LINDEN FOODS LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE PRODUCT FOR EXPORT

Linden Foods in Dungannon, an Invest Northern Ireland client company, has developed an innovative product, Banquet Royale Rose Veal, as an ethical alternative to traditional white veal for top restaurants seeking meat with a rich flavour, delicate texture and exceptional eating experience. The unique and exclusive Rose veal, already endorsed by celebrated chef Andrew Baird of the renowned Longueville Manor on Jersey, is produced under Linden Livestock's integrated and rigorously monitored animal welfare friendly system. The new product was recently introduced to a group of top chefs at a special presentation which included a whistle top tour of a Rose Veal farm in Moira, a butchery master class at Lindens and an exceptional eating experience at the ???Deli on the Green' restaurant in Dungannon. The invited chefs included Martyn Nail of Claridges, Paul Clayer of Landsborough, Paschal Sanchez and Jean-Denis Lebras, both from Sketch, Xavier Mouret of Landmark, and Saito Satoshi of Baglioni and Tony O'Neill of the Merchant Hotel, Belfast. Gerry Maguire, Linden's Joint Managing Director, says: ???We see Banquet Royale Rose Veal as an important development aimed at a niche market, a premium product that's aimed specifically at top of the range restaurants in the UK, Ireland and other parts of Europe. ???Apart from its distinctively rich flavour, what sets the meat apart is our unique rearing process for the calves that includes spacious units, with natural light, straw bedding and excellent ventilation. ???The calves are housed together in groups and are allowed to move freely. All the Linden Food's farmers are carefully selected for their high levels of stockmanship. The calves are fed on a milk and cereal based diet (developed by Linden Foods) meeting all their nutritional requirements,??? he adds. ???All of these practices ensure that we produce Rose Veal with superior quality, flavour and tenderness to guarantee an exceptional eating experience.??? Praising the commitment of Linden Foods to innovation for export markets, Maynard Mawhinney, Invest NI Food Director, says: ???The launch of this new and distinctively branded product is a further example of the commitment to quality and innovation that underpins Linden Foods. ???The new product will strengthen this ambitious company's successful track record in exporting beef and lamb to the UK, Sweden, the Netherlands, France and Belgium,??? he adds. Linden Foods has its roots in beef and lamb processing stretching back to 1984. As well as modern processing plants in Northern Ireland, Linden has processing operations in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland. It has a comprehensive portfolio of beef and lamb that includes fresh meat, retail packs, ready meals and foodservice products.