Abernethy Butter Only NI Company in Defra’s 50 Food Stars
Fifty of the UK’s most promising food and drink entrepreneurs are to be recognised as Food Stars for their contribution to the country’s growing economy.
The 50 Food Stars, carefully selected from hundreds of award-winning businesses, range from fiery Scotch bonnet pepper sauce makers in Scotland to chocolatiers using Indian spices in London.
Abernethy Butter, based in Dromara, Co. Down is the ONLY Northern Ireland company to make the list. Their range of hand-churned butters is on the shelves at Harrods and Fortnum and Masons. They are also used by Heston Blumenthal in his Fat Duck restaurant.
Leading figures in retail and food—including Justin King, former CEO of Sainsbury’s, and Dame Fiona Kendrick, CEO of Nestle UK and Ireland—will launch the Food Stars scheme on Thursday 26th February to help the winners grow their businesses and get more of their produce on supermarket shelves and dinner tables in the UK and across the world.
The first initiative of its kind, Food Stars is part of a wider government drive to inspire entrepreneurial activity across the UK as part of a long-term economic plan.
Following Thursday’s launch, where 50 of the Food Stars will attend master classes on topics from exporting through to social media, they will receive a package of continued support from the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and Cranfield University over the next year. This includes a tailored information service and access to a range of events and development opportunities in agriculture and food, the environment, management and leadership.
Find out more about the Food Stars and join in the conversation on social media with #50FoodStars.
