Lagard?re chief backs Northern Irish artisans

Amaury Dehen, managing director of Lagard?re Travel Retail UK and
Ireland, has praised the quality and innovation of artisan food and drink producers in Northern Ireland.

He was in Northern Ireland for the official opening of a unique
Taste of Ulster shop at Belfast International Airport, which now
stocks food and drink from almost 30 local suppliers, mostly
artisans and smaller businesses.

Located within the Aelia Duty Free shopping complex in the
Departures Zone, the shop is a joint venture between Lagadere TravelRetail, Belfast International Airport and Food NI, the organisation responsible for Taste of Ulster. Aelia is part of Lagard?re, one of the world's biggest operators of airport duty free shops.

The group is a global leader in travel retail with a presence in
travel areas across 29 countries on four continents through its
various activities including its Aelia brand.

The Taste of Ulster shop was opened officially by Northern Ireland
Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell.

Mr Dehen said: "This important initiative for us within Belfast
International Airport is a demonstration of our longstanding
commitment to engage with the local business community in the
regions in which we have retail operations.

"We believe it to be essential that our retail operations represent the best local merchandise available and contribute to economic well-being. The shop offers smaller companies access to almost three
million passengers. The airport expects to be handling 4.9 million
passengers.

"The Taste of Ulster shop represents a significant development of
the relationship that we have had with several Northern Ireland
businesses over many years.

"We've now extended this engagement to embrace Northern Ireland's
developing artisan food and drink sector, a sector including a
great many companies which have achieved great recognition in
international and national awards."

Food NI provides a single promotional voice for Northern Ireland's
food and drink. It works to enhance the reputation of Northern
Ireland's food and drink through the Taste of Ulster and Our Food
So Good messages. It is a company limited by guarantee, formed
voluntarily by a consortium of food sector representatives, to
develop a positive identity for high quality food from Northern
Ireland.

Pic Caption: Amaury Dehen, managing director of Lagardere; Jonathan bell, Minister for Enterprise Trade and Investment and Paula
McIntyre, food writer, officially launching the Taste of Ulster
shop at Belfast International Airport.

Northern Ireland companies featured in the Taste of Ulster Shop at
Belfast International Airport

Abernethy Butter, Dromara - handmade butters
Ann's Pantry, Larne - breads and cakes
Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil, Limavady - rapeseed oils
Eleanor Craig's Fudge, Larne - handmade fudge
Eringrove, Enniskillen - jams and chutneys
Farmview Dairies, Belfast - dairy products including Kearney Blue
cheese
Gracehill Fine Foods, Ballymena - black and white puddings
Hannan Meats, Moira - beef, bacon and ham
Harnetts Oils, Waringstown - rapeseed and other culinary oils
Johnsons Coffee, Lisburn - roasted coffee
Kennedys Bacon, Omagh - bacon, gammon and ham
Made with Love, Donaghadee - jams and relishes
NorthCoast Smokehouse, Ballymena - smoked salmon and condiments
Our Daily Bread, Belfast -wheaten and soda bread and bread mixes
Papas Mineral Company, Bangor - traditional Northern Irish minerals
Passion Preserved, Lisburn - relishes and chutneys
PopNotch Popcorn, Draperstown - popcorn
Punjana, Belfast - tea blends
Suki Teahouse, Belfast - loose leaf tea and fruit infusions
The Chocolate Manor, Coleraine - chocolates

Several Northern Ireland producers of spirits have been included by Aelia in the duty free. They are:

Echlinville Distillery, Kircubbin- Dunville Irish Whiskey
Hughes Craft Distillery, Lisburn - RubyBlue Irish Potato Vodka and
fruit liqueurs
Jawbox, Belfast - Gin
Niche Drinks, Derry - The Quiet Man Irish Whiskey
Rademon Craft Distillery, Crossgar - Shortcross Gin.