Northern Ireland's Meat Merchant in UK top five innovators
Northern Ireland's Meat Merchant has been ranked by the influential Grocer weekly as among the five most innovative UK butchers.
The Meat Merchant, a farm shop/deli based at Moira in county Down, won the backing in 'A Cut Above', a survey by the Grocer into how high-street butchers are countering the multiples by 'reinventing the traditional format'.
Referring to the Meat Merchant, a shop owned by the multi-award winning Hannan Meats, highlighted the company's investment in the world's biggest Himalayan salt chamber for dry-aging beef. The magazine said: "The Meat Merchant's Himalayan salt chamber delivers stunning meat that makes even the most devoted carnivore swoon."
The Meat Merchant was opened in September 2009 by Hannan Meats on the back of 24 years supplying meat to the catering trade. It offers the public access to restaurant-quality food at wholesale prices. Hannan Meats employs 21 people and has an annual turnover of £7.5 million.
The Himalayan salt draws moisture slowly from the meat to produce a totally unique sweet and flavoursome product. The Meat Merchant was also commended in the Butcher of the Year category in the prestigious Farm Shop and Deli Awards in association with Olives Et Al.
The deli specialises in award winning salt-aged beef and dry-cured bacon as well as a range of deli products including En Place sauces and jams, named among the Top 50 Foods in the UK Great Taste Awards 2014.
Hannan Meats had five beef products listed in Top 50 Foods 2014. The company was also named UK Supreme Champion in the Great Taste Awards 2013 for its Italian style Guanciale.
The Farm Shop and Deli Awards, in partnership with Olives Et Al, recognise the very best standards in speciality retail and to celebrate the highest levels of service, product knowledge, initiative, innovation and community involvement.
The awards celebrate the unsung heroes of the high street and speciality retail scene with categories ranging from butchers, bakers, farm shops and delis through to garden centres, food halls and online businesses.
Judge Neil Nugent, executive chef and head of product development at Morrison's, said: "The awards are a brilliant opportunity for the UK's small independent businesses to get recognition nationally and enable them to become a destination."
The Farm Shop & Deli Awards received a record number of entrants from nearly 300 businesses across the UK, along with thousands of public votes from consumers for their favourite speciality retailers.
The twelve category winners and twenty five commended were chosen following a day of intensive judging by leading speciality retailers and key industry figures along with mystery visits conducted throughout December by Nigel Barden, chair of judges.
Nigel Barden added: "It's gratifying to know that there are so many excellent purveyors of food and drink in Britain and during the mystery visits I have been delighted, moved and inspired by the people I've met.
"They care passionately about their vocational career paths. It's heartening to hear of apprenticeships being offered in butchers, bakers, fishmongers and greengrocers and inspiring to find how farm shops, food halls and delicatessens are so much at the heart of their communities."