copeland Spirits began as a crowdfunding campaign and now we’re a local a crowd favourite. It’s both rewarding and motivating to experience the level of support we have from the Northern Ireland consumer and we look forward to continuing to surprise and excite with further new listings, new flavours and more.”

Food NI member Abernethy Butter, a multi-award-winning producer of handcrafted butter, is now supplying the five-star Claridge’s Hotel in London.

Based at Dromara in rural county Down, Abernethy has won business with the prestigious hotel in London’s Mayfair for its creamy handmade butter crafted from fresh cream sourced from a local grass-fed dairy herd.

Established by husband and wife team Will and Allison Abernethy in 2005, the small company is now among Northern Ireland’s most successful artisan producers.

Abernethy is also helping to drive interest in real butter in Britain, the company’s primary market outside Northern Ireland and one in which it is now experiencing significant growth.

Allison Abernethy, commenting on the company’s latest success in Britain, says: “We were delighted to receive the order for our original butter from such a prestigious and globally respected hospitality business as Claridge’s Hotel in London. It was a marvellous boost.

“Winning business from Claridge’s, one of the world’s best hotels, is hugely important for us in Britain. It moves our business to another level in a market in which we’ve also been honoured by endorsements from leading chefs such as Heston Blumenthal and Marcus Wareing,” adds Mrs Abernethy.

Abernethy Butter products, which now include smoked butter and dulse (Irish seaweed) and sea salt butter have also been praised by broadcasters Nigella Lawson and James Martin.

Will Abernethy, a former farmer, makes and rolls the fresh butter by hand. The products have won a series of Great Taste Awards for quality, outstanding taste and provenance.

Claridge’s, an art deco icon and a byword for timeless elegance, has been at the heart of hospitality excellence in London since the 1850s.

Favoured by royals, Claridge’s has almost 200 classy rooms and features the Michelin star Fera restaurant run by Simon Rogan

The Qrendi Potato Festival is a twinning project with Comber Earlies Potato festival. The Festival was held on Sunday the 27th of May in Qrendi, Malta’s potato harvest capital.

Now in its seventh year, the festival is popular among tourists and locals alike, offering visitors the opportunity to re-discover the rural aspect of the Maltese Islands.

The Festival is a wonderful event for the whole family which will enable visitors to savour potato-based traditional gourmet dishes, as well as the ever popular potato cinnamon ice-cream and potato cocktail.