The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Lilian Seenoi Barr and Michael Henderson, NI Food To Go Association pictured at the Guildhall, Derry on Tuesday morning cutting the ribbon to officially open the NI Food To Go Roadshow. Included from left are Stella Graham, Foodovation, Danielle McNally, DCSDC, Hannah Ramraj, Legenderry Food, Anna Doherty, Londonderry Chamber and Emma Armstrong, Henderson Foodservice.

The highly anticipated NI Food To Go Roadshow took place this week at the historic Guildhall in Derry. This dynamic and informative event showcased the latest innovations, trends, and opportunities in Northern Ireland’s ever-evolving food to go sector.

Industry leaders, business owners, and food enthusiasts from across the region gathered to gain insight into this fast-growing market and connect with key players in the food industry.

Organised by the NI Food To Go Association, the roadshow brought together a vibrant community of suppliers, retailers, and food service operators, creating a platform for networking, education, and the exploration of new business opportunities. With the UK food to go market valued at approximately £21 billion, the event highlighted Northern Ireland’s potential to continue thriving in this rapidly expanding sector.

Speaking at the event, Michael Henderson, CEO of the NI Food To Go Association, said:
“We are thrilled with the success of this year’s roadshow. The enthusiasm from both the exhibitors and attendees demonstrates how vital the food to go sector is to Northern Ireland’s economy. As consumers continue to demand the latest in convenient food options and modern-day technologies, events like these are crucial in helping our local businesses unite, support one another, and grow, ensuring they stay ahead of the curve.”

Sponsored by Go Succeed, Derry City and Strabane District Council, Londonderry Chamber of Commerce and Henderson Foodservice, the roadshow also provided an opportunity for local businesses to connect, collaborate, and form valuable partnerships, paving the way for possible future collaborations.

The NI Food To Go Roadshow is expected to return in the coming years, offering even more opportunities for businesses to grow and adapt in this thriving market.

For more information on the event and future roadshows, please visit www.nifoodtogo.co.uk.

Several Food NI Producer Members have taken prizes at the 2024 IQFDA (Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards). The announcements were made at an event at Dublin’s Mansion on Tuesday 10^th September, 2024.

Morelli’s for Dunnes Simply Better Caramelised Hazelnut Ice Cream and Simply Better Irish Made Butterscotch won Joint Gold in the Ice Cream and Ice Lollies Sector awards, whilst Glastry took Silver for Mango and Passionfruit Sorbet.

Blackfire Foods x En Place Ghost Pepper and Black Lime Ketchup, and Marshall Beekeeping’s Northern Irish Hot Honey both took home Silver within the Condiments category, whilst Irish Black Butter won Gold.

In crisps, Glens of Antrim took both Bronze, for the Dunnes Stores Simply Better Hand Cooked Crinkle Cut Whiskey Smoked Bacon Crisps, and Silver, for the Dunnes Stores Simply Better Hand Cooked Crinkle Cut Pickled Onion Crisps.

In Food to Go, Deli Lites received Bronze for Peshwari Chicken Flatbread, Silver for the Cinnabun Cake.

The Daily Apron’s Charcoal Sourdough achieved Gold in the Loaves Category and Mash Direct’s Potato Croquettes are shortlisted in Meal Accompaniments.

Golden Popcorn took home Bronze, for their Lidl Deluxe Flavoured Irish Atlantic Sea Salt Popcorn, in the Savoury Snacks category, and Green Fingers Family were awarded Silver for their Lemon & Turmeric Energy Balls in the Free From Gluten group.

Slim’s Healthy Kitchen have succeeded in achieving three Gold Awards; Chinese Style Chicken Curry, Korean Style Chicken with Jasmine Rice and Soy and Ginger Chicken with Hoisin Noodles.

Moocha Kombucha’s Cola Flavour won Gold in the Carbonated Soft Drinks section.

Crawford’s Rock took Silver for their Dandelion Honey, and Gold for the Seaweed Salt. In Yogurt, Clandeboye Estate’s Apple and Cinnamon Crumble Greek Style won Gold.

Finally, in drinks (Low/No Alcohol), Jackson Roze Extra Strength Ginger Wine took home Silver.

Congratulations to all!

Retailer’s first store in South Belfast will bolster the local job market, adding an additional 40 permanent jobs to a regional 1,300 strong Lidl workforce.

Local politicians, middle-aisle bargain hunters, and Rhys McClenaghan fans flocked to the opening of Lidl Northern Ireland’s new Boucher Road store today, as the Olympic gymnast was joined by Belfast Lord Mayor Micky Murray for the ribbon cutting at Lidl Northern Ireland’s first South Belfast store.

Lidl Northern Ireland Sport for Good ambassador Rhys McClenaghan, who made history at the 2024 Olympics as the first ever gymnast from the island of Ireland to win gold, welcomed local shoppers to the new flagship store when it opened at 8am this morning.

The retailer also celebrated the new store opening by donating £1,000 in store vouchers to two local charities, Barnados NI and Belfast & Lisburn Women’s Aid.

The opening of the new Boucher Road store – which is the tenth Lidl store in the Greater Belfast area – reflects its plans to expand the Lidl footprint in Northern Ireland and provide more people with access to its ‘Go Full Lidl’ brand proposition for the first time.

The new, state-of-the-art, £7m ‘concept’ store will bolster the local job market, adding an additional 40 permanent jobs to a regional 1,300 strong Lidl workforce.  

 Positioned to the front of the National Football Stadium and Olympia Leisure Centre, the refurbished site includes an adjacent 148-space customer car park, complete with EV charging stations, redeveloping derelict land in an iconic Belfast location. 

Developed in line with Lidl Northern Ireland’s modern, ‘concept’ design and industry-leading sustainability standards, the new store also incorporates energy efficient features including roof solar panelling, reflecting Lidl Northern Ireland’s commitment to sustainability. The modern fit-out provides a premier shopping experience for customers, with wide aisles, an in-store bakery, longer till points and enhanced restrooms and employee facilities.

Speaking at the opening of the new store this morning, Lidl Northern Ireland Managing Director Ivan Ryan said:

“We are absolutely thrilled to officially open our new Boucher Road store and to bring Lidl to South Belfast for the first time. This has been a highly anticipated project and we knew we would have a lot of interest in the new store, but we’ve been blown away by the number of customers visiting us this morning, and the positive response from both new and existing Lidl shoppers.

The opening of Boucher Road – our 42nd store in the region – reflects our commitment to creating new jobs and investment across the region. Realising this new store has been a priority for Lidl Northern Ireland and I’d like to thank local residents and businesses for their ongoing support and for the warm welcome they have given us this morning.”

Lidl Northern Ireland ‘Sport for Good’ ambassador Rhys McClenaghan said:

“It’s been an incredible morning, meeting the crowds of people who have come along to join us in celebrating the opening of the first Lidl store in South Belfast.

“As Lidl Northern Ireland has supported me along my journey to Olympic success, I am proud to be here supporting the Boucher Road team this morning, as they welcome new and existing shoppers to this impressive new store.”

Following successful opening day celebrations this morning, Lidl Northern Ireland is inviting shoppers to enjoy a weekend of family-friendly activities at Boucher Road store this weekend, 14^th and 15^th September. Families can enjoy face painting, arts and crafts stations, archery, a petting farm and performances by the South Belfast Rock Choir.

Established in 1999 when it opened its first store in Cookstown, Lidl Northern Ireland marks 25 years in the region this year. It now holds a 9.2 percent market share in Northern Ireland, according to retail information analysts Kantar.

For more information visit www.lidl-ni.co.uk

Protein-packed bakes, mouth-watering sauces and orchard-inspired drinks range amongst products available, while stocks last

Thirty artisan products from 12 local producers participating in Lidl Northern Ireland’s Kickstart Supplier Development Programme will land on shelves in Lidl’s 42 stores across the region from Thursday 19^th September.    

Available for a limited time, while stocks last, the new product selection forms part of a wider range of more than 100 Kickstart products to be stocked in Lidl’s 222 stores across the island of Ireland, and includes a variety of sustainable products, health-conscious options and restaurant-quality food products to try at home.  

From Strangford Coffee and SLICED’s delicious Oatco Overnight Oats to start the day the right way, to teatime treats including Cloughbane Farm Shop Meals, Mrs K Global’s Diggity Sausages and Lecale Harvest Slow Cooked Confit, the new Kickstart lineup has something for everyone.

Among the range is a selection of mouth-watering sauces and condiments, including Blackfires Hot Sauces and Lecale Harvest’s Smoked Sundried Tomato Tapenade.

In a showcase of Northern Ireland’s prized apple orchards, the Kickstart lineup also features Longmeadow Irish Craft Cider, Armagh Cider Company’s Spiced Apple Punch, and Symphonia Irish Apple Gin from Woodlab Distillery in Co Tyrone.

Lidl’s focus on promoting healthy lifestyles and supporting families to eat better and more sustainably for less, is also in focus within this year’s Kickstart mix. Fitness-focused customers in particular will love the selection of protein packed products, including Bertie’s Bakery’s Bertie’s Protein Rolls and Brioche Muffins and Rosie’s Banks Nutrilean Protein Pancakes, as well as natural, gluten-free, plant-based Energy Balls from Co Antrim’s Green Fingers Family.

Speaking as the Kickstart products hit Lidl’s shelves, Kate O’Driscoll, Supplier Development Manager at Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland said: “It is a very exciting and proud day for our Kickstart suppliers in Northern Ireland as they see their products land on Lidl shelves in our 42 stores across the region, with many being stocked right across our full network of 223 stores on the island of Ireland.

“This is the culmination of six months of hard work, collaborating with our in-house experts and receiving practical guidance on how to scale production and drive production efficiency, as well as product development, branding and packaging support, allowing these suppliers to optimise this opportunity and scale for success.

“Now, our producers get the chance to see their products on Lidl’s shelves and reach over 2 million weekly customers across the island of Ireland, which provides a real foot up in breaking into the competitive supermarket retail sector. We’re looking forward to seeing our customers’ response to these new innovative products.”

Lidl Northern Ireland is committed to supporting local producers and, alongside its established network of over 60 suppliers, the retailer’s Kickstart Supplier Development Programme exists to develop small and medium sized producers right across the region. Since launching in 2018, Lidl Northern Ireland has showcased over 50 innovative home-grown products through its Kickstart initiative.

Esther Paul, Business Development Manager at Armagh Cider Company Ltd, a family run business involved in the programme, said:“Gaining a place on Lidl’s Kickstart programme has been a great boost for our business. Not only were the seminars and expert-led mentoring sessions insightful for our business as we seek to grow into new product lines and markets, but the fact that our products will be available to such a huge Lidl shopper base across the island of Ireland is where we will see the biggest uplift.

“By getting our brand and products out there, we hope to drive sales significantly in order to further invest this into improving sustainable farming practices at our orchards and to expand into new product lines.

“We’re also firmly focused on growing our business to export, and that’s where we really see the value of our involvement with Lidl Northern Ireland. Having the ability to supply a major local supermarket with an international network of stores is incredibly exciting and I look forward to seeing what opportunities this could bring us in the future.”

The Lidl Kickstart Supplier Development Programme is just one of the many ways in which the retailer supports the local economy. In 2023, Lidl Northern Ireland significantly boosted the local agri-food industry, procuring £455 million across the region, representing a 30% rise, year on year. Of this, 80% percent of the goods are shipped outside Northern Ireland, using Lidl’s expansive international store network.

As it marked its 25^th anniversary in the region earlier this year, a major economic report revealed that Lidl Northern Ireland contributed a record £360 million into the local economy in 2023 – doubling its annual economic contribution over the past five years – and supported almost 7,000 jobs right across the region.

Now in its seventh year, Lidl Northern Ireland’s Kickstart programme is backed by the Northern Ireland Food & Drink Association (NIFDA) and aims to support small and medium-sized local producers to boost their brand, enhance their supply and reach new customer audiences. For more information, visit lidl-ni.co.uk/kickstart

Applications to trade at this year’s Enchanted Winter Garden can be found here: https://forms.gle/aLwKzQurU7fSpy1s6

Please read all information before submitting your application.

Closing date for entries is Thursday 26th September.

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Food experts in Britain this week named an Italian classic dish from Hannan
Meats in Moira as probably the best food in Northern Ireland.
Final stage judges in the prestigious UK Great Taste Awards, a global
competition to find and celebrate the world’s best food, named a new version of
porchetta, an stuffed pork dish from Rome, as the Regional Fork winner for
Northern Ireland.
The prestigious award was given to Peter Hannan, founder and managing
director of the steak, pork and lamb processing business outside Moira, at the
finals of the influential global awards in London’s Battersea Arts Centre.
Great Taste is the world’s largest food and drink award scheme. The awards
are judged by over 500 experts. More than 300 food and drink specialists and
companies attended the spectacular dinner on Tuesday night at which the
awards were announced.
Peter Hannan, commenting on the latest Great Taste Award, says: “We are
absolutely thrilled to win another major Great Taste Award from some of the
most discerning judges in the global food industry.
“Our unique reworking of porchetta is another successful example of our
approach to creating different and exciting tastes for our customers in Northern
Ireland, Great Britain, the Irish Republic and further afield by revising an old
favourite from Ital,.” he adds.
Peter’s version of porchetta is a boneless stuffed pork cut from a whole roast
pig that’s most closely association with Rome and is considered a dish for
celebrations.
A Food NI director, Peter has created a host of original food products which
have won acclaim from Great Taste judges. He has won the coveted Supreme
Champion title twice.
Hannan Meats is among the most ‘decorated’ meat processors in the UK Great
Taste Awards, the World Steak Challenge and also the Blas na hEireann Irish
National Awards, the finals of which will be held in Dingle, Co Kerry early next
month.
The company also supplies meats to over 400 of the UK, Ireland and Europe’s
leading restaurants and retailers including the iconic Fortnum and Mason
acclaimed food hall in London.

Images
Winner: Peter Hannan of Hannan Meats in Moira is the Great Taste
Northern Ireland Fork winner.
Success: Peter Hannan’s porchetta is Northern Ireland’s best food in 2024