Latest news

McErlain’s Bakery, the Northern Ireland artisan baker, has almost tripled sales in Britain in the past two years through a commitment to exports, innovation and a strong customer focus.

Fivemiletown Creamery, Northern Ireland’s only speciality cheese producer, has won business from one of Asia’s biggest retail operations. The artisan creamery, which has Red Tractor quality accreditation, is to supply a range of handcrafted and award winning soft cheeses, including its unique Boilie Irish goats’ cheese, and creamy cheddars to Dairy Farm International Holdings, headquartered in Hong Kong.

Lakeland Computers, based in Irvinestown in County Fermanagh, have just been awarded a Royal Warrant for its supply of product and services to Her Majesty The Queen.
The Warrant has been granted to Nigel Bogle, Managing Director.

Northern Ireland’s new season Comber potatoes have been granted European Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status. The early season potatoes follow the region’s Lough Neagh Eels in gaining European name protection last year.

Finnebrogue, Northern Ireland’s artisan producer of venison and sausages, doubled sales over the Christmas period. The farm-based company has grown turnover from ?4 million to ?18 million and quadrupled employees over the past three years. It is now implementing a plan to grow the business to ?31 million over the next two years.

Dale Farm, Northern Ireland’s biggest dairy products company, is strengthening its position in Great Britain, a key market for the business through a move by United Dairy Farmers (UDF), its parent company and a dairy co-op to increase milk supplies from farms in England and Scotland.

Glastry Farm Ice Cream, Northern Ireland’s luxury ice cream maker, is planning to launch a new frozen yoghurt product, the first to be produced in the region.

Development of frozen yoghurt is part of a substantial expansion of the artisan dairy operation by Will Taylor, the founder and managing director of the farm-based business.
In addition to providing greater scope for new products, the expansion is aimed to enable the company to meet the growing demand particularly in the Republic of Ireland for its award winning luxury ice creams and sorbets.

Northern Ireland Naturally will showcase Great Taste award winning food and drink at Scotland's Speciality Food Show on stand FH132. The stand is organised by Invest Northern Ireland, the region’s business development organisation which offers services to help retail and foodservice organisations source quality food and drink from Northern Ireland suppliers (www.buynifood.com).

Top food distributor Crossgar Foodservice, based in Northern Ireland, is expanding its Provenance Collection of artisan foods to drive faster growth in sales in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

Northern Ireland’s Hannan Meats is supplying gourmet sausages, bacon racks, meat, including burgers, and pork to top restaurants within the Sir John Fitzgerald Group across the North East of England.