The Crowne Plaza Belfast was the setting for another thrilling gala awards dinner, where Northern Ireland’s top names in grocery were in attendance at the most prestigious awards in the industry.

It was a night to remember for South Belfast’s Creightons of Balmoral, who claimed not only the Neighbourhood Store of the Year Category 3 award, but also the coveted Northern Ireland Retailer of the Year 2024 title.

A hugely popular winner, the owners and staff from Creightons were on-hand to collect their awards, marking a hugely successful night for company. Creightons of Balmoral are a Food NI member. Now in their 28th year, the Neighbourhood Retailer Awards are the annual showcase of industry excellence and hundreds of the country’s leading retailers gathered in the ballroom, waiting with anticipation to find out this year’s winners.

National Trust Fermanagh announces the return of Harvest Festival to Florence
Court this October. This year’s festival promises to be a vibrant celebration of food,
crafts, and entertainment.
In partnership with Tully Mill Restaurant, the much-anticipated food festival returns,
with more than 40 vendors attending. And with live entertainment and family-friendly
activities in store, it’s an event not to be missed.
Sonja Orderley, General Manager at National Trust Fermanagh, said: “Last year we
welcomed almost 5,000 visitors to Harvest Festival. We are looking forward to
building on that success in partnership with Tully Mill Restaurant, who bring together
a fantastic food festival, and this year introduce a craft quarter. It’s a wonderful
community event that gets people together to enjoy great food, craft and appreciate
the beauty of Florence Court.”
John Roche from Tully Mill Restaurant added: “Harvest Festival is an excellent
opportunity to showcase some of the finest food and drink available in Fermanagh
and the border counties. We’re looking forward to returning to Florence Court this
autumn to bring even more culinary delights to visitors. We’re also delighted to
introduce a craft quarter, featuring local artists and producers who will demonstrate
their skills and sell unique wares.”
The food quarter is part funded by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council.
Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor John McClaughry, said:
“I am delighted that Tully Mill is once again organising the Food and Craft Village at
National Trust Fermanagh’s Harvest Festival of Colour.
“This is a great opportunity for local food producers to showcase their products and
for locals and visitors alike to see and taste the wide range of food produced in our
District.
“Fermanagh and Omagh District Council is committed to ensuring that our economy
is thriving, expanding and outward looking and has recently supported the
establishment of a Sustainable Food Partnership. Events such as this help us to
achieve the commitments and encourage people to support local.”
Harvest Festival takes place on Saturday 26 October 26 and Sunday 27 October,
from 11am to 4pm. It will feature live entertainment from The Porter Bellys, The
Armagh Rhymers, and The Party Bees.
Normal admission applies, or visitors can scan their National Trust membership
cards for free entry.

Ards and North Down Borough Council hosted a group of highly respected representatives from the Irish Food Writers’ Guild last week to showcase the Borough’s rich culinary offerings, award-winning local produce, and outstanding hospitality.

The mouth-watering itinerary guided the group to various parts of the Borough to enjoy delicious treats and a warm welcome provided by Lightfoot Bangor, No. 14 the Georgian House , Indie Fűde, Capparelli Cooks, Ballyboley Dexters, Hara at Home, Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt, The Walled Garden Helen’s Bay, as well as tours of Copeland and Echlinville Distilleries. The group also enjoyed an overnight stay at luxurious host venues Clandeboye Lodge Hotel, Bangor and The Old Inn, Crawfordsburn.

A key aim of the visit was to inform the group about the strength of the Taste Ards and North Down Food and Drink Network. Those who attended also enjoyed a Business Networking Breakfast and artisan food and drink market in The Courtyard at Clandeboye Estate in Bangor which was supported by funding from DAERA’s Northern Ireland Regional Food Programme. During the event, the writers met with over 30 local producers and joined a celebration of recent award wins from the recent 2024 Blas na hEireann Irish Food Awards.

The Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Alastair Cathcart, said:

“Ards and North Down Borough Council was delighted to host this event to not only celebrate the Borough’s exceptional multi-award-winning food and drink sector, but also to showcase the fantastic collaboration and innovation being fostered through the Taste AND food and drink network.

“It was a pleasure to welcome this group of passionate food and drink writers including local legend, Paula McIntyre, who is a renowned chef and current Chair of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild.

“A special word of thanks must also go to DAERA’s Northern Ireland Regional Food Programme, who helped fund the recent ‘Taste at Clandeboye’ event. The Irish Food Writers’ Guild were delighted to attend the event during their trip to Ards and North Down and enjoyed buying and sampling some of the great local produce on offer.”

“The connections made during this trip will really help to progress the ambitions of the Taste AND Food and drink network and further helps to establish Ards and North Down as a top destination to visit and explore.”

To learn more about the story and successes of Taste AND Food and Drink Network, visit Taste AND. Or to plan a foodie break in Ards and North Down, go to www.visitardsandnorthdown.com.

Portadown-based McCracken’s Brewery and Distillery has won significant business
with Tesco Northern Ireland for its core range of beers – IPA, Premium Pilsner, and
Black Irish Stout.
The business with Northern Ireland’s top grocer marks a significant milestone in the
Co Armagh brewery’s growth and its ongoing commitment to providing premium craft
beers to a wider audience. McCracken’s is a Food NI member.
Ryan McCracken, the founding managing director of the business, says: “We’re
thrilled to have our IPA, Premium Pilsner, and Black Irish Stout available recently in
Tesco Northern Ireland.
““This is an exciting development for us as we continue to expand our reach and
bring our craft beers to more people. It’s a tremendous platform for growth with in
both short and long-term
“We’ve always focused on creating distinctive, high-quality brews, and this
opportunity allows us to share that with a larger audience,” adds Ryan
Founded in 2018, McCracken’ Brewery has grown steadily over the past six years,
gaining a reputation for producing quality craft beer that celebrates Northern
Ireland’s rich brewing heritage.
The new partnership with Tesco Northern Ireland will make McCracken’s flagship
brews more accessible to customers across the region.
Each beer in McCracken’s core range offers a unique taste experience:

 IPA: A hop-forward, aromatic IPA with a balanced malt profile and a refreshing
bitterness;
 Premium Pilsner: A crisp, clean lager with subtle floral notes and a smooth
finish; and
 Black Irish Stout: A rich, dark stout with roasted malt, chocolate flavours and a
creamy mouthfeel.
These beers are now available in selected Tesco stores across Northern Ireland,
reinforcing McCrackens’ position as one of the region’s most exciting craft breweries.
Tesco Ireland is a leading supporter of locally produced food and drink. Ireland’s
leading grocer, Tesco is a major supporter of local brewers in more than 60 stores.

Ryan continues: “We are incredibly grateful to our loyal customers, local suppliers,
and partners like Tesco for supporting our journey. This is just the beginning of the
next chapter for McCracken’s Brewery, and we can’t wait to continue sharing our
passion for great beer with even more people. Tesco stores is an important
springboard for us as we seek to expand our business,” adds Ryan.
McCracken’s Brewery and Distillery is a family-owned craft brewery based in
Armagh. The brewery is dedicated to producing high-quality beers with a focus on
flavour, tradition, and innovation. With a growing portfolio of award-winning brews,
McCracken’s, a Food NI member business, is proud to be part of Northern Ireland’s
thriving craft beer and spirits scene, he continues.
Ryan, originally an IT manager, set up the brewery in a specially converted building
at the home he shares with wife Nicola a two children. He began brewing as a hobby
in 2014 when he was given a home brew kit by his Nicola as a Christmas present.

“I enjoyed beer and caught the home brewing bug,” he remembers. “I kept adding
equipment and experimenting with different beers which family and friends enjoyed,”
he says. He has invested extensively in the brewery to increase capacity and his
range of real ales.
McCracken’s Real Ale has created a broad range of bottled-conditioned ales and
also supplies ale in cask and keg form. The pale ales, Irish pale ale and chocolate
and vanilla Irish stout are all hand crafted in the brewery in Portadown by Ryan and
his four-strong team.
Ryan, in addition to a successful range of beers, has launched a premium gin that’s
likely to be the first in a series of spirits that he’s been planning over the past few
years. The small brewery is the first here to diversity into distilling spirits.
He sees the expansion into distilling premium spirits as a logical extension for the
locally-owned and managed business. Focused on growth, Ryan invested in new
distilling kit more than a year ago and also added a second canning line to existing
machinery at his expanded, state-of-the-art operation at the Co Armagh market
town.
He’s installed a 1,000 litre column distillery that has the capacity to produce 1,500
bottles of gin and other spirits daily.
“We’re proud of our grain-to-glass approach at McCracken’s that enables us to
manage the entire distilling process in-house – from grain to beer and spirit,” he
says. “This not only ensures the highest quality but also embodies our commitment
to innovation, attention to detail, traceability and excellence in everything we do,” he
adds.

Ryan’s unique local gin recipe features 11 original botanicals including local heather
he’s harvested with other family members from the vast mountain trails and parks
around Craigavon.

Stevie Higginson, who is a chef at Square Bistro, Lisburn, has been shortlisted for the “one to watch” award at The Staff Canteen Awards. Square Bistro is a Taste of Ulster member, and is renowned for it’s theme nights; tapas, curry and fresh seafood, but they also do an Earlybird menu and a regular a la carte.

Stevie Higginson is the only chef from Northern Ireland to be shortlisted, and would love your vote to help bring the gold mug back to the big smoke in Lisburn.

Voting Closes on Wednesday 30th October. To register your vote visit: https://www.thestaffcanteen.com/nomination/stevie-higginson-chef-square-bistro-1727088021#/

Bangor businessman Wayne Adair has developed a Fiery Ginger Wine based on an
old family recipe stretching back four generations.
Wayne, the boss of Papas Minerals and Longbridge Drinks, two heritage mineral and
mixer brands, describes the new ginger wine he’s branded under ‘Irish Sisters’ as a
“true taste of nostalgia”.
“My family has a long history in the creation of soft drinks from my grandmother’s
time. I’ve revived successfully a number of the lemonades and cordials in Papas
Minerals since launching the business in 1999. Irish Sisters, a further development,
reflects our family heritage. My grandmother used to produce the ginger wine to
warm the family during chilly winter days,”adds Wayne.
Wayne’s new ginger wine is alcohol-free, vegan and produced exclusively in
Northern Ireland. It’s already attracting the attention of major retailers here and
further afield.
Ginger wine, Wayne continues, is said to aid digestion, help with nausea and is a
remedy for headaches and other ailments.
“In addition to being a body warming drink, ginger wine is very versatile, a great
mixer and can be enjoyed many ways including with sparkling water, or with hot
water or paired with whiskey,” Wayne, who has vast experience and a successful
track record in creating and producing minerals and mixers,” he adds.
He learned how to make cordials from his grandmother making the cordials as a
youngster. He was 10 when he first began using milk bottles for the cordial he’d
mixed using his grandmother’s highly original recipe. Family and friends loved it,
encouraging Wayne to think about starting a small business.
Papas Minerals and Longbridge Drinks have won UK Great Taste and Blas na
hEireann Irish National Food awards for a range of quality and outstandingly tasty
old fashioned non-alcoholic drinks including mixers.
The small company produces beverages such as cordials with elderflower, clove and
spiced winterberry flavours. The beverages are all hand crafted without artificial
flavours, colours or sweeteners.