Belfast City Airport Collaboration to find #BestNIProduct Major Success
Article by Michele Shirlow, Food NI Chief Executive for Farm Week
What a great privilege it was to support the George Best Belfast City Airport in last week’s search to find Northern Ireland’s best food and drink product. Long Meadow Cider’s outstanding Blossom Burst cider came out on top from a shortlist of 10 excellent products from outstanding local companies here, a shortlist compiled following local council shortlisting and a successful public voting process.
It was a very, very tough decision for all of us on the judging panel because of the quality and innovation of all the entries in what was an imaginative initiative from the airport’s management team. The fellow panellists were celebrity judge Charles Campion, Joanne Deighan from Belfast City Airport and Charles Kerlin of Grant Thornton.
Each of the shortlisted companies presented their products which included Shortcross and Boatyard Gins, Blackthorn Fudge, Pop Notch, Morellis and Mauds ice cream, Mash Direct, Abernethy and Donnybrewer butters. What was fascinating was the passion that each company had for their product, their dedication to outstanding taste and their ambitions for their business. It reflected how much the food and drink sector here has gone forward and it was inspirational to hear each story. Unfortunately there could only be one winner.
The panel was hugely impressed by the outstanding taste of the cider and the enterprise of the McKeever family from Loughgall in the heart of Co. Armagh, our apple county. And it was great to see a cider of this quality coming through. It was affirmation that local cider is a product with immense potential especially in terms of business outside Northern Ireland.
Long Meadow will now benefit from marketing support around the airport and online worth £30,000. I am sure that this will produce tangible benefits for this very enterprising farm-based and family-run business.
Several cider experts Food NI has brought to Northern Ireland in recent years have been to label our cider as amongst the very best. This is because cider in Northern Ireland is largely produced from juice rather than from concentrates. It’s a natural product bursting with flavour.
And producers here are increasingly creating deliciously different flavours and winning national and international awards for their enterprise and innovation. Most of our cider processors have also won plaudits in other competitions such as the UK Great Taste Awards, Irish Quality Food Awards and Blas na hEireann.
Most of them are already winning business in key markets such as Great Britain and further afield. I believe they have what it takes to be export success stories.
Promoting exports and innovation of course, are key themes of our Taste the Greatness strategic action plan for the growth of the food and drink industry over the next five years. Growing business in Britain and Ireland is the first step on the journey to international success. It’s a step Food NI is keen to help as many local companies as practicable to take successfully.
It was immensely encouraging to see most of the cider producers among more than 100 food and drink companies, showcasing quality produce at the hugely successful Balmoral Show earlier in the month.
Many of the companies in the Food NI Pavilion seized the opportunity to test market new products. Armagh Cider Company, for instance, another Food NI member introduced its novel Orchard Twist, a refreshing blend of pure apple juice with another fruit and spring water.
Other member companies, leaders in innovation, Genesis and Irwin’s Bakeries, Moy Park and Milgro were also recognised in the popular Henderson/Spar Local Supplier Awards.
On the horizon for Food NI is participation in the highly influential Speciality Food Show in London this September. This is a great platform for companies seeking business in Britain, and we’ll be aiming to showcase outstanding local products to decision makers expected to visit this show. If this week is anything to go by we will be spoilt for choice.
