IFE to learn how to Love Olive roasted tomatoes

New Olive Company, the Northern Irish specialist in olives, tomatoes, peppers and homemade pesto and culinary pastes under the successful Love Olive brand, will launch a new range of delicious products when it debuts at IFE in London (Stand S4602).

New Olive, based at Glenavy in County Antrim, is aiming to win its first business in Britain and build on its existing success in Ireland by launching new products including slow roasted tomatoes and slow roasted cherry tomatoes, both marinaded to a recipe developed by the company's NPD team.

As well as being a leading Irish importer of tomatoes, New Olive has developed a range of artisan pastes and pesto, handcrafted in Northern Ireland.

The specialist company already supplies products to major retailers in Ireland such as Dunnes, SuperValu and Musgraves, as well as Pallas Foods, the island's biggest food and drink distributor. It also operates a series of olive bars in the Republic.

Seamus Mullan, a New Olive director, commenting on the company's participation at IFE, said: "The show gives us an unrivalled opportunity to demonstrate our range of quality products to foodservice businesses and retailers.

"The showcase helps to keep customers abreast of the development of the type of innovative and richly flavoured products, such as our new roast tomatoes, at the core of New Olive Company's business growth strategy. We are focusing on the creation and delivery of fine foods that are convenient for everyone to enjoy. We are well on the way to achieving one of our business targets, to be Ireland's largest importer of quality olives and tomatoes and producer of artisan pastes.

"This commitment to tasty, new products is one of the reasons underpinning the company's growth in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland over the past two years.

"We look forward to developing business relationships in Britain and to working with them on new product ideas that will also boost their sales," he added.

The New Olive Company, which now employs 10 people in Glenavy was established in 2011. Its other business, The Cabbage Patch Deli and Farmshop also offers mainly local meats, fruit and veg, milk and an extensive range of artisan foods.

The New Olive Company, which has SALSA - SAFE AND LOCAL SUPPLIER accreditation has plans to expand sales of the Love Olive brand and to develop The Cabbage Patch Deli/Farmshop.

The New Olive Company is aiming to be the largest supplier of slow roast tomatoes in Ireland and continues to expand into Great Britain. The company imports olives from Greece, as they are the best in the world, but also sources olives from France, Italy, Spain, Morocco and Palestine.

The range of unique slow roasted tomatoes are marinaded using a recipe developed by the company's culinary experts in its development kitchen at Glenavy. Ingredients include garlic, sunflower oil, oregano and sea salt. The product range includes five peppers - sweet, hot, mild, stuffed and bitter - and more than eight pastes, traditional hummus and smoked sundried pesto, as well as 40 different types of olives, cured seafoods, vegetable antipastos such as artichokes, anchovies and the best feta cheese.