Abernethy Butter, the Northern Ireland producer of gourmet handmade butter, has won business with The Ritz, the iconic hotel at the heart of London.

And the successful Northern Irish artisan business has also begun supplying its natural products to Ashford Castle in county Mayo, one of the Republic of Ireland’s most respected hotels.

Both hotels are now serving Abernethy’s award-winning salted and unsalted butter products, which have won a string of quality endorsements including UK Great Taste Awards, to guests in their restaurants.

Allison Abernethy, who runs the business with husband Will, the butter maker at Dromara in county Down, says the orders followed direct approaches from top chefs in the two five-star hotels.

“We were delighted to have been approached by the chefs about supplying two of the three butters in our range,” she says. “The Ritz in particular is among the world’s best known and most exclusive hotels. It’s great to see our salted and unsalted butter being served to guests from all over the world. Ashford Castle, located near Galway, is also one of the most popular with international tourists to Ireland.

“The new business is very exciting and is a tremendous endorsement of the consistently high quality and outstanding taste of our handmade and hand rolled butter,” Allison adds.

Formed in 2005, Abernethy Butter has developed into one of Northern Ireland’s most successful artisan businesses with top chefs such as Heston Blumenthal, Marcus Wareing and Andy McFadden among its high profile customers. It’s available in major stores such as Fortnum and Mason, Harrods and Selfridges in London and Fenwicks in Newcastle as well as delis throughout the UK.

The enterprising couple use only traditional techniques on their 66 acre Beechtree Farm, which has been in Will’s family for generations. They source cream for the butter from cows grazing in the lush green pastures of the Lagan Valley in County Antrim. All that is added to the natural butter is a pinch of salt.

Abernethy Butter was the only Northern Ireland artisan business included in the UK Food Stars initiative, which aims to strengthen the UK’s reputation internationally as a good food nation. It showcases small businesses which are driving innovation across Britain and is focused on helping the stars grow sales abroad.

A former stock trader now based in the North West has swapped her career as a high-flying investor in the financial markets to invest in her own business producing natural and nutritious traditional beef and chicken stock using local ingredients.

Carol Banahan is the first business client based in the new Foodovation Centre at North West Regional College in Derry whose high-tech facilities have enabled her to expand production of her product line, Carol’s Stock Market, which has no additives or preservatives.

Her traditionally made natural stock products sold out at the recent Slow Food Festival organised by Derry City and Strabane District Council as part of its programme of events supporting Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink 2016.

A native of Dublin, Carol enjoyed a successful career with the investment management arm of one of Canada’s largest banks before moving back to Ireland three years ago. She now lives in Greencastle, Co Donegal with her husband Neil McParland from Derry who is a therapeutic radiographer at the state-of-the-art new radiotherapy unit which is scheduled to open soon at Altnagelvin Hospital.

While she may have retired from the cut and thrust of the investment banking world and stepped away from the stock trading desk, Carol has no intention of slowing down her stock making and the Foodovation Centre under the direction of Chef Brian McDermott has become her new workplace coinciding with Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink 2016 which is celebrating its ‘Legacy and Learn To’ theme during the month of November.

Carol, who lived for many years in Toronto before spending six years in Vancouver, continued: “I had an entirely different life in Canada but had enough of that world. I had a burning desire to move back home to Ireland and do something different. I have always had a serious passion for food and nutrition and just under three years ago myself and my husband left everything behind to move back.

“With making such a massive life change I had to take some time to figure out what I wanted to do. I spent my time going to cookery school and learning nutrition. As I was in investment management all my career I wanted to have some credentials because I knew I would ultimately get into some kind of food business.

“I set up Carol’s Stock Market because I absolutely love making stock. I have made my own stock for many years and knew there was a gap in the market as I couldn’t get any natural stock anywhere; there are plenty of stock cubes on the market and other processed products. I thought long and hard about it and decided to give it a try. I started to do my own research and that took several months as well.”

Carol completed a certificate course at the Dublin Cookery School two years ago and last year she studied with the Irish Institute for Health and Nutrition in Wicklow, achieving an Advanced Diploma in Health and Nutrition Coaching. She also completed a Start Your Own Food Business course with the support of the Local Enterprise Office in Donegal in 2015.

“I made my first foray into selling my stock at Letterkenny Artisan Market last March. At that point I had gone through all the Environmental Health hoops and was able to produce it from my home kitchen. I did various markets including Harry’s in Bridgend. I ultimately realised this could have its limits as producing stock is a very long process; it is very much a Slow Food product and I decided this business won’t survive if I don’t get into a commercial grade kitchen.

“You can’t live around here and not know who Brian McDermott is and before I even knew anything about the North West Regional College I contacted Brian last April/May; we arranged to meet for a chat and I brought him some samples. I left his house that night full of optimism and excitement because he said no-one else was doing this in the North West and probably not in the whole country to any great extent. He said it was a good product and told me about the Foodovation Centre. He said I would be a really good candidate for the Centre.

“He was fantastic, he kept in touch over the summer and came to see me making the stock. He could see the passion I have as my stock is made in a very traditional way. We worked on putting a recipe together; he was so giving of his time and that really encouraged me to move forward. While waiting for the Foodovation Centre to open I was selling and delivering my stock locally through word of mouth but was very limited to how much I could produce.”

Since moving into the Foodovation Centre just over a month ago, Carol has been able to substantially upscale production in its custom built kitchen which is fitted with the latest high-tech equipment, chilling and laboratory facilities, together with product development mentoring and support.

She explained: “I do need ongoing support and there have been several other people at the College in addition to Brian who have been extremely helpful in helping turn this into a viable business rather than just a hobby in my home kitchen. It is still early stages, we are still working through certain logistics but it is going very well and the amazing support from the College has opened up a whole new market to me.”

Carol’s Stock Market – which comes in smartly designed 500mls spout pouches for easy pouring – is available in a number of local butchers and delis, with plans for expansion nationwide. As it is freshly made, the stock has a short shelf life but can be frozen without losing any of its flavour or nutritional value.

Carol continued: “I have my eye on the whole Irish market and have to spread my wings to really get the word out there. The product has so much potential, it could be a product for chefs to use in the kitchen and at demos. I am keeping a very open mind and very receptive to all sorts of ideas. Being a stock broker is a different kind of area of investment but I am a businesswoman and that comes in handy when starting your own business, even if it is a different line of work. It is very humbling for me and an absolute joy to be learning something new every day. It has been a great journey, even to this stage.”

Carol anticipates that demand for her product is likely to double as production increases. “I am ready for the next stage. I am absolutely passionate about the product but also the fact that Derry, Donegal and the whole Irish food scene in the North West is going from strength to strength. The timing for a product like this is good; people are starting to look at healthier alternatives and this has a massive health angle as it is such a healthy and healing type of product which has no salt or sugar and is gluten-free, dairy-free and syn-free.

“There is a massive amount of salt and sugar in processed stock, even in some of the organic products. There are two to three different forms of sugar in some stock cubes and sugar really has no business being in soups or stews. I source my chicken from Inishowen and my beef bones are sourced from Donegal animals. As the business grows it will always be Irish ingredients.”

Mary Blake, Tourism Development Manager at Derry City and Strabane District Council which is actively supporting Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink 2016, said she was delighted that the new Foodovation Centre was now available to assist innovative businesses like Carol’s Stock Market with product development and enable them to reach new commercial markets.

“The state-of-the-art Foodovation Centre under the expert guidance of Chef Brian McDermott and North West Regional College’s Business Support Centre team is a fantastic asset to have here in the city and we look forward to exciting developments for new and established entrepreneurs bringing their products to market,” she added.

For more information, visit www.carolsstockmarket.com or on Facebook or Twitter. You can also contact Carol or place an order by emailing her on carolsstocks@gmail.com. For details of Derry City and Strabane District Council’s programme of events supporting Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink 2016, visit www.derrystrabane.com/food

Spicy spuds from Comber, County Down achieved scorching awards success last night in London as fiery export sales won the Quality Food Award for Mash Direct. Mash Direct’s Chilli Baby Bakes showed that the judges preferred their spuds with a kick, taking home the Quality Food Award at the prestigious award ceremony in Mayfair, London.

In 2016 alone Mash Direct has exported six times as many Chilli Baby Bakes as have been sold in supermarkets at home showing both the innovation of the family farming enterprise as well as reflective our more conservative tastes here.

Sales of the Chilli Baby Bakes have more than doubled since last year for the Comber family farming business with England and Scotland rocketing up 212% since last year. Mash Direct also export their Chilli Potatoes to Dubai, selling over 18,000 dishes there this year so is the spicy food revolution due to hit these shores next?

The Quality Food Awards is an annual ceremony that celebrates and commemorates food products in the UK for their outstanding flavour and ingredients. With over 300 products being shortlisted for the awards, it was tough competition for the family-run farm based in Comber, Northern Ireland and they share their win with the likes of retail giants, Marks & Spencer and Aldi.

Jack Hamilton picked up the award in London and said “Our tastes are always changing and we have found that our Chilli Baby Bakes are a big hit in Dubai with European expats as well as Indian and Pakistani expats looking for the tastes from home with a twist. As we continue to see more world food trends here at home we are working hard in the kitchen to innovate and give shoppers the taste and variety that they want on their kitchen tables”.

Does this mean then that our taste buds in Britain are evolving to match those of our exotic cousins? It seems that we Brits prefer different ways to eat our traditional veg and Mash Direct have certainly have kicked up a fuss with their spicy spuds.

Celebrity chef, author and TV personality Simon Rimmer presented the award at the prestigious Grosvenor Hotel in Mayfair, London. The event was invaded by Stormtroopers as the half time entertainment was provided by Britain’s Got Talent stars, Boogie Storm, who wowed the crowd with their popular dance show.

Mourne Mountains Brewery, one of Northern Ireland’s most innovative young craft breweries, has announced the launch of its latest seasonal special, a whiskey and vanilla barrel-aged stout.

The release is limited edition, with just 750 bottles available and follows the resounding success of the brewery’s Chocolat Chaud and Coast to Coast specials earlier this year and 2015’s First Noel and Pumpkin Porter.

The concept for the whiskey and vanilla stout was created via a social media competition the brewery ran to coincide with brewing month during Northern Ireland’s Year of Food & Drink, where it asked amateur beer connoisseurs to suggest a new flavour.

Brewery founder Connaire McGreevy explained: “24 year old Andrew Hamilton from Derry came up with the winning flavour, and so the whiskey and vanilla stout was born.

“We invited him into the brewery back in June to create the beer under the tutelage of our experienced brewer Tom Ray, and since then it has been resting quietly in Irish whiskey casks just waiting for the right moment to be bottled.

“This beer is completely unlike anything we’ve brewed so far and we’re pretty excited to hear what people think of it. Tom and Andrew have combined specialty grains to give this export stout a jet black colour and full malty body.

“Oaky vanilla notes have developed over the last few months spent maturing in the wood, as well as a sumptuous warmth from the Irish whiskey that has passed from the oak into the beer,” he added.

The 8.2% ABV whiskey and vanilla barrel-aged stout will be available from selected off licences, bars and restaurants throughout Northern Ireland while stocks last, and will form part of the brewery’s Christmas gift pack.

“This stout is a real winter warmer and will be a great addition to the three other beers in our Christmas pack.
“With only 750 bottles brewed we’re expecting them to sell out fast so get your hands on one while you can.

“The interest in local craft beer continues to explode and we’re absolutely loving the opportunity we have to create new and innovative brews for people to try on their beer exploration journey. We have so many ideas for 2017 already, the challenge is to decide what to do first!” Connaire added.

Mourne Mountains Brewery produces three core beers that are available year-round: Mourne Mist, a pilsner, Mourne Gold, a pale ale and East Coast, an IPA.

Big Rock, a German style wheat beer and Red Trail, a red IPA, are brewed in smaller batches at intervals throughout the year.

In July 2016, Red Trail was awarded two stars at the Great Taste Awards, the only craft beer product in Northern Ireland to be given that accolade. In January 2016, East Coast won a silver medal at the international Dublin Craft Beer Cup, again the only NI craft beer brewer to win that award.

Follow Mourne Mountains Brewery on Facebook and Twitter for more news and details on where to buy.

Article written by Michele Shirlow featured in the Farm Week 10/11/2016

A key feature of the agri-food industry here its increasing commitment to innovation especially in terms of new product development. I’ve seen – and enjoyed – so many new products at Year of Food and Drink events, especially country markets, that have been held across Northern Ireland over the past year.

Our farms, as this newspaper has chronicled over the past decade in the reports from Ian Harvey, have long been a source of great innovation in sectors such as mechanical engineering, food and drink, retailing, hospitality, environmental schemes and tourism facilities. I believe that he has covered some 700 innovations in farms across the country.

The newspaper, in addition, has provided the only regular coverage of smaller food and drink enterprises here over many years. So many of the most adventurous and ambitious smaller food and drink firms began life as farm diversification projects in which farming families have invested time and other resources, taken risks, to create new businesses.

A number of our larger food companies, furthermore, are still firmly rooted in farming, the most notable being farmers’ co-operatives such as United/Dale Farm, Fane Valley, and LacPatrick/Ballyrashane. Fane Valley’s Linden Foods is at the forefront of new products for premium retailers such as Marks and Spencer. Mash Direct, now a UK leader in convenience foods, is based on the family farm and last week win the prestigious UK Manufacturing Excellence Award – a tremendous achievement. Cloughbane Farm Foods in Pomeroy has also collected a string of awards for quality and innovation.

Other major companies including Moy Park are still closely linked to farms across Northern Ireland and are pioneering exciting new products for retail multiples. These companies are also creating rewarding careers for young people in disciplines ranging from strategic marketing to IT and engineering.

It’s clear to me that the agri-food industry here has long punched above its weight and in so many areas. Agri-food is very definitely a sunrise industry, one with immense potential in both short and long terms, and not the sunset sector that some in positions of responsibility seem to think.

Innovation, of course, is recognised as being vital to enhancing economic growth, offering benefits for investing companies such improved productivity, greater efficiency and enhanced responsiveness to customer needs. Coming up with original products and processes can deliver faster turnaround times, increased value-added through improved products and greater customer exposure through enhanced marketing.

Opportunities presented by the ever-expanding global marketplace, the main theme of those who support the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, only exist if the industry is ready, willing and able to exploit them. This also demands enhanced marketing activities and greater support for smaller firms in particular. What will happen to EU-backed R&D and innovation programmes post-Brexit is uncertain. Clarification is needed as soon as practicable about the UK Treasury’s approach to such important funding for our most important manufacturing industry.

It is essential then that we continue to invest in imaginative thinking within companies, both large and small and across all sectors. Key innovation support bodies such as CAFRE, AFBI and university centres of excellence must have access to funding for novel thinking and new products being developed by companies here.

Our food and drink industry is capable of producing the quality products with taste and provenance and responding to the demands of an ever-changing marketplace, especially the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, both of which will remain crucially important post-Brexit.

– Northern Ireland dairy company demonstrates its commitment to healthier eating habits with new yogurt range

Dale Farm, Northern Ireland’s largest dairy company, has launched a new variety of yoghurts which are fat free, high in protein and have zero added sugar. The Pots of Goodness range was developed as result of growing consumer demand for products that are naturally low in sugar and calories, with added health benefits in addition to the nutritional value found in dairy.

The new Greek-style yoghurt, available as ‘Little Pots of Goodness’ (4 x 120g) and a ‘Big Pot of Goodness’ (450g), is made with real fruit and enriched with vitamin D. As part of its ‘goodness’ mission, Dale Farm has teamed up with local food and lifestyle blogger Tiffany Brien to support and promote its healthy eating products. Tiffany will use her blog for recipe creations and offer simple tips on how to boost a balanced diet with exercise.

Caroline Martin, Head of Marketing said of Dale Farm’s exciting new yogurt offering:

“At Dale Farm we create great tasting dairy products that are wholesome and nutritious. Our new yoghurt range is a great way to get a protein fix into your diet, and further demonstrates Dale Farm’s commitment to expand our lifestyle and nutrition range, following on from the success of Dale Farm Protein Milk last year.

“The yogurt range, available in two sizes, continues to support the company’s objective to grow through product innovation within the Dale Farm brand, with a focus on health benefits and natural offerings,” continued Caroline.

Dale Farm Pots of Goodness are now available in stores across Northern Ireland. The four flavoured multi-pack yoghurts come in Strawberry, Peach & Apricot, Raspberry & Blueberry and Black Cherry. There are three flavours in the large sharing pot including Strawberry, Peach & Apricot and Natural.