To improve brand awareness of the local flour milling leader and position the company for future growth, Northern Ireland’s only independent flour company Andrews Flour undertook a business growth programme consisting of website re-development and package re-design.

From their base on Percy Street in Belfast, they mill a wide range of premium quality flours for use in both the household and commercial bakery. With 290 years of experience, the advantage of combining traditional skills with modern milling technology, and exceptional knowledge of what the local customer requires has established Andrews Flour as a market leader.

A key part of its progressive strategy is the packaging re-design of the popular Ormo Flour range for the home baker and smaller craft bakeries. This includes Ormo Plain, Self Raising and Soda Bread Flour, all available in 1.5kgs. packets. With that, Andrews Flour aims to improve the customers’ shopping experience, resonate the quality and excellence of the brand and maximise display visibility across the supermarkets in Northern Ireland.

Both Ormo Bread and Flour have an iconic image in Ulster and all home bakers know Ormo Flour can be relied on to give outstanding baking performance.  Therefore, to conserve the supreme quality and taste of Belfast’s favourites Ormo Soda and Wheaten Bread, Andrews Flour continues to supply the finest flour.

To leverage the company’s profile and increase public awareness, Andrews Flour also transformed their website.

Michael Taylor in Andrews Flour said “Our objective was to successfully communicate our promise to our customers. We expertly blend different varieties of wheat to mill premium flours, with our constant focus on satisfying the baking requirements for versatile recipes and traditional Irish breads.”

“Professor Lester Manley and his team in Manleys, the branding house based in Belfast helped us renovate and align the website with our brand and values wrapping it in visual, modern, friendly and wholesome web-design. On the website you can also learn more about the history and key accomplishments, of Northern Ireland’s oldest flour mill”.

The Managing Director of Manleys, prof. Lester Manleys commented: “We are delighted to work in close partnerships with one of the most renowned companies in Northern Ireland and to help them evolve and improve the customer experience both online and in-store.”

Michael Taylor with new Ormo Flour

Improve, the Food and Drink Sector Skills Council has launched the third year of ‘Tasty Careers,’ a campaign designed to educate young people about the wide variety of excellent careers opportunities available within the food and drink manufacturing sector.

Following the success of last year’s initiative, ‘Tasty Careers,’ which is supported by the Department for Employment and Learning, is providing talks from ambassadors in schools across Northern Ireland, highlighting the 6,000 jobs available for skilled workers. To be recruited by 2017, these job opportunities equate to approximately one third of the current employment levels.

Employing over 19,000 full time employees, the food and drink sector is the biggest single manufacturing industry in Northern Ireland. During school visits, ‘Tasty Careers’ ambassadors will give presentations to pupils, bringing to life examples of case studies of those employed across a range of job types and levels within the sector.

Students will receive an insight into the ambassadors’ day-to-day activities and long-term career prospects as well as advice on the best qualifications and educational path to their current position within the sector.

Commenting on this year’s campaign launch, Geoff Lamb, NI Operations Manager, Improve, said: “‘Tasty Careers’ continues to be a very popular initiative in schools across Northern Ireland and we are delighted to be launching it again this year. In the current economic climate, we want to educate students about the significant career opportunities available in the food and drink sector – a pivotal and stable industry in Northern Ireland contributing in excess of £3 billion a year to the local economy.

“Supported by government bodies and key players within the industry, we want the ‘Tasty Careers’ campaign to make pupils consider their careers options and educate them in an industry that has an impressive average starting salary of up to £22,000 and has impending skills shortages and gaps within the market.”

For more information or to book an ambassador, schools can visit www.tastycareers.org.uk

JE Toms & Sons of Portstewart is celebrating this morning after collecting the Overall Winner and Housewife’s Choice accolades at the 2012 National Sausage Awards.

The awards, run by the Northern Ireland Pork & Bacon Forum, had over 120 entries this year making it the biggest competition to date.

Norman Brown, Chairman of the Forum commented,

“I am delighted to see JE Toms & Sons win the National Sausage Awards.  Their traditional pork recipe was hailed the best sausage in the province by an expert panel of judges.  Butchers and independent retailers should be rewarded for their dedication and commitment towards the local supply chain.  We would also like to thank DARD and the team at the NI Regional Food Programme for the funding that enables the awards to happen.”

Norman further commented,

“Each entry should also be praised for their innovation and use of specialist ingredients.  We had sausages including honey, Ballyblue Cheese, blackberry, toffee apple and black pudding.  We would encourage all shoppers to visit their local butcher and pick a pack for Northern Ireland Pork sausages.  The local butcher is an important part of our regional high street.”

JE Toms & Sons has been a mainstay on Portstewart Promenade for forty four years and Derek Toms who received the awards on the night said,

“We are absolutely delighted with first place at the National Sausage Awards.  We have won regional winner eight times in the past and this year we surpassed ourselves by collecting the Martin McEvoy Trophy for Technical Excellence alongside the main award.  I would like to thank the judges and hope that the awards go from strength to strength.”

“We consistently perform to a high standard and this is the fourth Overall Winner award in the eleven years the competition has been running.   JE Toms & Sons have a dedicated team in store ready to help and I would encourage all shoppers who are heading to the North Coast to call in.”

The Martin McEvoy Cup was awarded to the team with the best technique during sausage production.  This includes weight, appearance and recipe.  Each regional winner also received point of sale posters and stickers to highlight the awards and encourage consumers to purchase the best in Northern Ireland Pork.

With over 2.3million sausages consumed each week in the UK, it certainly is big business.  The Northern Ireland Pork and Bacon Forum would encourage shoppers into their local store and ask for Northern Ireland Pork.  The awards sponsored by DARD are an important mainstay in the butchery promotions calendar.  On hand to present the Overall Award from DARD was Steven Millar for the Northern Ireland Regional Food Programme.

Asda has reaffirmed its commitment to grow and develop its relationship with the local food and drink industry, having held a number of meetings with potential new suppliers from the Co. Armagh area in advance of its new store opening in Portadown on 19th November.

At its ‘Meet the Buyer’ event on Thursday 8th November, members of the Asda local sourcing team held face-to face meetings with six local businesses to further the supermarket’s search for more local lines to satisfy growing customer demand.

Currently Asda NI works with around 100 individual suppliers from the island of Ireland, including over 30 businesses from the Co. Armagh area.

David Quigg, Local Buyer for Northern Ireland and Scotland said, “Co. Armagh has already proved a key region for our supply base, with local companies including Irwin’s Bakery, Tayto, Avondale Foods, Gilfresh Produce, Linwoods and William Sprott Ltd. all having forged strong links with Asda since we arrived in 2005.”

“In our NI stores approximately £1 in every £5 that the customer spends is on products sourced from the island of Ireland. Through our Asda Portadown ‘Meet the Buyer’ event and other outreach activity, we are now looking to grow this representation.”

David continued, “In particular, we are interested in meeting smaller operators who may not have the capacity to supply all of our stores here, as Asda can facilitate those who may wish to start off supplying just a small group or even one store. The event was a great way to further our ambitions in this area and we were very encouraged by the drive, professionalism and high quality products showcased at this recent event.”

Earlier this year, Asda celebrated the completion of its inaugural Asda Supplier Development Academy – an intense four-month programme with eleven key local aimed at boosting the suppliers’ potential, resulting in a predicted £3million growth in their sales over the next 18 months.

(Pictured with David Quigg and Susanna Lloyd from Asda’s local buying team is Catherine McAlynn from Mackle Snacks (R))

BANK OF IRELAND UK UNVEILS PROGRAMME FOR ENTERPRISE WEEK
16th – 23rd November 2012
Actively supporting agri businesses in Northern Ireland – over £25m already committed through Agri Investment Fund

Bank of Ireland UK, on Wednesday 7th November 2012, launched Enterprise Week in Northern Ireland with the announcement that it has committed over half of its dedicated £50m Agri Fund which launched just over 12 months ago.

The popular week long Enterprise Week initiative will take place from Friday 16th November – Friday 23rd November 2012 and will focus on the agri-business sector.

Since launching the Agri Investment Fund in Northern Ireland in 2011, the bank has approved more than £25m in funding to help customers expand their agri businesses through the purchase of farmland and livestock and providing customers with working capital.

‘Feeding Growth – Backing NI Agri Business’ will be the theme of the week long programme of seminars and showcasing opportunities for business owners. Show Your Business events, which have proved particularly popular in past Enterprise Weeks, will be run across the bank’s branch network, enabling local businesses to put their products or services on show.

A flagship seminar on developing Northern Ireland’s agri-related business, with a particular focus on the Agri-Food sector, will be held at Ravenhill, the home of Ulster Rugby. The bank’s University Road branch in Belfast will host two seminars for business start-ups on Thursday 22nd November on developing business plans, software for managing finances, VAT and Corporation Tax.
The bank will also host an event at CAFRE, the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise on Friday 23rd November with local MEP Jim Nicholson as main speaker, while on Wednesday 21st November the bank, in partnership with Omagh District Council, will host ‘Financing Business in Growth’ looking at global markets, imports and exports.

Sean Sheehan, Bank of Ireland UK’s Regional Manager for Northern Ireland, said: “We have a packed programme for our sixth Enterprise Week. This time we have a particular emphasis on the agriculture sector which, through the downturn, has maintained and even increased its contribution to the local economy despite the difficulties it faces. We believe the sector has strong potential and we are determined to provide the support it needs to grow.

“Speakers at our Ravenhill seminar will include Michael Bell, Executive Director of Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association who will look at growth opportunities within the agri-food sector. Owen Brennan, Chairman of Devenish Nutrition, will offer his strategic view of the agri-sector and give the audience a brief overview of the company’s success, looking at challenges it has faced and overcome and his plans for the future of the business.”

Sean added: “Enterprise Week is just one of the initiatives we are taking to support local business through challenging times.  Earlier this year at Stormont we launched an export initiative under which a dedicated team of finance experts is helping local exporting companies manage the unique financial challenges of selling overseas.

“Since January 2012, Bank of Ireland UK has approved nearly 90% of credit applications. Our Essentials for Business package for new and existing small businesses has attracted more than 6,000 new accounts since 2008 and in the last year some 60% of those related to completely new start-ups, indicating the continuing spirit of enterprise that exists in Northern Ireland.”

Belfast-based Devenish Nutrition manufactures nutritional solutions for livestock producers and as well as serving the local market, it supplies more than 45 countries worldwide. Owen Brennan, Chairman, said at the launch of Enterprise Week: “I welcome Bank of Ireland UK’s commitment to providing practical help as well as finance to support the development of local companies.  Bank of Ireland UK has played a crucial role in our own success by understanding our business and our needs, particularly in relation to exports.  We have developed a strong and productive partnership in recent years which continues to help us grow in the global market.”

Enterprise Week is open to both customers and non-customers and is part of the bank’s commitment to actively support private sector growth in Northern Ireland.

For the most up to date information on events taking place across Northern Ireland during Enterprise Week log on to www.bankofireland.co.uk/enterprise or contact your local Bank of Ireland UK branch.

Heavenly Tasty Organics, the Omagh-based manufacturer of organic baby weaning meals, will represent Northern Ireland at next month’s final of The Pitch competition to find the UK’s best small business.

The Tyrone company won the Northern Ireland heat, which was held last week in Liverpool as part of the regional event, and will now go forward to the UK Final in London on 16th November.

Shauna McCarney was successful against eight other small businesses from the Northern Ireland heat. Around 80 companies entered the UK event.

Invest Northern Ireland’s NI Business Info and Women in Business Northern Ireland are among The Pitch’s local partners. The competition is sponsored by digital business hibu and the Crunch and ICAEW accountancy organisations. Other partners include Dell and Scottish Enterprise.

Shauna McCarney, who formed Heavenly Tasty Organics in 2008 to offer young mums 100 per cent natural baby weaning products, said: “Winning the Northern Ireland heat in this important UK competition is a marvellous endorsement of my business and will help me immensely to raise the company’s profile particularly in Britain.

“We already have a strong base in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland especially with retailers such as Musgrave and SuperValu.

“Success in The Pitch will help me to develop sales from inquiries I’ve already received from potential customers in Great Britain seeking ‘free-from’ meal options for babies. My objective is to be selling my products in Britain within the next 12 months.”

Heavenly Tasty Organics has already won an impressive cluster of major awards for enterprise, innovation and quality from organisations including the Soil Association, the leading body for organic products, Women in Business in Northern Ireland and Maternity magazine in the Republic of Ireland.

The Pitch was launched in 2008 as part of the Bristol Design Festival and has since grown to a UK-wide competition for smaller businesses. The event enables owners of local start-ups and small companies to pitch their business to a panel of successful entrepreneurs.

The company which wins the national final next month will receive a range of prizes including mentoring and consultancy support.