Northern Irish artisan cheese makers in foodservice showcase

Two artisan cheese makers from Northern Ireland were recently showcased to many of Ireland's top restaurants and hotels in a unique event organised by La Rousse Foods, Ireland's leading foodsevice operation.

Taking part in the La Rousse Country Fayre were Kearney Blue Cheese, a three-star winner in the recent UK Great Taste Awards, and Mike's Fancy Cheese, Northern Ireland's only producer of a raw milk blue cheese.

Upwards of 600 chefs, hoteliers and restaurant owners from across the island of Ireland visited the food and drink showcase at Killenure Castle, near Cashel, in county Tipperary.

The Northern Irish cheese artisans were among almost 100 suppliers taking part in the event which enabled the company's invited guests to sample a huge range of food and drink products from La Rousse suppliers.

The company, which has a strong presence in Northern Ireland, also operates butchery, a bakery, a cheese-maturing room, and chocolate lab to provide related services to its customers. It is a subsidiary of Aryzta Food Solutions Ireland

Another Northern Irish company, Lough Neagh Eels, was also featured at the Country Fayre show.

La Rousse director Clifford Webb says: "The Country Fayre is a platform for our suppliers to meet and show their products to our customers. We are keen to expand our portfolio by listing premium producers including those based in Northern Ireland.

"We are an independent, 100 per cent Irish-owned company, specialising in the supply of fine foods to premium food establishments since 1992. Our extensive portfolio includes a wide range of fresh, seasonal and innovative produce from a network of local and international producers.

"The Country Fayre initiative was created by us to reflect the skills, crafts and food history of our artisan producers. It was organised in association with Toques and Food on the Edge and featured a programme of talks and culinary demonstrations by leading chefs."

Kearney Blue's Paul McClean adds: "We were delighted to be part of what proved to be a hugely successful business 'pitch'. It was great to have the opportunity to talk to such an influential group of chefs, hoteliers, and caterers.

"Expanding sales in the Republic is a target for us. We want as many potential customers in this market to sample our cheese, which has won a string of awards at UK events such as the recent Nantwich International Cheese Festival in England."

Kearney Blue, in addition, gained three stars in the recent Great Taste Awards from the influential UK Guild of Fine Food and was subsequently featured on the list of Top 50 Foods in the UK, Ireland and other parts of Europe.

Mike Thomson of Mike's Fancy Cheese in Newtownards, county Down, says: "It was a tremendous day and a great opportunity for me to present my Young Buck, Northern Ireland's only raw milk cheese. I also took the opportunity to show a new cheese that I've developed. This is Baby Buck, a younger version of the original cheese which is matured for one month instead of the usual four. La Rousse is a very important customer for my cheese."

The day-long Country Fayre, now in its second year, is an initiative by La Rousse Foods to increase awareness among its huge network of customers in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.