Northern Irish trio wins at Great Taste finals

Three Northern Ireland companies were successful in the finals of the Great Taste Awards 2017 in London. The winners included a recent start up business, Ispini Charcuterie, a farm -based enterprise, which won the Golden Fork for the Best Charcuterie in the UK and Ireland.

The Northern Ireland winners, announced by the UK Guild of Fine Foods at a gala awards ceremony, the climax of this year's Great Taste Awards, were:

Northern Ireland Golden Fork Award 2017 - Hannan Meats of Moira, county Down for its sweet cured bacon rack;

Ispini Charcuterie of Aughnacloy, county Tyrone the Golden Fork for Best Charcuterie for its rosemary and thyme bresaola; and

Abernethy Butter, Dromara, county Down the Woman and Home Great Taste VIP Award for its handmade butter.

The awards were presented at a major event attended by producers, retailers and food writers from across the UK and Ireland and hosted by UK Great Taste's managing director John Farrand.

Ispini Charcuterie was launched in 2016 by pig farmer Jonny Cuddy and sister Janice to develop another revenue stream for the family farm in county Tyrone.

Mr Cuddy has focused on charcuterie using locally sourced ingredients including pork from his own herd. He's also developed charcuterie featuring craft beer from another Tyrone small business and Irish whiskey.

Mr Cuddy, commenting on the award, says: "This is a marvellous boost for us and so soon after the formation of the business. It shows that Northern Irish charcuterie now ranks among the very best in Britain and Ireland especially in terms of taste."

Ispini's bresaola was included in the Top 50 Foods by the Guild of Fine Food following the award of three stars in the Great Taste Awards.

Hannan Meats, a multi-award winning business founded and managed by Peter Hannan, has two products in the Top 50 - sweet cured bacon rack and Himalayan salt-aged Glenarm Lamb Rump.

Hannan Meats has twice won the Supreme Champion title in the awards - in 2012 for guanciale and in 2016 for Glenarm Himalayan salt-aged roast beef. The meat business has now won over 200 Great Taste gold stars, more than any other producer in the UK and Ireland.