The best pork sausages in Europe are made in Bangor, county Down, Northern Ireland.

McWhinney’s Sausages, among the best known names in food processing here has won the important accolade for producing best pork sausages in Europe at its modern processing unit just outside the town from leading international lifestyle publication.

A leading supplier of premium pork sausages to caterers throughout the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, McWhinney’s recently received the important accolade from LUXLife, a glossy publication aimed at people who enjoy the finer things of life, in its annual Food and Drink Awards 2021. The upmarket magazine has a circulation of almost 300,000 readers worldwide.

McWhinney’s Sausages, a traditional family run business that’s headed by Kevin McWhinney and spanning six generations, is the main supplier of high quality content pork sausages to fish and chip shops, cafes and other catering businesses in the UK, Ireland and other European countries. The company is understandably delighted by the influential award.

Kevin, commenting on the LUXLife magazine decision, said: “The award came as a very pleasant surprise. It’s a marvellous recognition and endorsement of the premium quality and outstanding flavour of sausages. This immensely encouraging award should help to increase awareness of our market leading premium pork products as we continue to grow our business in key markets such as Great Britain, Ireland and beyond.

“LUXLife is a quality conscious magazine that’s aimed at people who also enjoy the best food products available,” he adds.

The LUXLife Food & Drink Awards was created to “commend those who go above and beyond for their customers and/or consumers to ensure that their appetites are catered for, especially in light of the recent COVID-19 outbreak which has seen many businesses in the food and drink industry face unprecedented challenges over the past few months”.

The Food & Drink Awards commend businesses who prove themselves to be innovators in one of the world’s most competitive industries by bringing fresh, exciting ideas forward, and celebrate the outstanding achievements made by those looking to solidify their reputation as industry leaders.  All participants are judged purely on merit and only the most deserving are acknowledged.

Final judgement is based on various criteria such as: business values and performance, longevity, business growth (either sustained or rapid) and any significant innovations or feedback. The magazine spans “the highest net worth individuals from around the world” and major brands.

McWhinney’s traces its business roots to 1898 when Kevin McWhinney’s great great grandfather began production of quality Irish pork sausages in Bangor from his own recipe which remains a closely guarded family secret. The family also became involved in a successful butchery business in 1968.

Managing director Kevin joined the company has spearheaded its exceptional growth of the family business especially outside Northern Ireland. The ambitious local business has grown strongly and now operates from a modern factory in Bangor. It continues to invest substantially in its products, premises and in developing the skills of employees.

An extensive product portfolio includes 70% premium pork, the Bigfoot (12” 6oz 70% pork sausage), cocktail, breakfast and gluten sausages to name a few.

For more information or to arrange a sample for your business contact James Hughes on james@mcwhinneys.com

Two Northern Ireland meat processors have won a series of gold, silver and bronze medals in the recent World Steak Challenge in Dublin.

The successful Northern Ireland processors were Derry’s Foyle Food Group and Kettyle Irish Foods of Lisnaskea in county Fermanagh. In addition, James Whelan Butchers of Tipperary in the Republic of Ireland was successful with beef from Hannan Meats in Moira, county Armagh. Foyle Foods and Kettyle, now part of ABP, gained a total of six medals

The World Steak Challenge (WSC) is the world’s first event to give steak producers and suppliers a much-needed platform to showcase product quality, breed credentials and processing standards on an international stage. The event has a strong focus on grass-fed beef.

Now in its seventh year, the WSC continues to burgeon in popularity and has become the benchmark for tasting steaks around the world.

The event was suspended in 2020 due to the Covid-19 outbreak but received a record number of entries in 2019 from 29 countries.

WSC enables entrants to test their steaks against global competitors, delivering a recognised stamp of quality and setting the benchmark for global steak production.

The awards also provide an opportunity for entrants to engage with consumers and promote the benefits of eating steak which is sustainably sourced with a good providence.

Since 2015, WSC has seen over 1,000 steaks tasted, tested and scored through an independent, robust judging process at an annual judging day. The ensuing awards ceremony provides an unrivalled opportunity for producers and suppliers to showcase their produce whilst networking with buyers and experts from within the steak industry.

The awards for Northern Ireland processors were as follows:

Foyle Food Group – Gold for Sirloin, Bronze for Fillet and Rib-Eye

Kettyle Irish Foods – Gold for Fillet, Gold for Rib-Eye and Bronze for Sirloin

Bushmills Irish Whiskey has appointed Alex Thomas as Master Blender at The Old Bushmills Distillery, the world’s oldest licenced whiskey distillery.

Building on the legacy of generations of Bushmills’ whiskey makers, Alex will take responsibility for selection and management of the casks for Bushmills famous single malt, nurturing the Bushmills Irish Whiskey portfolio of premium blends and aged single malts, and new product development.

Born in Ballymoney, just 15 minutes from The Old Bushmills Distillery, Alex succeeds Helen Mulholland who began her long career at The Old Bushmills Distillery almost 30 years ago.

Alex joined the Bushmills team in 2004 and since then she has spent over 17 years honing her craft, fascinated in particular, by the maturation phase of the whiskey making process. This interest, and her initial experiences led to experimentation with different taste profiles and ultimately, her development of The Sexton Single Malt, where she was appointed as Master Blender in 2017.

Speaking about her new role, Alex Thomas, said: “It is a privilege to be appointed as Master Blender for Bushmills Irish Whiskey. The Old Bushmills Distillery is a very special place and I’m excited to explore my passion for developing new whiskeys and experimenting with different casks and flavours, while still maintaining the iconic Bushmills taste and quality.

The craftmanship and passion that goes into Bushmills is something that has truly captured my imagination. Whiskey fans know Bushmills Irish Whiskey for the brand’s 400 years of quality and taste, so part of my job will be ensuring that we continue to meet that high standard.

It is a really exciting time for Bushmills, and I look forward to seeing what the future brings both here at The Distillery and in the industry as a whole. I am very honoured to be a part of the amazing history and heritage and I look forward to using the wisdom and experience I have inherited from those who have gone before me.”

Colum Egan, Bushmills Master Distiller, said: “We are delighted to announce the appointment of Alex Thomas as Master Blender at The Old Bushmills Distillery. Over the years Alex has demonstrated exceptional skills in the art of blending and her passion and pursuit of excellence has truly made her one of the rising stars in Irish whiskey.

I look forward to continuing to with work with Alex in her new role and I am excited for the future of Bushmills Irish Whiskey. Alex will do an amazing job as she possesses the knowledge, expertise, and dedication to make an amazing Master Blender.”

Symphonia Spirits in Moy, Co Tyrone has gained a listing in Tesco stores across Northern Ireland for its unique and award winning Irish apple rum.  In addition, the craft distiller headed by organic chemist Dr Ulrich Dyer has been highly commended for its focus on sustainability.

The Symphonia rum, distilled at the Woodlab Distillery, gained the Tesco business following a direct pitch to the supermarket’s buyer who was impressed by the taste of the spirit and its presentation. A listing followed the presentation.

Dr Dyer, commenting on the new business with Tesco, said: “This is a very welcome boost especially at this time with Christmas approaching. Our Irish apple rum makes a perfect and warming drink for round the fire at home on these cold evenings and is also an ideal gift for the season or any time of the year.”

The small batch distillery, which produces a range of gin as well as the rum, was also delighted to have been highly commended in the influential 2021 Footprint Drinks Sustainability Awards in Britain.

The annual awards are regarded as the barometer for sustainability and responsible business practice for the drinks industry and represents the annual celebration of businesses and individuals making a difference to sustainability in the industry and its supply chain.

Dr Dyer continues: “It’s quite an achievement for a small distillery like Woodlab to be recognised among many bigger producers of all types of beverages. It’s a marvellous endorsement of our sharp focus on operating to the highest sustainability standards in everything we do.”

The commendation follows recognition by the judges of Dr Dyer’s focus on “creating successful spirits while remaining consistently mindful about how to reduce the company’s impact on energy and the earth’s natural resources. It meant harnessing science with nature to create the best tasting spirits possible, capturing the wonderful flavours and fragrances of botanicals in the most eco-efficient way.”

The aim was to make spirits that reflect the glory of the Northern Irish countryside. Symphonia’s ethos also meant giving something back to the country. The company features a scientific approach to the developing flavours. Ingredients were also sourced as ethically and locally wherever possible –this helps the environment by reducing carbon emissions due to transport and supports the local economy 

The distillery, in addition, was different in its use of recycled glass in the stills, which are not only more environmentally friendly than copper, but they have also been scientifically proven to give a cleaner taste.

The distillery created a unique process combining three techniques: cold distillation, hydrodistillation, and molecular analysis.  These ground-breaking innovations ensured the rich, delicate, flavours of the botanicals are extracted with the maximum efficiency and preserve their taste quality. They also hugely reduce energy consumption using only two percent of the energy required for traditional distilling. These techniques brought additional space efficiency.  The distillery has a reduced physical footprint compared to others. It is the only distillery in the world using these combined processes.

Remaining true to the purity of science and nature is at the heart of Symphonia’s ethos.

In practise, this means harnessing science with nature to create the best tasting spirits possible, capturing the wonderful flavours and fragrances of botanicals in the most eco-efficient way.

Crilly’s Sweets, a leading producer of quality confectionery, has launched a six-strong range of menthol cough drops ahead of the winter season or colds and sore throats.

The innovative range of Mr Crilly’s Throat and Cough drops in produced at the company’s plant in Newry, county Down and features: Honey and Lemon Menthol; Throat and Chest Menthol; Menthol and Eucalyptus; Blackcurrant Menthol; Cherry Menthol; and Peppermint Menthol. The sweets retail at £1 per bag

The new menthol sweets are a logical extension of Crilly’s vast experience in developing and manufacturing boiled sweets and other confectionery for clients in the UK, Ireland and further afield including China.

David Crilly, a director of the family business which has been operating in Newry since 1987, explains: “We’ve been working on the development of the menthol range for several years and have now produced a range of different flavours that customers are finding delicious and, of course, help in combating colds, chills and sore throats so common at this time of year especially in the UK, Ireland and Europe.

We’ve created a distinctive branding for the menthol range which reflects our family tradition in quality and tasty hard-boiled sweets. And we are delighted with the very positive response from retailers here and further afield. As a result, the novel range is now attracting firm orders from home and abroad,” he adds.

Crilly’s Sweets is owned by Crilco Confections Ltd, Ireland’s only manufacturer of quality boiled sweets and other confectionery. The family-owned and managed business has invested extensively in its manufacturing and storage facilities and widely respected worldwide for the quality of its confectionery and responsive customer services. The company is one of a small number of boiled sweets producers in Great Britain.

In addition to growing business with pick and match stores in China, Crilly’s also sells confectionery to leading retailers in Britain including Aldi, discounters B&M and Poundstretcher, and also exports to the Republic of Ireland, the US, Australia, Germany, Italy, France and the Czech Republic.

The company was started by Peter Crilly, the managing director, in 1974 and is now run with sons David and Ciaran. It currently employs around 40 people in Newry.

Almost 30 innovative products from 20 Northern Ireland companies have been shortlisted for the finals of this year’s prestigious Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards 2021 to be held in Dublin later this month.

The Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards, which includes Invest NI among its sponsors, is the most important awards for food and drink retailing on the island of Ireland.

The influential awards, supported by food and drink retailers, celebrates the achievements and outstanding quality and tastes of products from the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland every year. The winners are chosen by a panel of expert food judges and announced on 23 November.

The Northern Ireland successs:

Beer
Inclusive of Ales, Cider, Lager, Porters and Stouts

·        Aldi Armagh Craft Cider Sweet, Armagh Cider Company, Armagh, Co Armagh

 Food Service

Inclusive of Foodservice BOH Dry Goods/ Ingredients, Foodservice Bread and Morning Goods, Foodservice Food to Go, Foodservice Meat

·     Pulled Ham Hock and Whole Grain Mustard Tosta, Deli Lites,  Warrenpoint, Co Down

 Breakfast Products

Inclusive of Ambient Breakfast Products and Breakfast Baked Goods

·       Lidl Deluxe Organic Wafer Oats, Whites Oats, Co Armagh

Store Cupboard Items

·       Balsamic Sugar, Burren Balsamics, Richhill, Co Armagh

 Oils, Vinegars and Dressings

·        Burren Balsamics, Blackberry and Thyme Infused Balsamic Vinegar

 Snacks

Inclusive of Good Choice Snacks – Savoury and Good Choice Snacks – Sweet

·        Gourmet Crunch Thai Sweet Chilli 5 x18g Multipack, Golden Popcorn, Antrim, Co Antrim

·        Green Fingers Family, Larne, Co Antrim Berry Bliss Raspberry Granola

 Ready Meals

·        Carlos Mexican Bean Enchiladas, Deli Lites, Warrenpoint, Co Down

·        Lidl Deluxe Beef Ragu, Daily Bake, Portadown, Co Armagh

·        Lidl Deluxe Chicken & Mushroom Risotto, Daily Bake

Quiches, Pies and Pasties

·        Lidl Deluxe Maple Cured Bacon and Gruyere Cheese Quiche, McColgan’s, Strabane, Co Tyrone

Pasta and Pizza

Inclusive of Pasta, Rice and Grains and Pizzas

·        Lidl Deluxe Tomato & Mozzarella Sourdough Pizza, Crust & Crumb, Derrylin, Co Fermanagh

·        Lidl Sourdough Pizza Half & Half – Goat’s Cheese, Onion & Spinach / ‘Nduja, Picante Salami, Red Peppers, Crust & Crumb

·        Pizzado, Choice Pizza, Portaferry, Co Down

 Meal Accompaniments

·        Aldi Specially Selected Cranberry, Apricot & Orange Stuffing, TS Foods, Castlewellan, Co Down

·        Aldi Specially Selected Smoked Bacon & Butter Leek Stuffing, TS Foods

·        Carrot & Parsnip Mash, Mash Direct, Comber, Co Down

·        Flame Grilled Steak Flavour Crispy Onions, Milgro, Coleraine, Co Derry

·       Original Flavour Crispy Onions, Milgro

 Food to Go

·        Applegreen Salt and Chilli Chicken Wrap, Deli Lites

Crisps

·        Dunnes Stores Simply Better Hand Cooked Clogherhead Sea Salt & White Wine Vinegar Crisps, Glens of Antrim Potatoes, Cushendall, Co Antrim

·        Glens of Antrim Crisps, Sweet Sriracha Chilli

Fresh Produce

Inclusive of Fruit Unprepared, Salad Prepared, Vegetables Prepared, Vegetables Unprepared

·        Aldi Specially Selected Fiery Green Stir Fry, Willowbrook Foods, Killinchy, Co Down

 Vegetarian/Vegan – Main Meals

·        Vegan Butternut Squash & Chipotle Bean, Big Pot, Cookstown, Co Tyrone

Bacon

·        Naked Smoked Streaky Bacon, Finnebrogue Artisan, Downpatrick, Co Down

·       Naked Unsmoked Back Bacon, Finnebrogue Artisan

Sausages and Puddings

Inclusive of Sausages – Flavoured, Sausages – Traditional, Puddings

·        Kin & Kind, Hellbent Boerewors, Belfast

 Pork

·        Lidl Deluxe Irish Pork Porchetta with Lemon and Herbs, Dunbia, Dungnnon, Co Tyrone

·        Lidl Deluxe Irish Stuffed Pork Fillet with Apple and Rosemary Stuffing, Karro Food, Cookstown, Co Tyrone