International gold medal award winner Mac Ivors Cider Co is announcing that its three ciders are now being stocked in 17 Marks & Spencer stores across Northern Ireland.

Mac Ivor Cider Co’s Traditional Dry Cider, Medium Cider and Plum & Ginger are now listed so cider drinkers can enjoy a great tasting craft experience from their local M&S store.

M&S consumers can now take their food and drink adventure one step further as they will be able to buy ciders made with fruit nurtured in the heart of County Armagh – Ireland’s apple capital.

Making the announcement, Greg MacNeice, a fifth generation apple grower, said: “We work very hard to produce great tasting ciders which capture the flavour and aroma of the juicy apples we grow. It’s an honour for our range of ciders to be chosen by M&S and we are delighted to be part of their food and drink story.

“Our Traditional Dry Cider is an elegant blend of over 10 different apple varieties inspired by the aromatic ciders of Northern France. Our crisp Armagh Bramley apples balance the fragrant flavours of traditional dessert apples and bittersweet cider apples for a deep, dry cider taste.
“Our light, fresh and fruity Medium Cider is a lively blend. With the focus on the modern dessert apple varieties this cider delivers a mouth watering and easy drinking refreshment while staying true to our belief that cider should taste of real apples.

“Our luscious Plum and Ginger is a subtle blend of our Medium Cider with plum and ginger juice. The plum provides a rounded, fruity flavour while the ginger adds a subtle amount of heat to the finish. The cider is rosé in colour with delicate bubbles which make it a perfect spring-summer tipple.”
Greg added: “Chefs up and down the country enjoy cooking with our cider, consumers love the taste of the orchards and no matter what time of the year, our ciders pair very well with the delicious range of food in M&S.
“Food and Drink in Northern Ireland is booming and everyone is embarking on food and drink adventures be that on food and drink trails and tours or cooking in our own kitchens. The story of our orchards is one which consumers want to hear all of the time so people feel part of the harvest. We are delighted M&S customers can enjoy this harvest adventure at their convenience.

Michael Wallis, beer buyer for M&S, said: “Our mission is to become not only the best craft beer retailer on the high street but to also offer more innovative local beers from smaller breweries with the convenience of buying them from your local M&S store.”

Mac Ivors Cider Co has recently been awarded three gold medals in the International Brewing and Cider Awards 2017 and will find out on April 26 at London’s Guildhall if it will be the overall Cider Champion.
Last year, the cider producers picked up a silver in Blas na hÉireann for Traditional Dry and Plum and Ginger. They were voted best Artisan producer in Armagh, joint best in Ulster and joint best in Ireland. They also picked up a Great Taste Awards for Traditional Dry and Medium ciders and got a silver medal at the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards.

Mac Ivors Cider Co’s ciders will be available in the following M&S stores in Northern Ireland. RRP is £2.50 for Traditional Dry Cider, Medium Cider and Plum and Ginger Cider and on special offer at M&S of four for the price of three.
• Abbey Centre, Belfast
• Armagh
• Ballymena
• Bangor
• Belfast City Centre
• Boucher Road, Belfast
• Bow St Mall, Lisburn
• Cookstown
• Enniskillen
• Cresent Link Derry-Londonderry
• Foyleside Shopping Centre, Derry-Londonderry
• Lisburn Road, Belfast
• Sprucefield
• Newry
• Newtownbreda
• Omagh
• Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast

Craft beer brewer Mourne Mountains Brewery has secured a deal to supply 18 Marks and Spencer (M&S) stores across Northern Ireland.

From 20th April M&S will stock the Warrenpoint-based brewery’s Great Taste award winning beer Red Trail, a red IPA.

Commenting on the deal, brewery founder Connaire McGreevy said: “We are thrilled to see Mourne Mountains Brewery on the shelves in M&S, a premium supermarket known for its high standards.

“It’s a milestone moment for us and just great recognition of the quality of the beer we’re producing. We’re so proud to be a local company, using local labour and local water from Spelga Dam. Just fresh, good quality beer that’s made by hand in small batches.

“We’re currently producing the equivalent of 250,000 bottles of beer per year to meet the demand for our core range which are sold in bars, restaurants and off licences across the country.

“We’re quietly confident that sales at M&S will go well and we’ll be able to leverage that profile to bring the brand to more outlets across NI and beyond,” he said.

Mourne Mountains Brewery was launched in 2015, producing a core range that includes Mourne Gold, a pale ale, Mourne Mist, a Pilsner, Red Trail, the red IPA, East Coast, an IPA and Big Rock, a German style wheat beer.

Red Trail red IPA won two stars at the Great Taste Awards 2016, the only beer from Northern Ireland to achieve that accolade in 2016. East Coast IPA won a silver medal at the 2016 Alltech Dublin Craft Beer Cup, the only NI beer to be recognised with an award that year.

Connaire added: “We have exciting plans to launch several more seasonal specials this year that we think will go down a treat. The beauty of being a craft brewer is that you can be creative and agile, making a little of what you fancy each time and keeping things really fresh for the consumer. That’s what I love most about what we do, craft beer, quite literally, never gets stale!”

The Ulster Farmers Union, in partnership with Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend and ASDA, has launched its 2017 schools competition.

The competition is open to all nursery, primary and special schools across Northern Ireland. This year pupils have been asked to put their creative skills to the test around the theme, ‘Eating Healthy Local Food’. ASDA have kindly agreed to sponsor the competition with a range of prizes up for grabs for the lucky winners. Joe McDonald, Asda NI Senior Manager, Corporate Affairs said: “This is a great initiative which Asda NI is proud to support. Our team of Community Champions spend a lot of time working with schools to raise awareness of the important links between farming, local produce and the food we sell in our stores. Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend offers a fantastic opportunity to bring these messages to life and we hope more schools than ever get involved.”

UFU president, Barclay Bell said: “This is an exciting opportunity for schools across Northern Ireland to further focus on not only healthy food but the seasonality of local produce. The competition is about engaging with school children – to get them thinking about farming and the hard work that goes into producing our first class food.”

Now in its sixth year Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend has gone from strength to strength. The free event provides schools with the opportunity to educate children about the ‘Farm to Fork’ journey. “This competition will give pupils a greater knowledge of the seasonality of our produce and how it is produced. It will also underline the importance of supporting local producers to benefit the rural community and wider economy in Northern Ireland. I would certainly encourage schools to consider a trip to a farm,” said Mr Bell.

He said that each year the UFU has been impressed with the number and quality of entries for the Schools Competition. “We would again encourage schools and teachers to participate, in what is a very worthwhile competition,” said Mr Bell. Entry forms have been sent to all nursery, primary and special schools. The closing date for entries is Friday 12 May 2017.

For further information visit www.ufuni.org or contact Heather Stewart at UFU HQ on 028 9037 0222 or heather@ufuhq.com.

The competition is split into four sections:

Foundation level (Nursery, P1 & P2): Decorate a healthy eating plate for a farmer using local food.
Key Stage 1 (P3 & P4): Pupils should create and design a one-course healthy menu using local food.
Key Stage 2 (P5-P7): Pupils should create and design a three-course healthy menu using local food.
Special Schools: Pupils may enter any section of the competition.
Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend will take place on Friday 16th June, Saturday 17th June and Sunday 18th June 2016. A full list of participating farms will be available from April onwards on at: www.openfarmweekend.com

Producers from across Northern Ireland in with a chance of being crowned Northern Ireland’s ‘Best’ food or drink product

George Best Belfast City Airport has announced the food and drink products from across Northern Ireland that have been shortlisted in a competition offering producers the chance to win £30,000 of marketing support and brand visibility at the airport.

Launched in partnership with Food NI and local councils in January to find the ‘Best’ local food and drink product, the prize includes £20,000 of branding on site at Belfast City Airport and £10,000 of online support through the airport’s digital channels.

The shortlist includes a wide range of products, such as Ewing’s Seafood Irish Organic Smoked Salmon, En Place Foods’ Blackberry & Hawthorn Vinegar, Pop Notch Popcorn, ShortCross Gin and Long Meadow Craft Cider.
Local councils across Northern Ireland judged the entries and put forward their shortlisted products. These are now featured on the airport’s Facebook page and the product image from each council area which receives the most ‘likes’ on the airport’s Facebook page will progress to the final.

The final will take the form of a tasting session judged by a panel of food and drink experts.
Katy Best, Commercial and Marketing Director at Belfast City Airport, said:
“We would like to congratulate those producers who have been selected to progress to the next stage of the competition. The standard of entries received has been fantastic and we were delighted with the response from producers across Northern Ireland.

“With 2.67 million passengers from all over the world travelling through the airport each year, the winning producer will be exposed to a fantastic level of footfall and visibility.
“We would like to wish all producers well in next stage of the competition, and look forward to the final tasting session when we will announce the producer that will benefit from the staggering prize of £30,000 free marketing support and brand visibility at Belfast City Airport.”

The £20,000 of free advertising on offer at the airport will be on a number of formats within the terminal, while the £10,000 of digital support will include activities such as email solus campaigns and social media take overs.
Michele Shirlow, CEO of Food NI, commented:
“The calibre of the entries is outstanding and highlights the excellence of producers in Northern Ireland, whose innovation is driving the success of our local hospitality sector.
“We would love the public to show their support by visiting Belfast City Airport Facebook page and ‘liking’ their favourite product to ensure they secure a place in the final.
“It’s so fantastic to see the legacy of NI Year of Food and Drink continuing in 2017, and it is our aim to ensure Northern Ireland grows its reputation as a global food destination where visitors can taste the greatness.”

The full list of shortlisted products is:
• Mash Direct – Champ
• Echlinville Distillery Ltd – Irish Single Estate Pot Still Gin
• Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt Co – Greek Style Yoghurt
• Long Meadow Craft Cider
• Mac Ivor’s Cider Co – Medium Cider
• Graham’s Bakery – Irish Cookies
• Ewing’s Seafood – Irish Organic Smoked Salmon
• Jawbox Spirits Co Ltd – Jawbox Gin
• Melting Pot Fudge
• Morelli’s Ice Cream – Double Cream Vanilla Ice Cream
• Broighter Gold – Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil
• Glens of Antrim Craft Ale and Beers – Rathlin Red
• Boatyard Distillery – The Boatyard Double Gin
• Cavanagh Free Range Eggs Ltd – Free Range Eggs
• O’Doherty’s Fine Meats – Fermanagh Black Bacon
• Abernethy Butter Company – Abernethy Butter
• Brambleberry Jams – Sea Salted Caramel Sauce
• Hughes Craft Distillery Ltd – RubyBlue Potato Vodka
• Mauds Ice Creams Ltd – Poor Bear’s Delight
• Glenarm Castle Estate – Himalayan Salt Aged Glenarm Shorthorn Beef
• Gracehill Fine Foods – Black Pudding
• En Place Foods – Blackberry & Hawthorn Vinegar
• Lough Neagh Fishermen’s Co-operative Society – Smoked Lough Neagh Eel
• Pop Notch – Salted Caramel Popcorn
• Walled City Brewery – 1689
• Donnybrewer Butter
• William Orr & Son – Comber Earlies
• Rademon Estate Distillery – ShortCross Gin
• Finnebrogue Artisan – The Good Little Company Sausages

For more information on the competition, please visit www.belfastcityairport.com/foodni
George Best Belfast City Airport can also be found on Facebook (George Best Belfast City Airport) and Twitter (@BelfastCity_Air).

I had the opportunity recently to help in compiling the shortlist of potential winners of a remarkable competition organised by George Best Belfast City Airport along with the airport’s Katy Best. And what an impressive shortlist it turned out to be of local companies seeking to win £30,000 of marketing support at Belfast City.

We worked closely with local councils to generate interest in what is surely one of the most valuable marketing opportunities ever offered to food and drink producers here. It’s certainly a competition worth winning.

The fact that we were able to shortlist 30 excellent companies is a measure of the popularity of the competition and the high level of interest from a very broad range of companies here. The companies are bidding for a £30,000 marketing prize offered by the airport. The winner will be showcased around the airport and in its social media activity. It’s a tremendous opportunity to create awareness among almost three million passengers annually from around the world especially Great Britain, a priority market for Food NI. The winning producer will clearly have a tremendous profile that should surely boost sales.

The shortlisted products will feature on the airports Facebook page (George Best Belfast City Airport) for people here to nominate their favourites. The 10 most popular entrants then progress to the final where they will be subjected to a rigorous tasting session by a panel of food and drink experts including Master Chef Judge Charles Campion. Each of the 30 shortlisted are highly deserving of the prize.

Award competitions such as the airport’s initiative are hugely important in terms of the opportunity provided to smaller companies in particular to raise awareness about their business and products among consumers.

Growing awareness of the quality of food and drink now readily available here is among the most important objectives in Taste the Greatness, Food NI’s strategic action plan for the next five years.

Greater awareness, we believe, contributes to increasing sales and the development here of a vibrant local market for our food and drink. Success in competitions also has an impact on retailers and foodservice organisations which are always keen to consider new and different taste experiences.

We’ve been encouraged, furthermore, by the news that more local companies than ever before have been shortlisted in the influential Delicious magazine’s Food Producer Awards. Delicious is among the most influential publication’s in Britain with foodies.

The shortlisted companies will be considered along with others from elsewhere in the UK for the top award. Northern Ireland’s shortlisted companies will feature strongly on the magazine’s website.

Delicious magazine, I understand, is also planning a digital ‘DeliShops” marketing platform for companies to promote themselves and win business. Delicious has extensive traffic – more than one million – on its existing website, without an ecommerce offer.

There are no set up fees, so companies chosen pay commission only when they sell something. The magazine is particularly keen to attract a significant Northern Ireland presence on the new site.

Another important competition which companies here should consider is the Irish Quality Food Awards, an event that has an influence on retailers especially in the Republic of Ireland. The deadline for entries is 31st May. Check out www.irishqualityfoodawards.com

Smoking hot culinary technique ignites NI taste buds

A new gastronomic experience has arrived in Northern Ireland with the reopening of Parson’s Nose, bringing exciting new smoking hot flavours, textures and aromas to the award-winning Hillsborough dining pub.

The family favourite gastro-pub reopened its doors in March with a significant £500,000 redevelopment that includes an internationally sourced wood-fired oven that is already proving a hit with diners from across Northern Ireland.

The wood-fired oven is a centre piece in the enticing new menu that includes a range of foods cooked by Parson’s award-winning chefs.

Infusing traditional artisan tastes of Northern Ireland with a flavour of internationally renowned ingredients, the new menu additions include slow fermented sour dough pizzas and delicious wood-fired fish. The authentic pizzas include carefully chosen locally sourced ingredients from Peter Hannan’s guanciale to Toons Bridge mozzarella.

The dining pub’s highly talented team have spent nearly 18 months planning the refurbishment. Managing Director Ronan Sweeney and his team of chefs led by Chef Danny Millar have painstakingly researched culinary methods, equipment and the perfect ingredients to honour the exacting and classic traditions of wood-fired cooking.

Complementing the extensive new menu is a stunning new interior and a substantial bright extension at Parsons, serving up for the first time al fresco dinning overlooking the stunning Hillsborough Castle Lake.

The considerable redesign has built on The Parson’s Nose distinctive character and rich local heritage, led by commercial interior architect, Paul Haffey, well-known for providing stand-out design solutions in the hospitality industry.

Since opening in 2009, the Hillsborough dining pub has won multiple awards for its take on popular classics which remain at the core of the menu alongside delicious new arrivals that are proving particularly popular with families.

New lighter additions to Parson’s menu include the carefully crafted ‘Parson’s Super Salad’ consisting of wood-fired cauliflower, pickled carrot, caper and raison, quinoa and spiced yoghurt dressing. Also to create light high-quality sourdough, the unique and well-researched bread making technique enables a simple natural reaction between flour and water over 72 hours.

Ronan Sweeney, Balloo Inns Managing Director and owner of The Parson’s Nose, said: “We are thrilled to open the doors to the redeveloped Parson’s Nose and share our new chapter with customers. The restaurant still has its relaxed, cosy, Georgian pub atmosphere but we have built on this and also added a lighter, more open feel towards the back of the premises accentuating the beautiful Hillsborough surroundings. We are also excited about the diverse new menu which still includes the traditional classic dishes we are well known for alongside new additions that we hope will offer a more rounded experience for diners and families.

“The feedback from customers so far has been excellent, with the new menu proving popular across the generations. We would like to thank our talented and motivated strong-team for all their hard work and contribution, but also a warm welcome to the new team members.”

The Parson’s Nose has gone from strength to strength, enabling the significant investment this year. All three establishments in the Balloo Inns group, which includes Balloo House in Killinchy and Poacher’s Pocket, Lisbane, continue to grow steadily and endure critical acclaim, with all three retaining their spot in the prestigious Michelin ‘Eating Out In Pubs’ Guide 2017.

Food is served daily at The Parson’s Nose from noon – 9.30pm, with later dining on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information call 028 9268 3009.