CARIBBEAN CUISINE FROM BELFAST AT SHOP 2008

Caribbean cuisine from Belfast will be featured for the first time on the Northern Ireland group stand (E28-E30) at the forthcoming SHOP exhibition in the RDS, Dublin from 29th September to 1st October. Delicacies such as finger lickin' jerk chicken and Cuban ground beef olives will be featured by Windrush Cuisine, a north Belfast business which is among seven food and drink companies launching at SHOP. Other first time foods on show include langoustines cooked by an innovative process pioneered by Rooney Fish in Kilkeel, one of Ireland's leading seafood companies. Rooney already supplies chilled and cooked langoustines to other European markets including France. Irwin's Bakery of Portadown will also be showing a range of morning goods including its award winning Rankin Selection, products developed in association with celebrity chef Paul Rankin. The bakery also gained a Great Taste Award for a Christmas pudding developed with Rankin. The seven newcomers will be among 11 Northern Ireland food and drink companies showing on the Invest NI stand at the event, now Ireland's biggest food retailing exhibition. Invest NI was among the first organisations to back SHOP when it was launched. Returning to the show to build on last year's successes are Around Noon, a supplier of hand made sandwiches and wraps, Classic Mineral Water, a specialist in spring water and minerals, Deli-Lites, a producer of sandwiches and wraps, and Wilson's Country, a leader in pre-packed vegetables and fruit for the convenience market Products from Northern Ireland also range from sandwiches, premium yoghurt and spring water to pre-prepared vegetables, ice cream and cooked and frozen meats. As a result, the Northern Ireland stand will feature a very broad representation of quality food and drink from the region's producers. A key theme of the Northern Ireland presentation is innovation underpinning an industry that's currently worth almost £3 billion annually and has been growing steadily over the past decade. For instance, food and drink sales rose by five per cent in 2007. Export sales to markets including the Republic of Ireland were worth around £630 million in 2006. The Republic is now firmly established as the most important external market for Northern Ireland food and drink processors. Northern Ireland Food and Drink Companies exhibiting at SHOP will include: Around NoonNewry, Co. Down - sandwiches and wraps Clandeboye EstateBangor, Co. Down - premium yoghurt Classic Mineral Water,Lurgan, Co. Armagh - sparkling and still water and minerals Deli-Lites Sandwich CompanyWarrenpoint, Co. Down- sandwiches and wraps Flynn's Fine FoodsRoslea, Co. Fermanagh ??" cooked, uncooked and frozen meats Irwin's BakeryPortadown, Co. Armagh - morning goods and bread Mullin's Ice CreamKilrea, Co. Derry - ice cream NorbevBallymena, Co. Antrim - beverages processing Rooney FishKilkeel, Co. Down - prawns Wilson's CountryCraigavon, Co. Armagh- vegetables, potatoes and fruit Windrush CuisineBelfast - Caribbean cuisine