Ireland’s number one poultry brand, Moy Park, has relaunched its branded breaded product range.

With the chilled, breaded poultry category in decline* the new-look Moy Park breaded product range, which includes its signature Chicken Kievs, Goujons and Nuggets, seeks to reinvigorate the category with a new recipe and packaging.

Briege Finnegan, Brand Marketing Manager for Moy Park explains: “We pride ourselves as being market leaders in innovation and staying ahead of consumer trends. Through the relaunch of our breaded range we want to encourage purchase from existing shoppers, whilst attracting a new generation of consumers.

“Product attributes of convenience and value remain but we’ve developed a new recipe. The range uses 100% breast meat – which means consumers can be assured the products are of the highest quality. The development team has also created a tastier, crunchier crumb – and sweet and savoury batter – and our packaging has received a ‘make-over’ with new black trays giving the product a high-end feel and finish.

Briege continues: “The relaunch will be supported by a fully integrated marketing campaign, including instore POS, retailer activity, outdoor and trade press advertising as well as social media. Consumers will also have the chance to sample the new products themselves at the various trade and consumer shows that we participate in throughout the year. We are delighted to relaunch the range and look forward to the on-going development of the products. We are already considering how we can grow and expand the range through new flavours and textures in 2017.”

For more information on products and distribution please contact Moy Park on 028 38 352 233

BBC Good Food Show, set to one be of the highlights of October in Year of Food and Drink, is aiming to celebrate Northern Ireland’s tremendous heritage in bread and baking by holding a competition for the region’s best bakery.
BBC Good Food is probably the biggest and most successful series of consumer food and drink shows in the United Kingdom and Ireland. And bringing such an important show to the Waterfront Hall in Belfast was quite a coup for TourismNI and Invest Northern Ireland; because it’s proved to be an event in Britain at which companies generally do good business.

We’ve been delighted to have the opportunity to help ensure the success of the overall event. We’ll have a Food Village featuring dozens of local food and drink producers. Our focus will be on supporting the companies as they seek to achieve significant sales.

I am sure there won’t be any shortage of entries from the many bakeries across Northern Ireland especially the smaller business which make such a tremendous contribution and great service to communities here.
Home bakeries in particular remain an integral part of the local food industry. In many parts of England they have virtually disappeared. Local favourites such as soda farls, potato cakes, treacle bread and wheaten loaves are enjoyed by visitors to these shores and have been essential part of our culinary identity for generations.
It’s immensely encouraging that the focus by some of our bakeries on sales outside Northern Ireland has meant that many of our traditional breads are now available in parts of Great Britain. An Ulster Fry, for instance, just wouldn’t be the same without soda bread and potato farls. Some include pancakes, another local favourite that’s perhaps a bit controversial with traditionalists!

Several local companies, including smaller enterprises, have reached out successfully to quality bread lovers in Britain, the Republic of Ireland and further afield including the US and the United Arab Emirates. Our wide range of soda breads has also won acclaim from discerning judges in the UK Great Taste Awards such as Charles Campion, the doyen of food writers and a tremendous friend of the Northern Ireland food industry. He has written enthusiastically about the quality, taste and variety of our bread in food magazines.
In addition to the traditional Northern Irish breads, several bakers here are now mastering sourdough and popular Italian ciabatta and focaccia products.

The winning bakery in the competition will receive a free stand at the BBC Good Food Show at Belfast Waterfront, which runs from 14–16 October, to showcase their products and they will also have the opportunity to meet local celebrity chef Paul Rankin. Paul, as many Farm Week readers will be well aware, works closely with Irwin’s in Portadown, Northern Ireland’s best known and most successful independent bakery…..and a longstanding Food NI member…on product development.

Paul, a valued supporter of Food NI culinary initiatives, has assisted the bakery in creating a wide range of products including traditional breads such wheaten and the Belfast Barmbrack.
What bakeries have to do to be considered is to record a short video, maximum two minutes long, capturing “a day in the life of the bakery” and highlighting the stages of a typical baking day. It should then be uploaded to social media, using @BBCGoodFoodShow, @NITouristBoard and the hashtag #GFSNIBakery.
It’s a great idea. Over to our ambitious bakeries. Let’s make it a success.

The cream of Derry’s culinary talent was on show this week as the city’s restaurants, chefs and artisan food producers cooked up a storm for the judges searching for Ireland’s top Foodie Destination for 2016.
Aoife Carrigy and Dee Laffan from the Irish Food Writers’ Guild, travelled to the city to sample some of the best local food produce on offer after Derry was shortlisted by the Restaurants Association of Ireland as one of the top ten finalists in the prestigious competition.

Derry achieved runner-up position in last year’s competition – formerly known as Foodie Towns – narrowly missing out to The Burren in Co. Clare. The city recorded the highest number of public votes which counts towards 50% of the marks with the judges scoring the other 50%.

Mayor of Derry and Strabane Alderman Hilary McClintock, who officially welcomed the independent assessors to the Guildhall on Tuesday prior to the judging process, said she was delighted that the city was one of the ten finalists during Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink 2016.

Urging the public to get behind Derry City and Strabane District Council’s bid to win the culinary crown, Mayor McClintock said: “In a superb show of support for our participation in last year’s competition, the city achieved the highest number of public votes and was just pipped at the post by The Burren for the overall title.

“With online voting accounting for half of the scoring and the other 50% decided by the judges’ visit, we firmly believe we have the edge this year given the exceptional calibre of our ‘LegenDerry and Local’ food provenance.”
Mary Blake, Council’s Tourism Development Officer and lead organiser for the Derry entry, said she was confident that the city – which is also the only NI finalist – had all the ingredients for a winning bite at the national culinary crown this year: “Our driving mission is that we are a truly LegenDerry food destination and winning Ireland’s Foodie Destination 2016 would be the cherry on the cake! We just need to ensure that everyone gets online and votes for Derry at www.foodiedestinations.ie/city/derry/ before voting closes on September 9th.”

Commenting prior to commencing their judging, Aoife Carrigy, Chair of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild and Dee Laffan, editor of YesChef magazine, said: “We are both delighted to be back judging again this year and that Derry has made it into the top 10 finalists after coming runner-up last year. We are looking forward to seeing how things have developed in the last year.”

During their visit, the judges met with a range of local restaurateurs, hoteliers and food producers whose products ranged from handcrafted patisserie to award-winning dairy produce, smoked salmon, rapeseed oil and craft beers.

As well as enjoying the sights of the city, the judges sampled a range of culinary delights, with a scheduled tour of some of the newest local restaurants including Warehouse No1 Bistro and Café; Blackbird, now serving award-winning street food from Pyke N Pommes; Ollie’s and the Walled City Brewery both located in Ebrington Square.

The judges’ final stop-off was at Brown’s, winner of the Best Restaurant in Ulster at the Irish Restaurant Awards earlier this year. They sampled delicious dishes including Roasted Tian of Crab with Apple created by Head Chef, Phelim O’Hagan and Ian Orr, Chef Patron & Co-Owner of Browns Restaurant Group who was named Irish Chef of the Year at the 2013 Georgina Campbell Awards.

Formerly known as Foodie Towns, the initiative was formed as part of the Irish Restaurant Awards 2014 but proved to be so popular it became its own entity in 2015. The other nine finalists include The Burren, Boyne Valley, Kilkenny, Cong, Loop Head, Sligo, Leitrim, Monaghan and Dublin Coastal Village.
Vote Derry to win at www.foodiedestinations.ie/city/derry/. Voting will close at 12pm on Friday, September 9th. The winner of Ireland’s Foodie Destination 2016 will be announced later in the month.

Mash Direct, the independent, family owned farming and food production enterprise are delighted to be shortlisted for the Export Initiative/Company of the Year at the first ever Northern Ireland Agricultural Awards. The winners will be announced at the prestigious awards ceremony to be held in Stormont Hotel on Thursday 22nd September.

The Northern Ireland Agricultural Awards celebrate the rich traditions handed down throughout generations rewarding companies, farmers, suppliers and individuals dedicated to the agricultural industry striving to make a difference and inspire others.

With six generations of farming expertise, Mash Direct have demonstrated outstanding commitment to their family run business. They are an admirable example of a company who have diversified their family farm into a national household brand.

From the initial idea of making traditional Ulster Champ for convenience, the Hamilton family have grown Mash Direct into a £15 million turnover company, employing 180 members of staff supplying a range of over 40 different convenient vegetable accompaniments to the retail, food service and food manufacturing sector.

They had an incredibly successful year with record breaking sales and retail wins securing new contracts with Amazon Fresh, Fortnum and Masons, Home Bargains, Iceland, Nisa, Waitrose Scotland and Co-Op. Further afield, they have increased international sales in the Middle East including UAE. The growth in sales has meant a growth in demand for produce and the farm has grown from a 230 acre farm in 2004 to over 1400 acres in 2015.

Jack Hamilton, Export and Marketing Director, Mash Direct commented: ‘It is an honour to be shortlisted as a finalist in Northern Ireland’s Agricultural Awards. Our family have been farming close to the shores of Strangford Lough for six generations and we are passionate about what we do. These prestigious awards celebrate and recognise the hard work and devotion to the Agricultural Industry. We have had an incredibly successful year and continue to build our export markets. We look forward to what the future has in store for us.’

Danni Barry from Deanes Eipic, Belfast, is named FOOD&WINE Magazine Chef of the Year 2016 Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud takes the title of FOOD&WINE Magazine Restaurant of the Year 2016

The winners of the prestigious FOOD&WINE Magazine Restaurant of the Year Awards in association with Nespresso Business Solutions were announced at a gala luncheon in The InterContinental, Dublin today. Over fifty awards were given to top chefs and restaurateurs from across the country, hosted by CEO of Harmonia, Ciaran Casey and comedian Barry Murphy. Guests were treated to a five-course meal alongside perfectly matched wines courtesy of wine distributors Febvre & Co.

Ireland’s only female Michelin starred chef, Danni Barry of Deanes Eipic in Belfast, took the top award – Overall Chef of the Year – beating off stiff competition in the category and adding to the many accolades that Danni has achieved in the short time that Eipic has been established.

Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud – one of Ireland’s most well established fine-dining restaurants – was named FOOD&WINE Magazine Restaurant of the Year, firmly cementing the award-winning Michelin star restaurant’s position at the forefront of the culinary scene.

Over fifty awards were given to top chefs and restaurateurs from across the country, hosted by CEO of Harmonia, Ciaran Casey and comedian Barry Murphy. Guests were treated to a five-course meal, featuring Silver Hill Farm duck as the main course alongside perfectly matched wines courtesy of Febvre wines.

Chef JP McMahon of Aniar, Galway, was inducted into the FOOD&WINE Magazine Hall of Fame. A self-taught chef, JP is one of Ireland’s strongest voices in the restaurant industry, continually innovating and promoting not only the Galwegian dining scene but Irish food in general on a worldwide stage.
Other big winners on the day included Forest Avenue, Dublin; 1826 Adare, Limerick; Pickle, Dublin; Greenes Restaurant, Cork; Ox, Belfast; Kai, Galway; Viewmount House, Longdford; Marlfield House, Wexford; and Lady Helen, Mount Juliet, Kilkenny.

The Entrepreneur Award went to Michael Deane for his contribution to Northern Ireland’s restaurant landscape. As chef and proprietor of a host of eateries under the Deanes brand, including Deanes Eipic, he continues to offer new and exciting dining experiences in Belfast.

“The thriving restaurant scene in Ireland continues to impress our judging panel – the standard of excellence across the country, among both well established and young restaurants, made the judging process a tough one, and all of those shortlisted should be congratulated,” commented Miriam Atkins, editor of FOOD&WINE Magazine.

Gordon Thompson, commercial director, Nespresso Business Solutions said,”This is Nespresso’s second year of sponsorship of the FOOD&WINE Magazine Restaurant of the Year Awards. The awards are a prestigious platform that gives recognition to those dedicated to pursing excellence and innovation, values Nespresso shares. We are delighted to continue our support of the FOOD&WINE Magazine Restaurant of the Year Awards and congratulate this year’s winners and wish them every success.”

Now in its 16th year, The FOOD&WINE Magazine Restaurant of the Year Awards in association with Nespresso Business Solutions, are considered the most prestigious and authoritative culinary awards in the Irish calendar. Recognising the best Irish restaurants and culinary talent, diners from all over Ireland were invited to nominate their favourite restaurants and chefs, with the top entries going forward for deliberation by a national culinary panel of judges, made up of industry experts and national food critics.

Northern Ireland’s biggest celebration of local favourites – with cooking demonstrations and music. A great day out! Free entry.

WHAT: Tesco Taste Festival 2016

WHERE: Custom House Square, Belfast City Centre

WHEN: 16th – 18th September 2016
Friday 16th: 2pm – 8pm
Saturday 17th: 10am – 6pm
Sunday 18th: 10am – 5pm

The fabulous Tesco Taste Festival is returning to Custom House Square in Belfast on the weekend of 16th – 18th September 2016. Now in its eighth year, the Festival, which attracts around 20,000 visitors, looks set to be even bigger and better than before.

The Festival, which celebrates and showcases all that’s great about Northern Ireland food and drink producers, suppliers and chefs, promises a superb weekend of tasting, demonstrations, cookery tips and recipes using top local produce, and entertainment for all the family!

Share the Tesco love of local food and drink – visit www.facebook.com/tastenorthernireland for updates during the countdown to this foodie extravaganza!