The Best Of Northern Ireland - Naturally!
Eleven companies from Northern Ireland will be offering a rich harvest of speciality food and drink at IFE 2011 in Excel, London, 13 - 16thMarch. The Northern Ireland Naturally stands N1520 and N1506 in the speciality and regional food from Britain section will showcase some of the finest food products on offer from the lush pastures of Northern Ireland and will see a number of exciting new product launches, product extensions, re-launches and re-packaging launches.
Many of the companies exhibiting on Northern Ireland Naturally at IFE are already tried and tested suppliers in UK, Ireland and international retail and foodservice markets.
Alfee's Rich Ideas
Leading the Northern Ireland Naturally field with new launches at IFE is County Down-based Rich Sauces, Ireland's leading producer of mayonnaise, sauces, dressings and bouillon. The company is launching an innovative new hand-held snacking product for fast food outlets and convenience store hot food counters.
The Alfee's Stromboli range features hand-rolled American flatbread with a delicious filling in three variants: Smoked Ham; Eggs & Bacon and Original, which is filled with chicken, chorizo and the finest mozzarella dressed with a sweet, rich tomato sauce.
Combining Rich Sauces' highly regarded mayos and sauces in a complete snack supplied frozen for preparation in a microwave or a conventional foodservice oven, Alfee's Stromboli range has a shelf life of 14 days and, once cooked, can be held in a hot display cabinet for up to four hours. Suitable for serving as a complete snack-to-go or as a plated menu item served with accompaniments, the new Alfee's range looks set for success at IFE and beyond.
"In taste trials, Alfee's Strombolis exceeded customer expectation with their delivery on taste, texture and value for money, providing fast food retailers with a perfect addition to the menu that enhances their menu and their sales and profitability opportunities,' commented John Glover, Sales Director, Rich Sauces.
First introduced two years ago, IFE will also see Rich Sauces' Finest range re-launched with seven upgraded dressings and sauces - Mayo, Ketchup, Sweet Chilli, BBQ, Pepper, Tartare and Caesar - plus one completely new product: Spicy Chipotle Pepper Sauce.
The Genesis Of Jam
Mid-Ulster company Genesis Breads, an established player in the development of craft bakery products, will be showcasing its most recent success stories at IFE. After the company's Jam Bake was listed with M&S Ireland in May 2010, the product has been so successful that Genesis is aiming to add to the range and has already extended the Jam Bake listing to 300 UK stores.
Likewise, Genesis' Double Butter and Cherry Scones (recently awarded a Great Taste 2-star) were launched in Sainsburys UK last October and now the company's Double Butter and Sultana Scones are also listed in Sainsburys UK and Waitrose.
Genesis has had an equally successful year in the foodservice sector. Through its foodservice partner, Foodfella, Genesis is supplying 700+ Wetherspoons Pubs with Big Pancakes for their recently launched breakfast menu. This brings Genesis firmly into the foodservice channel with frozen ranges including scones, apple tarts, speciality breads and pastry products. In addition, Genesis Crafty has been cultivating its own unique sourdough at the bakery, so there is a comprehensive bakery offering for both retail and foodservice visitors to IFE.
Sweet, Savoury
Two other Northern Ireland companies, Fresh Food Kitchen and Kestrel Foods will have new product launches at IFE 2011.
Fresh Food Kitchen, established in 1988 and now part of the PRM Group, creates and distributes a range of premium fresh salads, salad meals and chilled desserts. It is the sweet side of the business that will be under the spotlight at IFE, with the launch of an exciting new range of tasty, handmade desserts focussing on local food ingredients.
Meanwhile, Kestrel Foods, owner of the Forest Feast snacking brand will be unveiling its newest offering in contemporary snacking - Snack International, for a world of great tasting possibilities. Inspired by a fusion of flavours from around the world, the new range promises delicious and unique dried fruits, seed and nut mixes that will leave taste-buds tingling!
Floury Fashion Show
Allied Mills, part of Associated British Foods Plc, will also be taking the opportunity to showcase new ideas to IFE visitors and buyers. The company is re-branding its internationally successful Neill's Bread Mixes, prepared at its Belfast flour mill. Neill's Bread Mixes, available in Scone, Wheaten, Soda and Apple & Cinnamon, are best selling home bakery lines in retail outlets through Ireland, the UK and in the USA. On the Northern Ireland Naturally stand, Allied Mills will be showcasing and testing dummies and imagery for brand new packaging, designed to uplift brand recognition and sales.
And There's More
Other exhibitors on the Northern Ireland Naturally stand come with a tried and tested pedigree of sales success in the UK and beyond and genuinely showcase richness of the region's pastures, arable crops and production capabilities.
Mash Direct and Avondale Foods highlight the vegetable harvest and how humble potatoes, leeks, carrots and the like can be transformed into easy-to-use food service ingredients and stunningly delicious ready meals for retail. Avondale will be introducing the newest addition to its Country Kitchen family at IFE, a range of vegetable accompaniments including creamy potato gratin and bistro-style garlic potatoes.
Antrim Hills, meanwhile, takes goodness from the very rocks - with a range of high quality mineral water products sourced from a naturally occurring Artesian Spring in the Antrim hills.
Evron Foods and Irwins Bakery both represent Northern Ireland's bread culture in different ways. A specialist in frozen and chilled bakery products, Evron made its mark pioneering garlic bread back in the min-1980s. Now the company operates UK-wide and is a major supplier of private brand products in addition to its own EASIBAKE brand.
Irwins Bakery is Northern Ireland's largest independent bakery and its breads currently account from around 85% of all Irish breads sold in Great Britain, spearheaded by the multi-award-winning Rankin Selection Irish Breads.
In addition, Dale Farm will be exhibiting its range of milk, yogurt, butter, spread, cream, probiotic drinks and diary ingredients such as whey powders and skimmed concentrate in the Diary Hall at IFE.
So, whatever you've come to see at IFE 2011, you'll find something to interest, stimulate and tantalise your taste buds on the Northern Ireland Natural stand (N1520 and N1506).