Eggs, sauces, vinegars and pickles from Northern Ireland have been voted among the best food and drink in Britain.

Four local artisans – all Food NI members – have won gold, silver and bronze awards in the annual Great British Food Awards for eight foods, the most ever won by local
companies.

The overall Northern Ireland winner was Cavanagh Free Range Eggs in
Newtownbutler, Co Fermanagh which won the title as “Sustainable Egg Producer” of the year. The family-run business also collected two silvers for its six breakfast eggs and 12 medium eggs.

The judges praised “the delectable taste of Northern Ireland’s eggs with this pack of 6 Breakfast Free Range Eggs. Bursting with flavour” “They make every breakfast delightful treat. The quality is apparent in their rich and vibrant yolks, a testament to the hens’ welfare. Knowing they are well looked after only adds to the satisfaction of enjoying these delicious eggs.”

Cavanagh Free Range Eggs is owned and managed by husband and wife team John and Eileen Hall, who said they were “delighted by this outstanding recognition of the Fermanagh company’s success”.

The other big winners in the awards were Burren Balsamics of Richhill, Co Armagh; and Lo and Slow BBQ Sauces from Derry. Burren, which is run by founder Susie Hamilton Stubber and Bob McDonald, both respected chefs, gained gold awards for three products – pickled tomatoes; proper digestive biscuits and wild garlic, salt and pepper mill.

Raymond Blanc described Burren’s proper digestive biscuits, as “a Great British Biscuit, showcasing modern artisanal baking”.
Derry’s Lo&Slo BBQ Sauces, owned and run by Emily McCorkell, won gold for its Screaming Banshee Ghost Chilli and Seaweed Blend and silvers for Chilli Mop Sauce and Sweet and Smoky. Gary Stewart, head chef at the Tartine restaurant in the Distiller’s Arms in Bushmills won silver for his pickled sauce and bronze for his raspberry and apple sauce.

Launched in 2014 the Great British Food Awards to celebrate the country’s finest artisanal produce, as well as the hard-working people behind the scenes. This year, the awards were bigger and better than ever, with lots of new categories and amazing celebrity judges such as celebrity chefs Raymond Blanc, Oliver Marlowe; Michel Roux Jnr and Shaun Rankin.

Passengers on Aer Lingus international flights are now able to enjoy a unique tapas snack box developed by Burren Balsamics in Co Armagh.
The Armagh company, which is based at Richhill, has worked with the international airline’s catering team to create “carefully selected and perfectly crafted grazing tapas that are bursting with flavour”, Burren’s Iona Hamilton Stubber explains.

“From moreish salty broad beans to sweet pickled tomatoes, this array of luxury antipasti and snacks is the perfect start to a flight,” adds Iona. 
The tapas boxes contain some olive tapenade, made with the Armagh company’s citrus white balsamic vinegar as well as some pickled tomatoes that are all developed and made at Richhill.

A multi-award-winning producer of balsamic vinegars, relishes, chutneys and jams, Burren Balsamics, a Food NI member, has an established business relationship with Aer Lingus that has featured the development of an onion jam for international flights.

Three of its products recently won gold at the Great British Food Awards. The winning products were: Pickled Tomatoes; Proper Digestive Biscuits; Wild Garlic, Salt and Pepper Mill. The pickled tomatoes in particular have won and they are going into the tapas box for Aer Lingus 

The Armagh company has also started exporting to Dubai and can now been found in Spinney’s and Waitrose, alongside Broighter Gold rapeseed oil from Limavady there.
The Aer Lingus contract consolidates the reputation of Burren Balsamics as one of Northern Ireland’s leading and most successful innovators in artisan foods especially for high-profile customers in international markets.

The company, run by Susie Hamilton Stubber and Bob McDonald, two respected chefs, includes Harrods and Partridges in London among its portfolio of influential customers for its extensive range of fruit infused balsamic vinegars, many of which use locally sourced fruits and other ingredients.

The small company also supplies its fruit infused balsamic vinegars to the House of Commons gift shop and is a UK Department of Business and Trade Export

Ambassador, a role which involves encouraging and advising other smaller
companies here seeking to develop exports.

In addition to its latest business with leading retailers in the affluent United Arab Emirates (UAE), Burren Balsamics, which was established in February 2014 by Susie, recently secured a significant export contract for its products to be sold in Mexico’s most prestigious department stores.

Taste of Ulster member Killeavy Castle Estate has added another award to its cache with the 4 Star Lux Hotel of the Year at the Irish Hotel Awards.

The awards took place at an event at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa in Sligo on Tuesday, October 17^th, 2023. 4 star Lux Hotel is a new category in the Awards which have been running since ??

Killeavy Castle Hotel also won Fine Dining Experience of the Year, Great Irish Breakfast of the Year and Castle Hotel of the Year for Ulster

The other big winners were Manor Country House Hotel in Enniskillen, Fermanagh and Titanic Hotel, Belfast.

The Manor House Country Hotel won Waterside Wedding Venue of the Year and Breakfast Venue of the Year. Frances Cathcart won Breakfast Manager of the Year, Ulster and all-island. Josata Zostautiene won Housekeeping Manager of the Year, Ulster. Una Monaghan won Wedding Planner of the Year.

Titanic Hotel won Wedding Hotel of the Year and Gourmet Getaway of the Year for Ulster. Staff awarded were Nigel Mannion, Chef of the Year; Courtney McLaughlin – Event Manager of the Year for Ulster and Yvonne McIlree Marketing Manager of the Year.  William McIlroy was Concierge of the Year for Ulster and Overall winner.

Neil Walker from the Seagoe Hotel, Portadown, Co. Armagh won Bar Manager of the Year and Corick House Hotel and Spa in Tyrone won the Country House Hotel award in Ulster.

We are proud to announce that renowned food expert Olly Marlowe has awarded Screaming Banshee Ghost Chilli & Seaweed Blend by LO & SLO a Gold Badge at this year’s Great British Food AwardsWith Sweet & Smoky Original BBQ Sauce and Sweet & Spicy Chilli Mop Sauce both winning Silver.

The gold winning entry, Ghost Chilli & Seaweed Blend, a seasoning salt with versatility of use and a focus on punchy, natural ingredients, will now be regarded as one of the very best products available within the UK’s exciting food and drink sector in 2023.

The item was judged by top industry expert Olly Marlowe to be a prime example of Great British food and drink – demonstrating not only delicious flavour, but also providing an optimum eating experience and one-of-a-kind enjoyment. He described LO & SLO’s Screaming Banshee Ghost Chilli & Seaweed Blend as: “The cream of the crop, as it were, was the Screaming Banshee Ghost Chilli & Seaweed blend. Despite my mouth still being on fire from 30 minutes ago – the individual flavour and tang was toppest! We plan to use it as a salt rim for our Chilli and Cucumber Margaritas – immediately!”.

Having been awarded the highest accolade within the Great British Food Awards 2023, LO & SLO’s Screaming Banshee Ghost Chilli & Seaweed Blend will now be promoted across Great British Food’s print, online and social channels in celebration of its achievement. 

Of the win, Emily McCorkell, founder of LO & SLO and creator of their range said, “Our team is extremely proud of our Ghost Chilli & Seaweed Blend winning Gold! It’s always an honour to be recognised for the hard work and creativity that goes into every product we make. This Seasoning Blend is really something special and I can’t wait for people to discover it for themselves!”.

Trading with Northern Ireland now a problem for companies in Britain

It’s hard to believe that this January will mark three years since Brexit was implemented, and six and a half since the referendum was held.  Post referendum there was talk that it would ‘all be sorted’ in six months, wishful thinking.  Of course, it was followed by the pandemic, which lasted almost two years, starting in March 2020 and ending in December 2021. Even now I still hear the mantra weekly, we are just getting back on our feet. Therefore, its timely to look at how food and drink businesses view the business landscape given the national and global disruption.

Almost two thirds (63 per cent) of food and drink companies in Britain are finding it hard to trade with Northern Ireland via the Trader Support Service, with a further 69 per cent struggling to use preferential origin under the UK’s Free Trade Agreements, a new survey by business consultants BDO has found.

Concerns about the new trading regime for companies dealing with Northern Ireland are highlighted in the latest annual Food and Drink Report by BDO, which has a significant presence in Belfast.

These are worrying findings about the impact particularly among companies in Great Britain, the biggest single marketplace for our food and drink producers.

Food NI is not politically partisan. Our role is to promote and support the local food and drink sector, especially in home markets and to encourage them to take first steps outside Northern Ireland into Great Britain. It is disturbing to read that 63 percent of food and drink companies are finding it difficult to trade with this part of the United Kingdom.

These findings clearly merit further investigation of the problems, real or perceived, as a matter of urgency.  There’s clearly further work required to identify and remove any barriers than may to exist to trade within the United Kingdom.

BDO’s annual Food & Drink Report, which surveys manufacturers in the sector, shows a high degree of optimism among food and drink manufacturers. It’s a great source of information about the food and drink industry in general.

Encouragingly, the majority of leaders in the UK food and drink sector feel “positive about the prospects of the industry over the coming year”, according to new data, but mounting pressures will “continue to test” resilience. These mounting pressures stem especially from rising input costs including energy, ongoing staff shortages and the Ukraine war. The developing crisis in the Middle East is also now pushing up energy prices again.

BDO’s survey also highlights the “myriad of challenges” businesses in the sector are facing. Half of the companies responding reported difficulties in recruiting staff, with engineering and project management or production-related roles being the hardest to fill.

Almost two fifths (39 per cent) of those experiencing recruitment challenges believe skills shortages are worse now than before Brexit and Covid-19.

The long-term nature of many of the threats facing UK food and drink companies, the report says, suggests that leaders will need to stay flexible and think strategically about the future of their businesses.

A total of 70 per cent of food and drink companies are feeling positive about the future of their own business in the next 12 months, the report finds.

This is buoyed by the big jump in optimism for the sector overall, which has increased from 69 per cent in 2022 to 81 per cent.

More than a third (40 per cent) of companies say they expect an increase in their gross profit margins over the coming year and, as the buoyant mood continues, a further quarter (24 per cent) are planning acquisitive purchases.

Thirty per cent say new product development will be a key driver for growth across the next 12 months, whilst 29 per cent say expanding in non-European Union (EU) markets is an important focus.

There are certainly opportunities in these markets for our food processors, and we’ve seen some important successes in recent weeks, including Scott’s Crispy Onions in Aghadowey winning its first business in Denmark; Burren Balsamics and Broighter Rapeseed Oil both successful in the United Arab Emirates. Burren Balsamics has also just developed innovative tapas boxes for Aer Lingus international flights.

As the report is appropriate titled, the ingredients for success in the new normal are flexibility and a dash of experimentation.

Taste of Ulster member Killeavy Castle Estate has added another award to its cache with the 4 Star Lux Hotel of the Year at the Irish Hotel Awards.
The awards took place at an event at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa in Sligo on Tuesday, October 17, 2023. The 4 star Lux Hotel is a new category in the Awards which have been running since 2017.

Killeavy Castle Hotel also won Fine Dining Experience of the Year, Great Irish Breakfast of the Year and Castle Hotel of the Year for Ulster
The other big winners were Manor Country House Hotel in Enniskillen, Fermanagh and Titanic Hotel, Belfast.

The Manor House Country Hotel won Waterside Wedding Venue of the Year and Breakfast Venue of the Year. Frances Cathcart from won Breakfast Manager of the Year, Ulster and all-island. Josata Zostautiene won Housekeeping Manager of the Year, Ulster. Una Monaghan won Wedding Planner of the Year.

Titanic Hotel won Wedding Hotel of the Year and Gourmet Getaway of the Year for Ulster. Staff awarded were Nigel Mannion, Chef of the Year; Courtney McLaughlin – Event Manager of the Year for Ulster and Yvonne McIlree Marketing Manager of the Year. William McIlroy was Concierge of the Year for Ulster and Overall winner.

Neil Walker from the Seagoe Hotel, Portadown, Co. Armagh won Bar Manager of the Year and Corick House Hotel and Spa in Tyrone won the Country House Hotel award in Ulster.