Family-owned Davison’s Canners, a Food NI member, which specialises in hot
desserts for retail and food services both chilled and frozen, is expanding with
support from HSBC UK. The company will use the funding to refurbish an existing
unit on site and to purchase a new automated process and packing line.
The new 50,000 sq ft facility, outside Portadown, will enable the company to begin
producing new ‘ready to eat’ desserts for retail customers in Ireland and Great
Britain, such as individual cheesecakes, premium trifles, glass potted and high-
protein desserts.
The upgraded facility will also include a fully integrated robotic system to automate
the packing process. This will enable the company to enhance the skills of its
existing 118 employees in automated procedures, while also paving the way for an
expansion in its workforce in the forthcoming years.
Alan Davison, managing director at Davison’s, said: “This is a very exciting time for
Davison’s as we significantly increase our capacity to manufacture puddings and
expand our offering. We’ve worked with HSBC UK for around 15 years now and it
continues to provide us with excellent support and advice.”
Rory Clarke, Relationship Director at HSBC UK, added: “The food industry is a core
focus for HSBC UK, and this is a great opportunity for Davison’s to expand its
product range and boost their revenue. Its brilliant to see a family-run business go
from strength to strength.”
The £6 million in funding from HSBC UK will partially fund the capital investment to
support the Ready to eat dessert project. Having been approached by a long-
standing customer within retail requesting a range of ready to eat and food to go
desserts, Davison’s has forecasted an 80 percent increase in revenue over the next
four years.

Several Food NI members have been successful at the Great British Food Awards.
The regional winner for Northern Ireland was Burren Balsamics which also won Gold
with their Burren Balsamics’ Whiskey Cask-Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and
Double Bronze for Blackberry and Thyme Infused Balsamic Pearls and Blood
Orange and Cardamom infused White Condiment.
There was another Gold prize for Craic Foods’ Black Garlic Miso
Silver awards were given to Marshall Beekeeping for their Northern Irish Honey,
Irish Black Butter and The Krazibaker Shortbread Biscuits
Ballylisk of Armagh’s The Triple Rose took Bronze in the Cheese category while
Crawford’s Rock Loaded Fries Seasoning was given a Bronze award. There was
another Bronze for Granny Shaw’s Crumbly Salted Caramel Fudge and a Bronze for
Jackson Roze’s Ginger Wine with Clove.
Congratulations to all.

A unique culinary vinegar from Burren Balsamics, a Food NI member, matured in
Bushmills Irish Whiskey casks has won a prestigious Great British Food Award that
celebrates the country’s finest home-grown ingredients.

Based at Richhill in Co Armagh, Burren Balsamics gained the award Northern
Ireland’s best product for its unique Balsamic Vinegar of Modena in collaboration
with Bushmills.
‘We’re thrilled to win this award with Bushmills,” says Burren founder and managing
director Susie Hamilton Stubber: “It was a huge privilege to work with the world’s
oldest Irish whiskey, and we are so proud of how this Balsamic infusion turned out.
We were keen to work with Bushmills because it’s such a marvellous whiskey and
iconic Northern Ireland product

“At Burren Balsamics, our ethos centres on handcrafted Irish flavour and innovation.
We love to champion Ireland’s unbeatable produce, as we carefully infuse small-
batch balsamic vinegar with local ingredients,” says Susie, who runs the pioneering
Armagh business with chef Bob McDonald.
Formed in 2014, Burren carefully crafts premium pantry products using the finest
local ingredients. “All our products are thoughtfully infused with premium flavour,
artisan expertise and local Irish Ingredients.
Other Food NI member winners included: CRAIC Foods, Craigavon gold for Black
Garlic Miso; Krazibaker, Dromore silver for Shortbread Biscuits; Marshall’s
Beekeeping, Loughgall for Honey; Ballylisk Cheese, Portadown bronze for Triple
Rose cheese; Granny Shaw’s bronze for Crumbly Fudge; Crawford’s Rock, Kilkeel
bronze for Garlic Sea Salt; and Jackson Roze, Tandragee bronze for Ginger Wine
with Clove.

The popular awards were launched in 2014 to celebrate the country’s finest artisanal
produce, as well as the hard-working people behind the scenes.
The high profile judging panel, each wielding a hefty influence in the realm of British
food and drink, included celebrity chefs Raymond Blanc, Michel Roux Jr and Shaun
Rankin.

FoodNI member Moocha Kombucha is celebrating this week as it announces a major deal with UK retailer Tesco to stock its Moocha Kombucha range across all Tesco stores in Northern Ireland from this week.
The multi-award-winning probiotic drink which is made using the highest quality organic ingredients is packed with probiotics and antioxidants, supporting good digestive health and wellbeing, and comes in a range of flavours launched in Tesco as part of its healthy food and drinks selection last Friday. Tesco NI stores will now offer three flavours of Moocha Kombucha for sale province wide, as part of its lunch and food to go ‘meal deals’, including Elderflower and Lemon, Peach & Turmeric and Mixed Berry in 250ml cans, all containing over 3 billion live cultures per can!
Founded in 2020 by Benburb native Bronagh Quail, Moocha Kombucha, an organic certified kombucha using only certified organic ingredients, was created after Bronagh saw an opening for a healthy tea-based drink which was good for gut and overall health and wellbeing.
On her travels to Australia in 2009, Bronagh became unwell, mainly as a result of travelling on a shoestring, and not eating well enough (in her own words) resulting in illness. A visit to a natural herbalist introduced Bronagh to her first kombucha and herbal drinks, and on returning to Ireland and working for nearly a decade in design, Bronagh revisited the moment her life changed and decided to try her hand in drinks and create her first SCOBY (symbiotic Culture of bacteria and yeast) to create her new Kombucha drinks.
It is fair to say it has been a really healthy decision for her and her business ever since. Since starting the kombucha at her kitchen table in Benburb and attending farmers markets across the province, Bronagh has now grown Moocha Kombucha into over 140 retail, cafes, delis and local health shops, and now retailing in all Tesco stores here in Northern Ireland.
Commenting on the partnership with Tesco Northern Ireland, Bronagh said; “I am so excited by this partnership with Tesco and Moocha Kombucha. As a small family run company it is a real moment of pride to see my drinks range on the shelves in Tesco as part of everyday ‘food to go’ meal deals and drinks for sale.
This is the first time Tesco NI have incorporated a kombucha into food to go, which makes me even more thrilled to be part of this with Moocha Kombucha. It fits in perfectly with Tesco’s focus on healthy food and drinks, and I am sure the three flavours of organic Elderflower and Lemon, Peach & Turmeric and Mixed Berry will be big hit with customers. Each can is bursting with flavour and over three billion live cultures, making it the perfect drink to incorporate into daily routines for people on the go.”
Welcoming Moocha Kombucha to its stores as part of its ‘food to go range’, David Thompson, Buyer from Tesco Northern Ireland, added; “I am delighted to help launch Moocha Kombucha into Tesco NI. Bronagh and the team have worked tirelessly to perfect a delicious, award-winning, NI Based drink. It’s a pleasure to be able to work with them and be part of their journey.”
Last month, Moocha Kombucha won the Gold Award for drinks presse at this year’s Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards hot on the heels of having received the Micro Business of the Year at the Northern Ireland Food & Drink Awards in spring 2024.

This week over 50 renowned artisans gathered together in Ballycastle for the 3 rd International
Reunion of the Économusée network. The artisans came from Canada, Norway, The Faroe Islands,
and both parts of Ireland.
Previous reunions had been held in Quebec City in Canada and Bergen in Norway. Ballycastle was
chosen as the venue for the 3 rd gathering as it is central to the greatest local concentration of
Économusée workshops anywhere.
The Économusée network was established in Quebec over 30 years ago. Its purpose is to help
artisans learn from each other, to demonstrate their skills and to promote their businesses by adding
a tourism element. Visitors can watch artisans at work in situ and participate in workshops.
Carl Éric Guertin, Executive Director of the Économusée Network Society commented:
“We are delighted to bring together our members from four countries for this 3rd
International Conference of the ÉCONOMUSÉE® Network Society in Northern Ireland. After a
long period without in-person meetings, with the last international gathering held in 2017,
this conference offers a unique opportunity to strengthen our ties, share our experiences,
and build strong business collaborations for the future. The cultural and artisanal diversity
that defines us is our strength, and it is through collaboration that we will continue to
promote and preserve this expertise for future generations.”

Graham Thompson, Director of Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust commented:
“It is wonderful to see so many skilled artisans coming here to share their own experiences
and learn from our own very skilled operators. The artisans have had the chance to meet
with or visit all our 11 workshops as well as experience much of our local culture.
We hope that this visit can act as a springboard to increase knowledge about this important
network, here in the Causeway Coast and Glens and further afield. We also hope that this
can act as a catalyst to expand the network here in the coming years supporting more of our
skilled operators and building on an important element of our tourist offer.”
Over the 4-day visit the Artisans experienced a walking tour in Belfast, visited the Giant’s Causeway
and Dark Hedges and enjoyed performances by The Causeway Shantymen and Storyteller Janice
Weatherspoon.
They met with and visited every member of the network in Northern Ireland: Audrey Kyle
Watercolours and Gobbins Crafts on Island Magee; Steensons Jewellers in Glenarm; Hot Milk Forge
in Martinstown; Ursa Minor, Broughgammon Farm and the North Coast Smokehouse around
Ballycastle, Fidela Coffee Roasters in Coleraine; The Chocolate Manor and Broighter Gold in the
Binevenagh area and The Creamery Can, Glarryford.

Wild Atlantic Distillery are thrilled to announce the release of their very own first Irish Whiskey: ‘The IslandMen 1921 Release’ on 21st December 2024.

This is their first offering of Irish Whiskey from their distillery based in Aghyaran, Co Tyrone, which opened in 2019 and since then have been producing award-winning Gins & Vodkas.

They will have 350 bottles maximum of this exclusive Irish Whiskey, all drawn from their inaugural Cask 001, which was produced in their distillery and laid down on the 21st December 2021 but won’t know final numbers until they disgorge the cask and bottle it on 21st December this year.

Most notably, it marks the first release of an Irish Whiskey in over 100 years in the Tyrone & Derry regions, reviving the proud history of Irish Whiskey distillation in the two counties. One hundred years after the closure of the Watt Distillery in 1921, they have proudly revived the rich tradition of Irish Whiskey making of the North West. “We are proud to continue the long history of traditional distilling in this region,” said Brian and Jim. “IslandMen Irish Whiskey represents the pinnacle of craftsmanship and celebrates the resilience, passion, and spirit of the Irish people”. Their IslandMen Irish Whiskey pays homage to the past by crafting their premium Irish Whiskey in the heart of Co. Tyrone, while raising a glass to the future.

They are eager for more releases to come as they continue to expand their brand into the Irish Whiskey Market.

A Century in the Making: Honouring the Golden Age of Irish Whiskey and a Return to Tradition

The roots of Irish Whiskey distillation run deep in this corner of the North West. By the late 18th century, this region was home to many illicit distillers, before legal distilleries emerged to transform the local whiskey industry. In 1815, Alexander Stewart established Derry’s first legal distillery, producing an impressive 85,000 gallons of malt whiskey annually. By 1836, Derry’s Irish Whiskey production grew to 350,000 gallons across its distilleries, with global recognition following soon after.

In 1839, David Watt took full ownership of the Abbey Street distillery, Ireland’s largest at the time. Under the guidance of Aeneas Coffey, the inventor of the Coffey still, production surged to two million gallons a year. However, this golden era came to a close with the Watt Distillery’s lockout in 1921, marking the end of whiskey production in the region for over a century. Thus why they named their own Whiskey Membership as the 1921 Members Club.

About IslandMen Irish Whiskey

IslandMen Irish Whiskey is a premium whiskey that encapsulates the untamed beauty and enduring traditions of Ireland. With its inaugural release in the Tyrone & Derry regions, IslandMen is not only reviving a lost tradition but also setting a new standard for Irish Whiskey in the modern era.

For More Information

If you are interested in purchasing one of their exclusive IslandMen 1921 Irish Whiskey bottles they are asking people to register their interest by signing up via their website www.wildatlanticdistillery.ie before the 14/12/24. They will only be available to buy via this lottery, so you must register to enter (no monies are exchanged upon registration, just your email).

They encourage you to register and then follow their Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn social media pages where they will be revealing their full story of the whiskey along with videos and pictures of the exclusive bottle of their Inaugural IslandMen 1921 Release Irish Whiskey, they promise it is not to be missed!

Contact: Jim Nash

Wild Atlantic Distillery

028 9600 2525/ 075 171 03239

jim@wildatlanticdistillery.ie

www.wildatlanticdistillery.ie