Northern Ireland's Hannan Meats on the Road to Success with Michelin star restaurants in France
Hannan Meats, the award winning Northern Irish meat business specialising in foodservice, has won its first business for salt-aged beef in France.
The company, which had an unprecedented five steak products listed in the prestigious Top 50 Foods by the UK Guild of Fine Food, has recently started supplying salt-aged beef to a network of Michelin star restaurants in Paris and other centres as a result of a distribution agreement.
The contract followed a visit to Hannan Meats by a Paris-based beef specialist organised by UK Trade and Investment that included a tour of the company's unique Himalayan Salt Chamber, the world's biggest which is located at its processing plant in Moira, county Down.
The Northern Irish company, owned and run by Peter Hannan, who has vast experience in beef and bacon production, was named Supreme Champion in the Great Taste Awards 2012/13 and Best Speciality Food from Northern Ireland in the most recent 2013/14 competition.
The company's successful move into exports has been achieved over the past year and also includes Portugal, again assisted by UKTI, and is likely to see the beef appearing in upmarket restaurants in Milan soon.
Hannan Meats already has extensive business in Great Britain with celebrity chefs such as Mark Hix and Fortnum and Mason in London.
Mr Hannan, commenting on the new business in France, says: "We are delighted to be supplying some of the most respected Michelin star restaurants in Paris and other cities.
"The business in France is a marvellous endorsement from discerning restaurants of the outstanding taste and texture of the beef sourced from our own supply chain of Glenarm Shorthorn and European Angus cattle in Northern Ireland and then aged in our Himalayan salt chamber
"Ageing the premium quality meat from our farm suppliers in a humidity controlled room with a back wall of pink Himalayan salt blocks ensures a stunning flavour."
The translucent and hand cut blocks were imported by Hannan Meats from mines in the foothills of the Himalayas in Pakistan's Punjab region, which date back over 250 million years. The Himalayan salt is exceptional in terms of purity and its flavour enhancing qualities.
"The back wall of salt helps to draw moisture from the meat and enhances the overall ageing process over a period of 28- 45 days. We're using the new ageing room to dry-age beef and lamb sourced from local suppliers that ensures provenance.
"The salt wall draws moisture from the beef, and over the ageing period concentrates and substantially enhances the flavour of the meat. We've found that the salt also purifies the air in the room, producing a clean and fresh atmosphere," he adds.