We’re delighted that our NI Food & Drink Pavilion is returning to the 153^rd Balmoral Show and this year it is set to wow crowds with over 100 local food and drink companies and three Theatre Kitchens.

Supported by the Northern Ireland Regional Food Programme, and Tourism NI, the Pavilion will tantalise your taste buds, with delicious and original food and drink on offer – from award-winning cheese to mouth-watering brownies! The Pavilion includes a number of new and innovative businesses that started during the pandemic with emerging trends in sustainability, health and food tourism:

COMPANY:	WHAT’S ON OFFER:
Papas Mineral Co	Artisan award-winning speciality cordials blended by hand.
The Brownie Barn	The home of all things sweet – Brownies, cookies & award-winning caramel sauce.
Long Meadow Cider	Third generation family run business producing a range of craft ciders, apple juice and apple cider vinegar.
White’s Oats	Located in the heart of Co. Armagh, White’s Oats is Northern Ireland’s most sustainable breakfast producer, having milled oats in Tandragee for over 180 years.
Burren Balsamics	Multi award-winning artisan producer of infused dark and white balsamic vinegars, and premium pantry items.
Milgro	Northern Ireland’s only commercial onion grower who make exceedingly good Crispy onions.
Betty’s Ice-Cream	New business venture by Bethany Boyd creating luxurious, smooth, scoopable ice-cream in a variety of flavours.
Irish Black Butter	Portrush producer specialising in their signature award-winning Irish Black Butter apple conserve for home users. Decidedly different and versatile conserve to transform and enhance your food and drink.
Symphonia Spirits	Multi-award winning distillery based in the Orchard of Ireland, producing delicious spirits showcasing local produce.
Mid and East Antrim Food and Drink Network	Taste and See local delights from an area with a passion for food and an appetite for business.
Country Kitchen	Located in Co. Armagh, Avondale Foods is the home of Country Kitchen fresh soups, coleslaw and potato salads, as well as  a new range of pasta and cous cous side salads.
Sea Source	Membership organisation owned by fishermen of Northern Ireland who have been catching, landing and selling their world class seafood in Kilkeel since 1853. Our mission is to supply the highest quality, world class and sustainable seafood from our local Northern Ireland fishermen.
Glens of Antrim Crisps	Expertly hand-cooked in the heart of the Glens of Antrim, Cushendall. Bold, delicious and locally made flavours coat Northern Irish spuds delivering on award winning taste and the perfect crunch.
Dundarave Estate	Preserves homemade by the Estates resident chef using only the finest local ingredients.
The Shed	This place is a real treasure trove, nestled in the countryside on the outskirts of Moira with a seasonal local menu worth checking out.
Natural Umber	A deliciously different organic apple cider vinegar. Made to retain a sweet apple flavour, try adding it to a glass of water or in your favourite recipes.
Scotts Crispy Onions	A fast and hassle free way for you to add a restaurant style topping or side to your meals and snacks at home. Ready in as little as 30 seconds with 6 mouth-watering flavours to choose from.
FareShare NI	FareShare NI is a project of Homeless Connect and is part of the wider FareShare UK network of charitable food redistributors.
Linwoods Health Foods	Linwoods Health Foods aims to make it easy for everyone to access nutrient-rich seeds, fruits and nuts which are full of natural plant goodness.
Island Dairies	Small family run business based just outside Dromore, Co Down who process their own milk on site. Choose from milk, milkshakes, fresh cream and orange juice.
Gilfresh Produce	Established by the Gilpin Family over 50 years ago Gilfresh is dedicated to the growing, packing, processing and distribution of a wide range of core and prepared vegetables.
Craig Foods	For over 50 years now, Craig Foods has been a leading supplier of baked goods in Northern Ireland with an enviable reputation for the quality of its products and reliability of its service.
Thompson’s Tea	Fourth-generation family business born and blended in Belfast since 1896. A local tea we all know and love!
Food Heartland	With over 870 award-winning local producers the council area of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon has become firmly established as the Food Heartland of Northern Ireland.
Nature Friendly Farming Network	Focused on uniting farmers from all sectors and backgrounds to manage land in ways that deliver benefits for wildlife and the environment, at the same time as growing healthy food and having profitable farm businesses.
Hellbent	Bringing a South African flavour wave to the UK and Ireland driven by their passion for authentic food and drink.
Granny Shaws Fudge Factory	Granny Shaws Fudge Factory and Confections are based in Broughshane Co Antrim, using old Victorian recipes they manufacture by hand a range of nostalgic confections from Nut Brittles to Honeycombs and Vanilla Fudges to Whiskey Tablet.
Hotties Chocolate	Small batch, luxury hot chocolate company on a mission to make the world’s best hot chocolate while spreading joy one cup at a time.
Erin Grove Preserves	Expect a multi-award winning range of preserves, chutneys and cheese accompaniments that are simply bursting with flavour!
Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council	An area of high quality and bespoke food, drink and immersive tourism experiences featuring premium local products and excellent service delivery.
Kennedy Bacon	Artisanal award-winning bacon dry cured on Kennedy’s farm in Glenhordial in the Hills above Omagh.
The Hatch	Multi award winning street food specialising in grass fed smashed beef burgers using local Mourne shorthorn beef.
Glastry Farm	An on-farm processor of dessert ice-creams and sorbets for the food service sector, retail trade and ice-cream parlours.
Finnebrogue Artisan	Finnebrogue is one of the UKs leading artisan food producers. A family-owned business based in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland, they have made their name producing premium sausages, venison, bacon, ham wagyu beef and plant-based products.
Moy Park	Recognised as Ireland’s number one poultry brand, their range of high-quality branded chicken products includes fresh chicken, added value, breaded and a range of ready to eat options.
The Consumer Council	The Consumer Council’s principal statutory duty is to promote and safeguard the interests of consumers in Northern Ireland. They have specific statutory duties in relation to energy, postal services, transport, private car parking and water and sewerage.
Simply Irresistible	Simply Irresistible Catering have diversified from ‘their fields to your fork’. Their creativity, innovation and traceability have led them along the way, providing locally sourced sustainable wholesome food, rich with taste & flavours, freshly made for you!
The Fluffy Meringue	Bakers and producers of  pavlovas and flavoured meringues in several different flavours all made in their own bakery
BoI Open Farm Weekend	This years Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend is making a welcome return back on farms on Friday 17 June to Sunday 19 June 2022 and planning a packed schedule of activities to showcase Northern Ireland food and farming at its best.
Trussell Trust	Aiming to create a NI without the need for food banks. They support a network of 21 local food banks and together we provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, and campaign for change to end the need for food banks in N. Ireland.
Lough Neagh Fishermen’s Co-Operative Society Ltd	Lough Neagh is a Wild Freshwater Fishery , where they are known for the infamous Lough Neagh Eels alongside  top quality Pollan, Perch & Trout.
Hinch Distillery	At Hinch, set amongst County Downs rolling green drumlin hills, they have created a distillery that has aspirations well beyond ‘the ordinary’, ambitions to be creative well beyond ‘the easily achieved’.
The Morelli Pod	Morelli’s believe that lrish Dairy produce is the best in the world, hence the reason why they use only lrish Dairy products in our recipes.  By combining flavourings from some of Italy’s most prestigious flavour houses and the finest inclusions and chocolates from right across the world they believe that their ice cream just may be some of the finest that you’ll ever taste!
Taste Ards & North Down	Promoting food experiences and festivals alongside Ards and North Down’s producers and restaurants
Kin & Folk	Husband & Wife creating small batch artisan treats , bakes & bread
Ke Nako Biltong	A multi award winning biltong producer, based in Co. Antrim. They use organically reared dairy cull cow as the base ingredient for their delicious products.
The Big Lunch	#TheBigLunch vote for a party that brings people together.  Order your free Big Lunch pack and let’s have something to look forward to!
Savour Visit Mourne	Savour Visit Mourne integrates local authentic food and drink producers with tourism providers  to create saleable visitor experiences that showcase the exemplary food and drink offering within the Visit Mourne destination.
Corndale Farm Charcuterie	Corndale Farm produces premium Northern Irish charcuterie products for both retail and foodservice. They produce Their range of cured meats from our own free range, rare breed pigs. Their range includes, Chorizo, Salami, ‘Nduja, Beer Sticks, Coppa, Lomo & Bresaola.
The Belfast Coffee Co	The Belfast Coffee Co is a family coffee business that roasts smooth full-bodied coffee.
Crawfords Rock Seaweed	Traditionally our ancestors foraged the beach for seaweeds they used this as a mineral boost after the first frosts – Today Crawfords relive this tradition in a very modern.
Green Fingers Family	Artisan, multi-award-winning food production business based in Larne, producing 100% natural, gluten-free & refined sugar-free granolas, raw energy balls,  traybakes & desserts.
Giants Basalt Rock Gin	Created a stones throw from the Giants Causeway, Giants Basalt Rock Gin is the epitome of controlled chaos. They take basalt purified water from their 600ft well, use the most advanced distilling technology and apply molecular-level precision to create an unparalleled three-dimensional gin.

Throughout Show days there will be three Theatre Kitchens cooking up a storm. The Tesco Theatre Kitchen will focus on cooking on a budget using local ingredients, the Tourism NI Kitchen will showcase some of Northern Ireland’s top food and drink experiences, and the Moy Park Kitchen will focus on all that is chicken.

There’ll be a tremendous atmosphere in the pavilion once again. The pavilion is a must visit experience to find out what is happening in the world of food and drink and to see our talented food and drink industry show off the latest innovations. Make sure to visit the Balmoral Park from 11^th – 14^th May where the sold-out pavilion is set to host the biggest celebration of the outstanding tastes and rich flavours from local artisan companies across the province.

The Balmoral Show in partnership with Ulster Bank, Northern Ireland’s largest agri-food event will take place from Wednesday 11^th May to Saturday 14^th May 2022 at Balmoral Park, Lisburn. All tickets must be purchased online at by clicking here. Tickets will not be available on the gate. 

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-Shortcross Rye & Malt Irish Whiskey Launches –

Following on from the launch of its inaugural Shortcross Single Malt Irish Whiskey – which was awarded best New Irish Whiskey at The Irish Whiskey Awards – Rademon Estate Distillery has announced its second release –Shortcross Rye & Malt Irish Whiskey. 

Double distilled on copper pot stills, including one of the smallest whiskey stills on the island of Ireland, Shortcross Rye & Malt Irish whiskey has been proudly distilled, matured and bottled at Rademon Estate Distillery in County Down.

This carefully crafted edition has been created with a unique mash bill of 100% Irish malted rye and malted barley and aged in a combination of virgin chinkapin oak and ex-bourbon barrels.

Non-chill filtered, all natural colour with an ABV of 46%, Shortcross Rye & Malt Irish whiskey is available now via the Rademon Estate Distillery website, priced at £65 / €80. 

Commenting on Shortcross’s second whiskey release, Co-Founder and Head Distiller, David Boyd-Armstrong says: “When my wife Fiona and I founded Rademon Estate Distillery back in 2014, distilling whiskey was the dream. Last year this was realized with the launch of Shortcross Single Malt Irish Whiskey and we’re so proud to launch another uniquely Shortcross whiskey with the release of Shortcross Rye & Malt Irish Whiskey.

“With Rye & Malt, we’re continuing to lay down whiskey that has a distinctive taste profile. We strive to create as much flavour as possible in each stage of our whiskey making process and using water from the historic well on our estate, this release combines a mash bill of 100% Irish malted rye and malted barley to create a whiskey with spicy and peppery notes.”  

Shortcross Single Malt Irish Whiskey was the first new whiskey to be released from a Northern Ireland distillery in over 100 years, and 2022 will see further new releases from Rademon Estate Distillery. 

Shortcross Rye & Malt Irish Whiskey is available now, priced at £65 / €80, online, at the Rademon Estate Distillery shop and independent Off Sales. To purchase visit:rademonestatedistilleryshop.com/collections/shortcross-irish-whiskey/products/shortcross-rye-malt-irish-whiskey-1

Download the Balmoral Show App ahead of the Balmoral Show in partnership with Ulster Bank.

The app is a handy pocket tool to help guide you on your visit around the Show featuring trade stands and key attractions. To stop you missing out on the action, it also features the Show timetable of events across the action packed four days.

Users will also be able to live stream action from the Main Arena and Sheep Shearing Fold as well as highlights from the Cattle Rings and Horse Rings.

The app is now available for download on Apple Store and Google Play. Simply search for “Balmoral Show” and download!

The Balmoral Show in partnership with Ulster Bank will return to Balmoral Park from Wednesday 11^th May to Saturday 14^th May 2022. All tickets must be purchased online or through the App. Early Bird tickets will be available until Tuesday 10^th May. To purchase tickets to the Show, visitwww.balmoralshow.co.uk.

For the latest updates on the Show visitwww.balmoralshow.co.uk or follow Balmoral Show on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.  

The home of Shortcross Gin, and now Shortcross Whiskey, Rademon Estate Distillery, located in the beautiful County Down countryside just outside of Crossgar, has just launched its inaugural Shortcross Whiskey tours. 

In late 2021, Rademon Estate Distillery released the first Irish whiskey to be wholly distilled and released by a new Irish whiskey distillery in Northern Ireland since the 1920s. The first release – Shortcross Single Malt Irish Whiskey – was named Winner of Best New Irish Whiskey at The Irish Whiskey Awards – and Shortcross is soon to launch its Rye & Malt whiskey, a carefully crafted edition of Shortcross Irish Whiskey that’s been double distilled on Rademon’s copper pot stills, which are still some of the smallest whiskey stills on the island of Ireland.

Opening the doors of its beautiful distillery, the Shortcross Whiskey Discovery & Tour experience is available to book now. Tours commence from Thursday 14^th April and will run every Friday and Saturday. A fully immersive guided tour of the distillery and whiskey making process, the Shortcross Whiskey Discovery & Tour experience costs £49.50 per person and is lead by Head Distiller and Rademon Estate Distillery co-founder, David Boyd-Armstrong.

Guests will see and experience first-hand the sights, sounds, tastes and aromas of a fully operational craft distillery. The tour, lasting 1.5 hours, includes sampling Shortcross whiskey from the cask, a guided tasting and a complimentary Shortcross branded whiskey glass to take home.

Shortcross Whiskey Discovery Tours commence on 14^th April and run every weekend, costing £49.50pp. Tasting tours are priced at £20pp and there’s also Gin Discovery and Gin Tasting Tours. To book, visit www.rademonestatedistillery.com