Thirteen Food NI Member Companies at Gifted in Dublin
Thirteen Food NI member companies will be showing a diverse range of award winning products in the ‘Spectacular Christmas Food Emporium as part of the annual Gifted Contemporary Craft and Design Fair in Dublin from 4-8 December.
The companies, which will be among around 100 artisan food companies from the island of Ireland, will be showing an extensive range of quality products, many of which have won UK Great Taste and Blas na hEireann Awards.
Eight are taking part on the Taste the Greatness presentation, which is delivered by Food NI for Invest Northern Ireland as part of the Small Business Programme, are sauce, spreads, seafood, cider, flavoured peanuts, condiments and jams.
A further five member companies have their own stands at the event.
Taking part on the Food NI/Invest NI showcase are:
Holmes Bakery of Portadown will be launching a range of Christmas products under the Santa Claus of Finland branding following a franchise deal with the Santa Claus Foundation charity in Finland. These include Christmas puddings and traditional shortbread biscuits.
Peppup Sauces of Newtownards, a specialist in authentic Italian products, will be introducing a new smoky dipping sauce that’s ideal for vegans and has no added sugar, is dairy and gluten free.
Another Portadown company, Ballylisk, a farm-based enterprise will be introducing a smoked variety of its popular Triple Rose, Triple Cream Cheese from milk from its own pedigree grass-fed herd. Irish Black Butter, from Portrush, has a new peanut spread in addition to its successful Bramleyapple, treacle and brandy spread. Irish Black Butter gained the coveted three-stars in this year’s UK Great Taste Awards.
Armagh Cider Company, also from Portadown, will be sampling its recently launched tonics.
The five with their own separate stands are:
Brownie Barn, Newtownabbey, Co Antrim – brownies and cakes;
Burren Balsamics, Richhill, Co Armagh – Balsamic vinegars;
Granny Shaw’s Fudge, Glenarm, Co Antrim – traditional and flavoured fudge
Fluffy Meringue, Clogher, Co Tyrone – handmade meringues;and
Harnett’s Oils, Waringstown, Co Armagh – culinary oils andsea salt.
Most of the participating Northern Ireland companies already have business in the Republic of Ireland and have taken part in several food shows there during the year.
The presentation will offer solutions for Christmas entertaining including vegan, gluten and fat free and no added sugar options.
Michele Shirlow, chief executive of Food NI, the industry-led food and drink promotion body, says: “We are delighted to be back at Gifted this year because of the successes enjoyed by many of our companies with us at the show in 2018.
“Visitors to our presentation will be able to see and, of course, sample a very broad range of quality and innovative food and drink, virtually everything needed for the Christmas and New Year festivities in particular as well as throughout the year.
“Shoppers, in addition, will be able to meet and talk to the people who make the food and drink and see their commitment to outstandingly tasty and wholesome products.Our companies have found that Gifted works extremely well for them in terms of sales to visitors at the show.
“We appreciate the generous support from Invest NI, Northern Ireland’s business development body, towards our extensive promotional campaign on behalf of our fabulous food and drink in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland, the two most important markets for our products, especially from smaller businesses,” adds Mrs Shirlow.
Food NI, the industry-led promotion body for Northern Ireland food and drink, spearheaded the hugely successful Year of Food and Drink in 2016 and succeeded in bringing the World’s Best Food Destination title to the region in November 2018.
Northern Ireland companies taking part in Gifted 2019 at the RDS in Dublin from4-6 December 2019
Armagh Cider Company, Portadown – cider, apple juices and other soft drinks
Ballylisk Dairies, Portadown – triple cream cheese from single grass-fed herd
Erin Grove Preserves, Enniskillen – jams, sauces and relishes
Holmes Bakery, Portadown – cakes, biscuits and traybakes
Irish Black Butter, Portrush – savoury spreads
Lecale Harvest, Killough – seafood
Noisy Nuts, Ballygowan – snack solutions including flavoured peanuts
Peppup Sauces, Newtownards – authentic Italian sauces and chutney
Food NI companies with their own stands:
Brownie Barn, Newtownabbey, Co Antrim – brownies and cakes
Burren Balsamics, Richhill, Co Armagh – balsamic vinegars
Fluffy Meringue, Clogher – Handmade meringues
Granny Shaw’s Fudge, Glenarm Co Antrim – fudge
Harnett’s Oils, Warringstown, Co Armagh – Culinary oils
