Royal wedding success for Abernethy Butter in Northern Ireland

Abernethy Butter from Northern Ireland was showcased at the recent gala wedding meal for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

The handcrafted butter was the only food from Northern Ireland to feature on the menu at the high profile wedding. The guests enjoyed Abernethy's award-winning dulse and sea salt butter at the dinner.

The premium butter, produced by husband and wife team Will and Allison Abernethy in Dromora, county Down. The Dulse and Sea Salt butter, which is made from fresh cream from a single farm grass-fed herd, was served with roe from the Argyll Smokery in Dunoon, Scotland as a starter at the dinner.

Will Abernethy, commenting on the royal recognition, says: "We are very proud and honoured to see our unique Dulse and Sea Salt butter featured at the 'wedding of the year'. It's a marvellous endorsement of the quality and flavour of our butter. We are also delighted to 'fly the flag' for Northern Ireland's superb food and drink industry."

Abernethy Butter is among the most successful artisan products from Northern Ireland. The handmade butter is stocked by major retailers such as Fortnum and Mason and Harrods and well as being used by leading chefs such as Heston Blumenthal, Marcus Wareing and Nigella Lawson.

The Dulse butter features locally sourced seaweed and was launched in 2015 by Abernethy, the first dairy product of its type. The small batch producer of luxury butter was set up by the couple in 2005 and has won a string of UK Great Taste Awards and other food industry plaudits since then.

In addition, the meal was cooked by top chef Clare Smyth, originally from Bushmills in county Antrim. Ms Smyth, recently named the world's best female chef, prepared food for the wedding party at Frogmore House for 200 selected guests. Smyth is head chef and owner of Core restaurant in Notting Hill, near Kensington Palace in London.