Eighteen Food NI member companies gained a string of top endorsements at the prestigious Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards in Dublin.

Heading the local successes was Genesis Crafty, the artisan bread and cake business, which gained at top Christmas Q Award for its Exquisite Mince Pies supplier to discounter Aldi. Genesis, a family-owned and managed business, also won the Wheaten and Soda Bread category for its Sean Brown Soda Bread produced for SuperValu and Centra.

One of Northern Ireland’s smallest companies, Camran Crafts of Carrickfergus was also named Dunnes Stores Simply Better Small Producer of the Year for its Orange, Mango and Gin Marshmallow. The company is a partnership between two friends.

The two companies were among 25 from Northern Ireland to be named among the winners and commendations in the annual celebration of the best of Irish food and drink.

Northern Ireland artisan producers swept the awards in key categories such as Cider, Ales and Porter and Liqueurs. Tempted Irish Cider, based in Lisburn, county Antrim, gained the platinum award for its recently launched Elderflower Cider.

There were other major awards for McCann’s Ciders in Portadown and Farmageddon, a brewery co-operative from Comber, county Down gained a platinum award for its Pale Ale and good for its Irish Export Porter. Niche Drinks in Derry was awarded gold for its Tesco Finest Salted Cream Liqueur.

The revival of the historic Irish Lumper potato gained Glens of Antrim Potatoes a category award in the Unprepared Salads category. The potato dates back to the 1840s.

There were category wins for other Food NI members as follows:

Avondale Foods, Lurgan – Cook at Home Potato Gratin for Dunnes Stores- Side Dish. Avondale Foods also received Highly Commended for their Dunnes Stores Simply Better Potato, Mint Yogurt Salad and Commended for its own brand Country Kitchen Sweet Chilli Noodle Salad in the Salad – Prepared Category.
Golden Wonder, part of Tayto, Tandragee, county Armagh, for its Select Sea Salt and Cider Vinegar Crisps for Spar in Bagged Snacks – Savoury;
Dale Farm, Belfast in Cheese- Hard for Rathdaragh Irish Extra Mature Cheddar for Lidl;
Mash Direct, Comber, county Down for Veggie Burgers in Free-From Chilled

Irish food and drink producers were honoured at the fourth awards during a ceremony hosted by Ballymaloe chef and cookery writer Rachel Allen at the Mansion House in Dublin.
“Winning the Christmas Q and a category award were marvelous endorsement of the quality of our breads, cakes and pies,” said Brian McErlain, managing director of Genesis Crafty.

Michele Shirlow, Food NI chief executive, added: “I am delighted to see so many of our member companies successful in the highly influential Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards, a competition that’s closely monitored by leading retailers in both Ireland and Great Britain.
“Winning an Irish Quality Food and Drink Award has proven to be a tremendous marketing tool that will help our companies extend sales with major retailers in the Republic of Ireland and increase awareness in Britain of the superb food and drink now being produced in Northern Ireland.”
The awards themselves are organised into two distinct sections: Irish Quality Food Awards — products for the multiple and independent grocery retail market — and the Irish Quality Drink Awards: Alcoholic drinks for the retail sector.

The Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards are partnered with trade magazine Easy Food. The awards are also sponsored by the Coeliac Society of Ireland, Dairymaid, Invest Northern Ireland, and the Italian company Sacla.

Food NI Winners in Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards 2016
GOLD WINNER – CHRISTMAS Q
Aldi Exquisite Mince Pies
Genesis Crafty, Magherafelt, county Derry
DUNNES STORES SIMPLY BETTER SMALL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Orange, Mango and Gin Marshmallow
Camran Artisan Crafts, Carrickfergus, county Antrim
Bagged Snacks – Savoury
SPAR Select Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar Crisps
Golden Wonder, Tandragee, county Armagh
COMMENDED:
Aldi Brasserie Thai Sweet Chilli Crisps
Golden Wonder, Tandragee, county Armagh
Bread – Wheaten and Soda Breads
SuperValu & Centra Sean Brown Soda Bread
Genesis Crafty, Magherafelt, county Derry

Cereals – Porridge
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Lidl Deluxe Organic Wafer Oats
Whites Speedicook, Tandragee, county Armagh
Cheese – Hard
Lidl Rathdaragh Irish Extra Mature Cheddar
Dale Farm, Belfast
Christmas Q – Bakery & Desserts
Aldi Exquisite Mince Pies
Genesis Crafty, Magherafelt, county Derry
Coffee
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Continental Coffee
Johnsons Coffee, Hillsborough, county Antrim
Free From – Chilled
Vegetable Burgers – Mash Direct, Comber, county Down
Free From – Frozen
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Pizzado Gluten Free Cheese and Tomato
Choice Pizza, Portaferry, county Down
Meat – Beef Steaks
COMMENDED:
Lidl Hereford Fillet Steaks
Linden Foods, Dungannon, county Tyrone
Meat – Innovation
COMMENDED:
M&S BBQ Grill Louisiana BBQ Spatchies
Moy Park, Craigavon, county Armagh
Meat – Poultry
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
M&S BBQ Grill Jamaican Jerk Spatchcock
Moy Park, Craigavon, county Armagh
Pizzas
COMMENDED:
Pizzado Pepperoni
Choice Pizza, Portaferry, county Down
Salad & Vegetables – UnPrepared
Irish Lumpers – Glens of Antrim Potatoes, Cushendall, county Antrim
Crispy Onions
Milgro, Coleraine, county Derry
Side Dish
Avondale Foods, Lurgan – Cook at Home Potato Gratin for Dunnes Stores- Side Dish. Avondale Foods also received Highly Commended for their Dunnes Stores Simply Better Potato, Mint Yogurt Salad and Commended for its own brand Country Kitchen Sweet Chilli Noodle Salad in the Salad – Prepared Category.
Soups
COMMENDED:
Vegetable Soup with a Spud
Morrow Foods, Cookstown, county Tyrone
Irish Quality Drink Awards
Ciders
PLATINUM:
Tempted Elderflower Cider
Tempted Cider Company, Lisburn, county Antrim
BRONZE:
Lidl The Crafty Brewing Company Crafty Dry Cider
McCanns Cider, Craigavon, county Armagh
Lidl The Crafty Brewing Company Crafty Medium Cider
McCanns Cider, Craigavon, county Armagh
Pale Ales & IPA
PLATINUM:
Farmageddon Gold Pale Ale
Farmageddon Brewing Co-Op, Comber, county Down
Stouts & Porters
GOLD:
Farmageddon India Export Porter
Farmageddon Brewing Co-Op, Comber, county Down
Liqueurs, Speciality Spirits & Fortified Wines
GOLD:
Tesco Finest Salted Caramel Cream Liqueur
Niche Drinks Co, Londonderry, county Derry

Mash Direct have brought their farm to Donegall Square North in Central Belfast, transforming a bus stop into a field of fresh Comber carrots! Commuters will be able to take pictures from inside the famous Mash Direct tractor and upload them to social media for a chance to win a £50 Tesco voucher on the opening day of Tesco Taste Festival in Belfast.

The top of the roof has been transformed into the rolling drumlins of County Down to bring a piece of the ‘culchie life’ to the city centre as we enter harvest season in the Northern Irish Year of Food and Drink.
Jack Hamilton, Marketing Director of Mash Direct said “We had a lot of fun trying to think of ideas of how to bring the farm to the city without anyone getting held up behind a tractor. We have been farming for six generations but I am pretty sure that we are the first generation to have the carrots up on the roof of the bus stop.”

The ‘culchie life’ campaign to bring the farm to the city is the launch of Mash Direct’s single serve range for those in the city living a fast-paced life and looking for food on the go. In response to huge customer demand, Mash Direct have now launched their 200g range to cater for the ‘big city appetite’.

So far 2016 has been a very successful year for Mash Direct with a number of new listings in over 1,000 new stores as well as a hatful of national awards. Last week their Crispy Vegetable Bakes won an Irish Quality Food Award and they have been nominated for 3 major awards in London in the coming two months. Hamilton said “we are very excited to see what the rest of the year has in store for us”.

Article by Michele Shirlow for Farmweek 15/09/2016

We could scarcely have imagined that Year of Food and Drink 2016 would see the most important accolade in the European food and drink industry return to Northern Ireland. Last week the Supreme Champion title in the highly influential Great Taste Awards was won by a Northern Ireland company, Hannan Meats of Moira.

This inspirational company, headed by dedicated foodie Peter Hannan, is now the first business ever to win the industry’s top award for the second time. This meant competing against 10,000 entries to reach pole position. Much has already been written about this small company’s extraordinary success. Thanks to Ulster Bank who supported the awards, I was privileged to be in the audience at the award ceremony for the first time. The awards followed a spectacular dinner, including Abernethy smoked butter, which also represented Northern Ireland in the final top 18 products.

Unprecedented in the 22-year history of Great Taste, Hannan Meats’ second Supreme Champion accolade follows the producer first lifting the prize in 2012 for its Moyallon Guanciale. Hannan Meats’ world-class butchery and maturation methods wowed the judging panel, who were bowled over by this very special cut of meat and couldn’t “believe that beef could taste so good”.

It was a genuinely inspirational evening which showcased what winning the Supreme Champion means to the food industry and how difficult it is to come out on top of some 10,000 entries from across the UK, Republic of Ireland and other parts of Europe. Competition for the top award was intense this year….as it is every year. Winning this award for Northern Ireland in 2016 enhances our reputation as a high quality food region. As well as the success of Hannan Meats, Northern Ireland companies collected an unprecedented 212 gold stars for sensational products.

Hannan Meats is a remarkably successful company, an outstanding role model for other smaller food and drink companies here showing just what can be achieved from a commitment to excellence across a business. In addition to two Supreme Champion awards, Hannan Meats has now won more gold stars for its products than any other company in the UK and Ireland.

The latest achievement is particularly timely coming as it does during our first ever Year of Food and Drink, an initiative supported enthusiastically by Peter Hannan. The award will certainly help to raise awareness of the premium quality of our food and drink to another level especially in Great Britain, our most important external market as well as in the Republic of Ireland, our biggest single export market.

Diners were able to experience Hannan’s succulent Glenarm Shorthorn Four Rib Roast, an exceptional piece of beef that is dry-aged in a Himalayan Salt Chamber for a minimum of 28 days. Great praise is also due to Adrian Morrow and the team at Glenarm estate in Co. Antrim for the quality of beef supplied consistently to Hannan Meats for processing.

Another immensely important development last week was the launch of ‘Belfast on a Plate’, a splendid new publication by photographer David Pauley and written by Joanna Braniff, which charts the emergence of Belfast as a globally competitive culinary destination.

This brilliant publication covers 20 Belfast chefs, their restaurants and their outstanding contribution to our dynamic and highly innovative food culture. Like Peter Hannan, the passion that each of the chefs has for their culinary art, pours out from each page. Not only is it a beautiful book, it is a milestone in Belfast’s culinary history and it will be highly beneficial to Tourism Ireland and Tourism NI as they leverage the power of our food and drink to boost tourism revenues, a key focus in Year of Food and Drink.

Finally, best wishes to Broughgammon Farm and Pheasants Hill Farm, Northern Irish Finalists, who are off to Birmingham to compete in the British Street Food Awards this weekend.

The Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel is celebrating the first ever Fermanagh Restaurant Week by offering ‘A Taste of Killyhevlin’ Taster Menu from Monday 19th to Thursday 22nd September.

Fermanagh Restaurant Week, which runs from 16th -25th September, will embrace all things local by offering foodies a series of events and tastings in various locations across the county.

The award-winning Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel is a proud member of Taste of Ulster and prides itself in supporting and celebrating local farmers, producers and fishermen, and the Taster Menu highlights this commitment.
Killyhevlin Executive Head Chef Kevin Watson, alongside Premier Sous Chef Trevor Shannon have created the detailed Taster Menu paying close attention to local produce.
“We hope the first ever Fermanagh Restaurant Week will be a really popular event,” commented Kevin.
“We can’t wait for customers to try out the bespoke menu we have created which really showcases the tasty produce this county has to offer. Fermanagh is renowned for its beauty and scenery and we hope that the restaurant week will help put it on the map for its delicious food too!”

Jacqueline Wright, Director of Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel said:
“We are very excited to be part of Fermanagh Restaurant Week and thrilled to bring customers ‘A Taste of Killyhevlin’. Our chefs pride themselves on using only the very best local produce and have put a lot of thought, imagination and work into this menu.”

‘A Taste of Killyhevlin’ combines an assortment of the county’s delicacies, ranging from delicious Fermanagh Black Bacon to tasty Erin Grove Chutney and Preserves and those with a sweet tooth will be spoiled for choice with the Killyhevlin Sweet Selection.

The Kove restaurant at the Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel boasts chefs with a wealth of experience, a relaxed ‘art deco’ interior and spectacular unspoilt views across Lough Erne.
For more information on the Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel or to book ‘A Taste of Killyhevlin’ go to www.killyhevlin.com or call +44(0) 28 6632 3481.

Find out more at www.facebook.com/Killyhevlin and on twitter @killyhevlin

As thousands of chocoholics and foodies gear up for the highly-anticipated return of the biennial Hans Sloane Chocolate & Fine Food Festival, outstanding chefs from Northern Ireland and further afield are joining up with festival organisers to ensure that the three-day festival offers a foodie experience not to be missed. With the addition of Downpatrick’s Finnebrogue Artisan this year as the festival’s overall sponsor, Finnebrogue consultant development chef Chris Burt will lead the charge with an innovative line-up of chocolate and locally-focused food activities to span the entire weekend.

Kicking off with the Hans Sloane Chocolate Ball on Friday 23rd September, Chef Burt will join up with legendary Northern Ireland chef Simon Dougan of Yellow Door to present a meal that will have guests buzzing for years to come. Utilising the finest of hyper-local produce including Finnebrogue venison and sausages, locally farmed vegetables, eggs and butter, and even reindeer moss foraged personally by Chef Burt from the Finnebrogue Estate, this dinner will highlight the wide range of world-class ingredients available from across Northern Ireland.

“As Finnebrogue’s consultant development chef, I have the pleasure of working with locally-produced Northern Ireland ingredients every day, and am delighted to be able to develop and serve an innovative, forward-thinking menu for guests at this year’s Hans Sloane Chocolate Ball utilising these outstanding ingredients,” said Chef Burt. “I’m delighted to be teaming up with Simon Dougan to create a menu that will encourage guests to think outside the box and approach these local ingredients in a new way.”

As a dramatic end to the evening, Chefs Burt and Dougan are brainstorming a show-stopping dessert which will act as homage to Sir Hans Sloane – the Killyleagh-born physician, naturalist and collector credited with bringing the recipe for drinking chocolate back to Europe –and turn heads as the extraordinary chocolate dessert is unveiled to guests.

The festival will continue on Saturday and Sunday, 24th and 25th September. Guests at Killyleagh Castle can enjoy live cooking demos led by Chef Burt alongside leading local chefs including Chefs Danny Millar, Balloo Inns; Roy Abraham, The Smuggler’s Table; and Fernando Correa, Quails at the Gallery, among others hosted by Food NI. Incorporating locally-grown and sourced produce paired with chocolate elements and even a chocolate stout from local Mourne Mountains Brewery, these chefs will bring home the theme of local cooking with a touch of chocolate in honour of Sir Hans.

“We’re really looking forward to this year’s live cooking demos, which have been supported by Food NI as part of Tourism Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink,” said Meave Davison of the festival’s organising committee. “Finnebrogue Artisan Chef Chris Burt will show off his knowledge of foraging local produce and his unique approach to creating dishes with a wow-factor, while some of the area’s most popular chefs, hosted by Food NI, will support the ‘local’ element of the festival by incorporating chocolate into popular savoury and sweet which will be shared with guests.”

“In addition to the live kitchen demos on Saturday and Sunday, 24th and 25th September, guests will also enjoy tasting freshly-made dishes and treats from over 30 local artisan producers including Great Taste Award winners S.D. Bells, Deli Muru, Abernethy, La Coquine, Glastry Farm Ice Cream, Finnebrogue, Krazi Baker and Mash Direct, among many others,” added Meave.

Aine Kearney, Director of Business Support and Events Tourism NI commented, “Tourism Northern Ireland is a proud sponsor of the Finnebrogue Artisan Hans Sloane Chocolate & Fine Food Festival, in line with the Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink initiative, the festival is showcasing our unique chocolate offering.
“The festival schedule has something for everyone from the Chocolate Ball to the family fun days and we hope this will encourage thousands of foodies from Northern Ireland and beyond to enjoy some of our great indigenous foods.”
Founded in 2010 to celebrate Killyleagh’s most famous son, Sir Hans Sloane, who was born in the village in 1660 and later credited for bringing the recipe for drinking chocolate to Europe from Jamaica, the biennial festival has grown from strength to strength and is now regarded as one of the leading events of its type in the UK and Ireland and a highlight of the summer calendar for food lovers across the country.

The Finnebrogue Artisan Hans Sloane Chocolate & Fine Food Festival kindly acknowledges the support of Tourism Northern Ireland, Newry Mourne & Down District Council, and Food NI in the staging of this year’s event as well as the support of sponsors Bryan Somers Travel, Jeep, Killyleagh Development Association, Mash Direct, Roskyle, and S.D. Bell’s.

Ticket prices vary, based on events running throughout the Festival. For further information on all events taking place and to book tickets visit www.hanssloane.com or follow the Killyleagh Chocolate Festival on Twitter @KillyleaghChoc or facebook.com/KillyleaghChocFest.

Cook at Home Potato Gratin from Dunnes, produced by Lurgan based Avondale Foods, scooped the award in the Side Dish category of the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards 2016.

The Awards, hosted by Ballymaloe Celebrity Chef and cookery author Rachel Allen were held at the Round Room at the Mansion House, in Dublin on the 8th September.

Colin Ferguson, Head of Sales Ireland at Avondale Foods said: “We are extremely proud of our team at Avondale Foods and the care that goes into the initial development of the product and then production of our Potato Gratin for Dunnes. We were absolutely thrilled to win our category and winning this award goes to show that the judges liked the product too!”

Dunnes Cook at Home Potato Gratin offers the consumer layers of sliced Rooster potatoes, with a rich creamy sauce, topped with grated regato cheese. It is available in Dunnes Stores across Ireland as part of the comprehensive Dunnes Stores Cook at Home Range.”

James Wilson, Food Director at Dunnes Stores said: “We are so happy and proud to work with Avondale Foods and other great suppliers across all our own label ranges to produce such good quality products. We are particularly proud to win the category award for our Cook at Home Range in this its first year of production.”

Avondale Foods also received Highly Commended for their Dunnes Stores Simply Better Potato, Mint Yogurt Salad and Commended for its own brand Country Kitchen Sweet Chilli Noodle Salad in the Salad – Prepared Category.
Organised by Metropolis Business Media, group publisher Helen Lyons commented, “The Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards have become a major part of the Irish food calendar. Once again we received a huge number of entries, and spent three weeks testing and judging the most delicious products. We had another wonderful night celebrating the success of our winners – huge congratulations to everyone.”

As former winners can testify, picking up an Irish Quality Food and Drink Award is a powerful marketing tool, with many winners using the awards’ logos on their packaging and in national press, television and outdoor advertising.
Mairead Finnegan runs and owns Roll It Pastry, whose Sweet Shortcrust Pastry won the Frozen Food – Sweet category last year. “Winning in my category two years in a row has not only allowed me to grow in confidence but sales increased quite significantly in 2015 and in particularly in the last quarter following the awards being announced,” commented Mairead.
“The publicity surrounding the awards resulted in my products going into trial with a major Irish retailer and that along with a growth in sales in existing retailers meant that my turnover in Q4 2015 was almost equal to my entire turnover in 2014.”

The awards themselves are organised into two distinct sections: Irish Quality Food Awards – products for the multiple and independent grocery retail market and the Irish Quality Drink Awards – alcoholic drinks for the retail sector.

The Irish Quality Food & Drink Awards are partnered with Retail News magazine Easy Food magazine. The IQFA are also sponsored by the Coeliac Society of Ireland, Dairymaid, Invest Northern Ireland and Sacla’.
Make sure you stay up to date with the latest news and competitions via the IQFA Facebook page at www.facebook.com/IrishQualityFoodAwards and on Twitter @IrishQFAs.