Northern Ireland deli eyes tourists for growth

Sawers, Northern Ireland's oldest deli, has developed new artisan products aimed at the thousands of tourists expected to visit over the next few months for international events such as the Giro d'Italia cycle races.

The historic deli in Belfast city centre, owned by Kieran Sloan, has teamed up with a local artisan jam maker to develop branded products especially for tourists. The city is also expected to host over 600 cruise vessels with many thousands of visitors over the next six months. Several food tours are also being developed as Belfast recovers from the difficulties of the past.

To provide distinctive artisan foods for tourists to take home as tasty souvenirs, Sloan has developed handmade Belfast branded jams under his Artisan portfolio of original flavours. The products are a coarse cut Belfast Marmalade, made from lemon, orange, grapefruit and ginger, and a Belfast Preserve from raspberries and limes, both in 311g pots.

The handmade jams are being produced in association with artisan producer, Cottage Pride, which is based at Portadown in county Armagh. The company has won a string of national awards for its jams.

Sloan says: "We've a very exciting and innovative artisan food sector here and it makes sound business sense for me to give these companies a chance to showcase their products in the deli and also to work with them in developing bespoke products for my customers especially tourists seeking a genuine taste of Belfast to take home in their luggage.

"The Belfast Marmalade and Belfast Preserve jams are also packaged with Belfast Breakfast Brew, a distinctive and award winning tea from Suki Teahouse, also based in Belfast. It makes a great gift pack from Belfast.

"The jams are a direct response to requests from visitors to the shop for distinctively Belfast flavours. I've had requests from many tourists coming into the deli seeking unique local products. Both influences led me to link up with some local producers to create a uniquely Belfast/Northern Irish artisan food range that's easily carried. They are also available in hampers."

The deli, furthermore, has been listed by tourism bodies among the 30 places that tourists should visit in the city.

Cottage Pride was established by Thomas Brownlee in late 80s and is now run by his daughter Margaret. Her focus is on traditional techniques of making small batches of products in saucepans the old fashioned way.

Cottage Pride now offers 15 products including the Brownlee's Handmade Preserves range.

Sloan adds: "Demand for artisan foods with provenance and traceability is growing rapidly and has been encouraged by recent food scares. Our customers, for example, are increasingly asking about the producers who supply us. They want to know what they are eating. They're also now prepared to pay a bit more for local foods with provenance."