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Northern Ireland’s Old Bushmills has been awarded two Masters and two gold medals in the prestigious Irish Whiskey Masters.

The challenge, run by the influential Spirits Business magazine, saw Old Bushmills, based at Bushmills in county Antrim, named in the Master categories – Single Malt Super Premium for its 21 year old Single Malt Irish Whiskey and in the Single Malt Ultra-Premium category for its recently launched Bushmills Irish Honey.

Skinny Malinky’s Juices and Super Foods in Belfast has developed a range of healthy super foods including natural juice cleansers, aimed at international markets.

Farmbox, a new box-out service, has been established by Northern Irish farmer Nathan Gilmore. The new business, a development on a vegetable farm, based near Newtownards in county Down, is supplying fresh produce direct to homes within 20 miles of fields tilled by Gilmores for over 60 years.

The first-ever Armagh Bramley Apple Festival takes place in September to capitalise on the EU Protected Geographical Indicator (PGI) status awarded to the historic fruit back in 2012. The event is centred on Armagh City on 6 September.

Shortcross Gin, the recently launched Northern Irish small batch gin, has been named ‘Spirit of the Month’ at the prestigious Fortnum and Mason store in central London.

Shortcross Gin, a recently launched craft gin business in Northern Ireland, has won a Silver Outstanding medal in the prestigious International Wine and Spirits Competition. The recognition comes just months after the gin was launched by Rademon Estate Craft Distillery.

Northern Irish whiskey distiller Old Bushmills increased volumes and sales in the year ended 30 June 2014, according to parent company Diageo. Net sales rose by 13 per cent.

Island Shellfish in Northern Ireland has developed an innovative commercial micro hatchery to regenerate the European native oyster, an endangered species.

Rapeseed oil from Northern Ireland’s Broighter Gold, winner of five Great Taste gold stars, is now on sale in one of Europe’s historic shopping centres. The company’s award winning Liquid Gold Rapeseed Oil is on the shelves of La Grande Epicerie de Paris, part of Le Bon March? Rive Gauche, the world’s first department store.

Hannan Meats has continued to set the pace in terms of gold stars in Great Taste Awards, the company announced this week as the details of the 2014 event were revealed by the influential UK Guild of Fine Food.