The Cuan have recently updated their website and gift vouchers can now be purchased directly! Also check out their Booklet of Events for 2014!
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In order to view this booklet in PDF format please click on the following link… 2014 Booklet of Events.pdf
Food Standards Agency; NITB and Food NI Photo Competition
The Food Standards Agency have partnered with NITB to post a consumer competition to encourage people out on xmas parties to post images of a ‘recipe for a great night out’ (a key ingredient being a great meal and of course a good food hygiene rating)…
Check out the following link for more information:interact.discovernorthernireland.com/experience/festive-meal-out
Also check our Food NI’s twitter or facebook!!
Pokertree Brewing Company Questionnaire
Please click on the following link in order to view the questionnaire and email your responses to the questions to hannah@nigoodfood.com or post to Food NI’s office (Belfast Mills,71-75 Percy Street, Belfast, BT13 2HW)… pokertree questionnaire!.pdf
Make a Change with Eurospar and Vivoxtra
Two local supermarket chains have pledged to ‘Make A Change’ to the lives of local children affected by cancer this Christmas.
EUROSPAR and ViVOXTRA stores across the province have signed up for Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children’s (NICFC) Make A Change campaign. Throughout the festive period, they will be asking their customers to donate any spare pounds and pennies to NICFC, a charity which helps children living with cancer, and their families.
The stores, which have been supporting Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children (NICFC) for over two years, will be holding special collections between the 9th – 20th December, during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
Patrick Doody, Marketing Manager for EUROSPAR and ViVOXTRA announced his delight at being able to support the campaign. “We’re so proud to support a wonderful local charity like Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children,” he said. “I can’t imagine how difficult the Festive Season must be for families affected by childhood cancer, but by supporting NICFC, we know that our staff and customers are making a positive difference to the lives of these families, at a time when they most need it.
“We’re really looking forward to taking part in the campaign, and I want to extend a thank you to our staff and customers for their hard work and support of NICFC.”
Sorcha Chipperfield, NICFC Corporate Fundraiser, said, “I’d like to say thanks to EUROSPAR and ViVOXTRA for their on-going support, and for taking part in the campaign. By encouraging people to donate their small change, they will make a major change to the lives of children affected by cancer.”
All money raised from the campaign will be used to fund Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children’s practical, therapeutic and financial support services for children living with cancer, and their families.
The charity is currently completing building work on Daisy Lodge, a new therapeutic centre in the foothills of the Mourne Mountains, which will open in spring 2014 and provide short-breaks to up to 500 families affected by cancer per year.
If you are a business who would also like to take part in Make A Change, contact Sorcha@nicfc.com. Or to Make A Change yourself, call into any EUROSPAR/ViVOXTRA.
Excellence of NI leaders recognised at IoD Director of the Year Awards
The leadership of Mash Direct was recognised in the IoD’s Director of the Year Awards, when Tracy Hamilton received the SME Director of the Year Award, one of nine business leaders from across the Northern Ireland business spectrum to be honoured.
Sponsored by Abbey Bond Lovis, the accolades were presented to directors who were deemed to have made significant and valuable contributions to the success of their companies and typify excellence in leadership and corporate governance.
Praising Tracy and her husband, Martin, the judges said that Mash Direct had grown through diversification and identifying how to add value to its raw materials. They pointed out that in less than 10 years, this business has grown from nothing to employing more than 100 staff with a turnover of £11 million creating a multi-national, award winning household brand and said that the leadership of Mash Direct has demonstrated passion, inspiration, hard work and good leadership in a highly competitive industry.
The Northern Ireland winners of Director of the Year Awards will be nominated for the IoD Lunn’s Award of Excellence which will presented at the IoD Annual Dinner in Belfast on 6 February 2014, and also put forward for the UK Director of the Year Awards in London in 2014.
Last month, two of last year’s local winners, John McMullan CEO of Bryson Charitable Group, and Helen Kirkpatrick, Non Executive Director of UTV Media plc, beat off tough competition to be named UK Directors of the Year in their respective categories.
Other category winners in this year’s Northern Ireland Awards were:
• Family Business Director of the Year – Mark Hutchinson, Managing Director of SJC Hutchinson Engineering
• SME Director of the Year – Tracy Hamilton of Mash Direct Limited
• Large Company Director of the Year – Jim Dobson of Dunbia
• Third Sector Director of the Year – Ian Jeffers of The Prince’s Trust Northern Ireland
• Young Director of the Year – Aidan Flynn of Maurice Flynn & Sons Limited
• Leader of the Year in Corporate Responsibility – Michelle Hatfield from George Best Belfast City Airport
• Public Sector Director of the Year – Gordon Milligan of Translink
• Non-executive Director of the Year – Brendan Mullan of the Bryson Charitable Group
• Special award for Excellence in Corporate Governance – Jill Robb of Ambition Digital
For more information, visit www.iodni.com
Mash Direct wins Most Innovative Small Manufacturing Company Award
Mash Direct has won the coveted title Most Innovative Small Manufacturing Company of the Year in the industry Oscars – Food Manufacture’s Food Manufacturing Excellence Awards (FMEAs), recently held at the London Park Lane Hilton in a glittering awards ceremony.
The achievements of the Northern Ireland food manufacturer were recognised in front of hundreds of industry guests, as its Director, Jack Hamilton received the award from Mary Hunter, MD with category sponsor Columbus. They were joined on stage by awards presenter and TV Countryfile star Julia Bradbury.
2013 has been a hugely successful year for the County Down business. This year Mash Direct have started exporting to Dubai and Abu Dhabi and recently started supplying (a number of) Asda stores across England. This success has been recognised at high levels with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers, paying Mash Direct a visit this month emphasising how important is it to have local food manufacturers driving the local economy.
The Company has developed the chilled vegetable sector with commercial success being built on a strong technical and engineering background. This year Mash Direct achieved its fifth consecutive A+ grade BRC accreditation from the prestigious SAI Global Organisation. It is one of only two ready meal companies in the whole of the UK to achieve the A+ grade this year and the only one in Ireland.
The award judges – led by judging panel chairman Paul Wilkinson – praised Mash Direct’s steady growth and product innovation.
The judges said: “Not only has Mash Direct invested to enable it to meet current demand for its products, it has also launched a number of new products designed to grow its business further afield.”
Rick Pendrous, editor of Food Manufacture, said: “The FMEAs go from strength-to-strength each year in recognising top achievement in the field of food and drink manufacturing. Mash Direct’s holistic approach to expansion and its comprehensive entry made it stand out from other companies this year.”
Also shortlisted in this category were: David Berryman and Windyridge Cheese Co.
The winner of the overall title Food Manufacturing Company of the Year was Premier Foods.
For more information about Mash Direct telephone 028 9187 8316 or email jack@mashdirect.com
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For more information about the FMEAs contact Mike Stones, group editor Food Manufacture, at 01293 610 256 or email Michael.stones@wrbm.com.
FMEA awards were made in the following categories:
1) Ambient Manufacturing Company of the Year
2) Bakery Manufacturing Company of the Year
3) Best New Use of Food Ingredients
4) Chilled & Fresh Foods Manufacturing Company of the Year
5) Dairy Manufacturing Company of the Year
6) Environmental Initiative of the Year
7) Frozen Foods Manufacturing Company of the Year
8) Meat, Poultry & Seafood Manufacturing Company of the Year
9) Supply Chain Initiative of the Year
10) Training Programme of the Year
11) Most Innovative Small Company of the Year
12) Judges’ Star Performer
13) Food Manufacturing Company of the Year
14) Personality of the Year