UK Guild of Food Writers meets Northern Irish artisan producers

Around 30 artisan food and drink companies were assisted by Invest Northern Ireland to showcase their products to a group of leading UK food writers, stylists and industry consultants.

Invest NI hosted the first-ever delegation from the influential UK Guild of Food Writers to Northern Ireland over a period of four days.

In addition to meeting artisan producers at events in Belfast, Castledawson and Moira, the 10-strong group, which included several authors of top selling cookery books, food and lifestyle magazine journalists and consultants to leading retailers in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland, met leading local chefs Niall McKenna of James Street South, Shu's Brian McCann and Gerry Rosato, Executive Head Chef of Hastings Hotels in Belfast.

The members also met Howard Hastings in his role as Chairman of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board at a special breakfast in the Europa Hotel for the hotel group's suppliers. Other artisan companies taking part supply local restaurants.

Also included in the delegation was restaurateur Marianne Lumb, a Masterchef-the Professionals finalist, who is opening her first gourmet restaurant, 'Marianne', at Notting Hill in London in mid July and is discussing opportunities for local companies to supply the new venture.

The group visited Hannan Meats and McCartney's Butchers, both in Moira, winners of the Supreme Champion title in the UK Great Taste Awards 2011/12 and 2012/13, Ditty's Bakery, the family business of Robert Ditty, a UK Baker of the Year, in Castledawson and the Belfast Distillery Company at Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast. They met other artisan businesses at the weekly food market in St George's Market, Belfast

As a result of the visit, products from several local companies, including Hannan Meats, Moira and Abernethy Butter, Dromara, are likely to feature on the menu of the new restaurant. The high profile visit also led to an introduction for Invest NI to a key buyer in a major food retailer.

Ian Murphy, Invest NI's Director of Growth and Scaling, commenting on the visit, said: "We were delighted to host the writers as part of our drive to increase awareness of the outstanding food and drink now being produced by artisan businesses across Northern Ireland.

"Artisan producers, including those successful in the UK Great Taste Awards, find it difficult to raise their profile outside Northern Ireland. This is where we endeavour to help smaller businesses in line with our work to encourage and assist the growth of more of these companies in terms of business outside Northern Ireland.

"Our decision to link up with the UK Guild followed an invitation from Peter Hannan of Hannan Meats to this influential organisation to visit Northern Ireland. It gave us the opportunity to bring influential food writers and menu development experts to meet a group of local artisans here in Northern Ireland."

Pic Caption: Pictured at the 'Who Made my Breakfast' event in the Europa Hotel during the Guild of Food Writers visit to Northern Ireland are L-R: Ian Murphy, Invest NI's Director of Growth and Scaling, Sue Quinn, Food Writer and Howard Hastings, MD, Hastings Hotel Group & Chairman of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.