FOOD & DRINK
A supplement to
F R O M
IRELAND 2 0 1 9 - 2 0
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
A trade buyers‘ guide
THE STORY OF SOME WILD IRISH POACHERS The inspiration for the Poacher’s range of premium natural mixers was found in a centuries old spring located on a 250-acre estate in the heartland of beautiful agricultural County Wexford. The crystal-clear water from a spring deep in the native woodlands on the farm was treasured for its purity. The woodland itself was harvested by poachers as a rich source of wild game. The spring used to quench their thirst.
Poachers
TASTE YOUR SPIRIT WITH POACHERS
TASTE YOUR SPIRIT WITH POACHERS
The spring, known as Toberafinn Wellhigh of Finn - was named Our portfolio ranges from our lower -inThe sugar quinine Classic Our portfolio ranges from our lower in sugar high quinine Classic from Finnofthe legendary Irish warrior andorange hunter.and Irish Dry Tonic with a hint Irish thyme to our popular Dry Tonic with a hint of Irish thyme to our popular orange and Irish He lived on the edgeThe of society a maverick a rebel yetTonic calledis Citrus Tonic. wild elderf lower and in our Wild rosemary Citrus Tonic. The wild elderf lower in our Wild Tonicrosemary is upon by kings in times for his wisdom and counsel. hand cut in Macreddin Village in Wicklow and the organic apples hand cut in Macreddin Village in Wicklow and the organic apples in our Ginger Ale hail from the Highbank Orchard in Kilkenny. Our in our Ginger Ale hail from the Highbank Orchard in Kilkenny. Our It was Finn that defined our inspiration in creating the Poacher’s Irishrange Soda of Water is renowned for mixing with premium spirits. premium natural drinks. A new range of premium Irish
Irish Soda Water is renowned for mixing with premium spirits. Poacher’s is popular within lively bars, restaurants and high end hotels who appreciate lower in sugar mixers bringing out the best in their spirits.
For more information or to order please call +353 (53) 910 6000 for Ireland, for UK enquiries contact www.importonics.co.uk or +44 (0)1388 205252 or email info@poacherswell.com
drinks that are bold and adventurous andrestaurants yet rooted in a Poacher’s is popular within lively bars, commitment to nature and theinland. and high end hotels who appreciate lower sugar mixers bringing out the best in their spirits. Ireland’s first and only premium natural mixers company with a vision for the future and a commitment to excellence. For more information or to order please call For more information toIreland, order please callenquiries +353 (53) contact 910 6000 for +353 (53) 910 6000orfor for UK Ireland, for UK enquiries contact www.importonics.co.uk www.importonics.co.uk or +44 (0)1388 205252 or email info@poacherswell.com or email info@poacherswell.com or +44 (0)1388 205252
#poachersirishmixers www.poachersdrinks.com
#poachersirishmixers www.poachersdrinks.com
Award-winning
Since winning the 2017 Golden Fork award, Hugh and family launched The Smokin’ Butcher brand and started to develop an entire range of smoked products to go alongside his award winning smoked black pudding.
URGENTLY SEEKING UK DISTRIBUTOR FOR THIS SUPREME CHAMP!
New Range
Under the new range, Hugh, his son Hugh Junior are producing and growing an unique selection of smoked puddings expanding their shelf presence in the Irish and the UK markets, with new flavour combinations and variations of their award winning smoked black pudding.
www.poacherswell.com
Hugh has also launched a new website, signed off on their new packaging designs and transformed his 15 year old butcher shop, in Ashbourne Co.Meath, into a meat lover’s haven so now, both store and website gained an entirely different look in order to make his new The Smokin’ Butcher brand feel more at home.
Know more www.thesmokinbutcher.com @HMButchers
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FOOD & DRINK FROM IRELAND 2019-20
SUPREME CHAMPION
A SUPPLEMENT TO FINE FOOD DIGEST
WELCOME A supplement to
Ireland has so much to offer, from the purely artisan to the innovative and on-trend By MICK WHITWORTH
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
IF YOU WANTED EVIDENCE that the bonds between Britain and Ireland are more powerful than the gameplaying of politicians, it’s in the pages of this supplement. For the fourth time in recent years, we’ve teamed up with Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, to showcase some of the finest Irish speciality products currently available to the UK market. And any nervousness we might have felt when we began contacting Irish suppliers in early summer was quickly dispelled. Brexit was barely mentioned, except with a philosophical shrug of the shoulder or a slight grimace of annoyance, underlining our approach here at Fine Food Digest: that serious UK buyers and Ireland’s community of superb speciality producers will want to keep doing business and will find a way to make it work. And why not, when Ireland has so much to offer, from the purely artisan – like those farmhouse cheeses that were the country’s first real speciality exports to Britain – to the innovative and on-trend, like The Happy Pear’s smartly marketed range of vegetarian foods. This was backed up, too, by the welcome I received in May when I visited producers across the Republic – from King of Kefir in Dublin to Mileeven honey in the south and Burren Smokehouse in the north-west – which was as warm as I’ve seen in 14 years on Fine Food Digest. You’ll find nearly 70 producers featured in this special supplement, and as Bord Bia’s Estelle Alley points out on page 4, they tick many boxes for today’s food shoppers: high quality, integrity of production and an honest backstory (no supermarket-style faux farm names here) – all with that sprinkling of Irish magic on top.
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EDITORIAL editorial@gff.co.uk Contributing editor: Mick Whitworth Editor: Michael Lane Assistant editor: Lauren Phillips Art director: Mark Windsor
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ADVERTISING advertise@gff.co.uk Sales director: Sally Coley Sales manager: Ruth Debnam Sales executive: Becky Stacey Sales support: Sam Coleman
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GENERAL ENQUIRIES Tel: +44 (0)1747 825200 Fax: +44 (0)1747 824065 info@gff.co.uk www.gff.co.uk ADDRESS Guild of Fine Food, Guild House, 23b Kingsmead Business Park, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5FB UK PUBLISHED BY The Guild of Fine Food Ltd © The Guild of Fine Food Ltd 2019. Reproduction of whole or part of this magazine without the publisher’s prior permission is prohibited. The opinions expressed in articles and advertisements are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher.
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PRINTED BY Blackmore, Dorset Cover image: Burren Smokehouse
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Find a supplier... An Sean-Teachs Ballyhoura Apple Farm Ballymaloe Foods Black Twist Blendi Snacks Burren Smokehouse Chocolatey Clare Clonakilty Food Co Collar Of Gold Rapeseed Oil Dingle Chocolates Durrus Cheese Elizabeth Ann Dessert Collection Fancy Fungi Genovese Foods Gran Grans Foods Green Saffron Happy Pear
7 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 11
Homespun Foods 10 Juspy 11 Keogh’s Crisps 11 Khanya Coffee 13 Killahora Orchards 13 Killenure Castle 14 King Of Kefir 17 Kinnegar Brewing 13 Kinsale Mead Co 17 Mama Nagi 18 Maria Lucia Bakes 18 Marine Health Foods 18 McGargles/Rye River Brewery 18 Mellas Fudge 18 Mia’s Honey 21 Miena’s Nougat 21 Mileevan 20
A SUPPLEMENT TO FINE FOOD DIGEST
Mora Foods 21 Naturally Cordial 21 Nutterly Nutritious 21 O’Neill’s Bacon 21 Oliver Carty Bacon 23 Olly’s Farm 23 Oriel Sea Salt 23 Pandora Bell 23 Poachers Well 23 Ponaire Coffee 23 Rigneys Farm 23 Rucksnacks 23 Sadie’s Kitchen 24 Scott’s Cider 24 Seery’s 24 The Farmers’ Daughter 24 The Foods Of Athenry 24
The Studio Coffee Roasters 24 Three Fools Coffee 24 The Lismore Food Co 26 This Is Seaweed 26 Three Men In A Trailer 26 TrusTEA 26 Uflourish 27 Urban Kitchen Foods 27 Walsh’s Bakehouse 27 Wexford Home Preserves 27 Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese 27 Wicklow Way Wines 27 Wild About 27 Wild Fuschia Bakehouse 27 Woodstown Bay Shellfish 27
FOOD & DRINK FROM IRELAND 2019-20
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DISCOVER IRISH FOOD & DRINK
Great taste with integrity: Ireland delivers what UK consumers crave As UK shoppers increasingly turn their backs on big brands, Ireland’s small, often rural producers offer honesty, integrity and a powerful back story, says Bord Bia retail trade marketing specialist ESTELLE ALLEY
Selfridges’ Taste The Emerald Isle promotion in 2018 showed how Bord Bia’s London UK team works closely with major speciality food outlets here
Bord Bia’s Marketplace events, staged every three years, put producers face-to-face with global retail and foodservice operators – including scores of trade buyers from the UK 4
FOOD & DRINK FROM IRELAND 2019-20
A SUPPLEMENT TO FINE FOOD DIGEST
Skilled producers, dotted across Ireland, are seeking additional growth opportunities in export markets
THANKS TO ITS CLEAN, green landscape, rich food heritage and skilled producers, Ireland has developed a reputation as a distinguished food producing nation, recognised in 180 countries around the world. This reputation meets the growing demands for artisan and speciality food as consumers seek food and drink products of high quality with great taste. Consumers want to connect not only with the products they buy but also where they come from, the producers and their individual stories. These businesses, with their unique stories, can often command a premium from discerning consumers who understand the craft behind a product. At Bord Bia, we believe a company should anchor its food business in consumer insight to generate repeat business from satisfied customers. Through original research and market information Bord Bia creates insights which give Irish food and drink businesses access to information on consumer trends, market overviews and much more, allowing them the opportunity to create products that
A SUPPLEMENT TO FINE FOOD DIGEST
meet a real consumer need. Bord Bia’s Consumer Lifestyle Trends report, published in 2018, identified the key trend of consumers’ need for engaging experiences. Shoppers are now calling for moments of discovery and delight that enhance their day and offer them the opportunity to share such experiences with others. This has in fact led to the development of the sub-trend which identifies consumers as story tellers, as they themselves increasingly share memorable moments with their online audience. In addition a Bord Bia report on Local Food – Understanding Consumer Attitudes, completed in 2017, saw ‘producer story’ as carrying the same importance in influencing purchasing decisions. This further highlights the growing demand by consumers to connect with food producers and shows a willingness to pay more for speciality products. Consumers’ trust in bigger brands has reduced in recent years as they look to connect with smaller scale local brands which they feel offer them a greater level of honesty and integrity. It is those passionate and skilled food and drink producers, dotted across Ireland, producing products of incredible quality and taste, that are looking to meet the needs of these consumers. They are seeking additional growth opportunities in export markets. The UK is a natural export market for Irish producers due to its proximity, similar cultural profiles and the well-established relationships between the two countries. 37% of Irish food exports – well over €4bn – are exported to the UK. Irish producers of all sizes and sectors are continuously seeking new routes to market and indeed new markets themselves, leading to the
development of a very dynamic food industry in Ireland. The success of Irish food and drink in the UK market is demonstrated by the success of Irish producers in the Great Taste awards. In the past three years, hundreds of individual Irish companies have participated in the awards. In 2018 10 Irish products were awarded the prestigious three stars, 82 were awarded two stars, and 300 were awarded one star. These award winners continue to demonstrate the high quality speciality food and drink products that Ireland has to offer. Bord Bia’s Marketplace event in 2018 brought 535 international buyers to the Republic of Ireland to meet with over 185 Irish food and drink producers to explore potential business opportunities. 11% of the buyers for this one event were representatives from the UK market, highlighting the strong interest in sourcing Irish food and drink products. The event itself is held by Bord Bia every three years and is one of many ways that Bord Bia aims to accommodate trade buyers in meeting with potential suppliers in Ireland. Bord Bia prides itself on being able to support Irish food and drink producers throughout their exporting journey. Bord Bia’s UK office in London promotes such relationships with trade buyers by organising numerous annual inward buyer meetings to Ireland. This gives UK buyers the opportunity to meet with Irish producers whose products have the potential to meet the ever changing demands of the UK consumer. • If you are interested in arranging an inward buyer meeting to Ireland, email: estelle.alley@bordbia.ie
FOOD & DRINK FROM IRELAND 2019-20
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Our offerings are made up of traditional American desserts — the kind you mightn’t usually find in Ireland — made with Irish ingredients! Take the Cake also provides cupcakes, cakes and pies to any company for product promotion or retail store promotion – what better way to treat your customers?
Best g Sellin e Cak
Contact us today to discuss your store’s requirements krissy@takethecake.ie | 00353 (0)86 211 3375
Ummera Smoked Products Ltd Inchybridge, Timoleague, Co. Cork, WND-86-6WN, Ireland Tel: +353 23 8846644 info@ummera.com · www.ummera.com www.twitter.com/ummera www.facebook.com/ummera
TRADITIONAL CHEESE HANDCRAFTED O N O U R FA M I LY FA R M From our family farm in West Limerick, we produce a range of handcrafted, artisan, award winning cheeses, including: Cahill’s Original Irish Porter Cheddar, Cahill’s Irish Whiskey Cheddar with Kilbeggan Whiskey, Cahill’s Ardagh Red Wine Cheddar, Cahill’s Blueberry and Vodka Cheddar. The cornerstone of our business is that each cheese is individually made and handcrafted thus retaining the subtlety of flavour that is invariably absent from the mass produced product.
E:info@cahillscheese.ie, Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram @cahillscheese, www.cahillscheese.ie +353 6962365 6
FOOD & DRINK FROM IRELAND 2019-20
A SUPPLEMENT TO FINE FOOD DIGEST
A-Z OF SUPPLIERS AN SEAN-TEACH anseanteach.com Drinks company An SeanTeach is an award-winning business based in Co. Laois. Its Tradition of Taste range includes a DV8 Gold Cream Liqueur, DV8 Pink Gin Cream Liqueur and Brennan’s Old House Gin (made using local botanicals). In the last two years, both the business and the products themselves have received a number of accolades at Blas na hEireann – The Irish Food Awards – and The Irish Whiskey Awards.
A-Z of Irish food & drink producers From seaweed, salmon and oysters to the cutting edge of wellness foods, we’ve tracked down more than 60 of Ireland’s finest producers, ready and willing to serve UK speciality food & drink stores. Compiled by MICK WHITWORTH and LAUREN PHILLIPS
A SUPPLEMENT TO FINE FOOD DIGEST
BALLYMALOE FOODS ballymaloefoods.ie Among Ballymaloe Foods’ selection of relishes, dressings and sauces is its signature Original Relish made by Yasmin Hyde, who began producing the relish in her kitchen in 1990 using her mother Myrtle Allen’s recipe. Consisting of tomatoes, tomato purée, vinegar, sugar, onions, sultanas, sea salt, mustard seeds and spices, the relish is described as “rich in tomatoes and incredibly versatile”. Recommended served with beef burgers, French fries, cold meats, cheese, sausage rolls and salads.
BALLYHOURA APPLE FARM ballyhouraapplefarm.com “All things apple” could be the slogan of Maurice Gilbert and his team at Ballyhoura Apple Farm, who produce a host of juices, syrups and vinegars based on the fruit they grow in their Co Limerick orchards. Raw apple cider vinegar with “the Mother” culture is Ballyhoura’s core product. Supplied in boxes of 12 x 500ml with an RRP of €3.89, it’s made using “100% Irish cider from 100% Irish
apples”. Apple beetroot, Applesnips, Apple Chai and the multi-awardwinning alcohol-free Hot Friskey are among the company’s drinks. One its most popular new lines is the Shrubs range of sweet drinking vinegars. As well as offering what Gilbert describes as a “natural energy-giving palate cleanser or mixer, with no downsides”, Shrubs can also be used to add layers of flavour to sauces and cocktails.
BLACK TWIST blacktwist.com It was seeing an opportunity to offer something different from existing high-in-sugar coffee liqueurs that led founder Conor Coughlan to invent Black Twist in 2017. “People are adding less sugar to their coffee,” says Coughlan. “They’re more interested in cold brew. I wanted to create a spirit that reflected this.” Made by cold-brewing ground Kenyan coffee in Irish whiskey for seven days, the result is a craft spirit with cigar notes, coffee flavour and a rich dark chocolate finish.
BLENDI SNACKS blendisnacks.com Blendi Snacks was set up by Yvonne Dolan and her son Shane in 2017 to make smoothies from freeze-fried fruit and vegetables. In June this year, however, the business launched its first range of premium vegetable snacks. The new range consists of roasted peas, broad beans and pumpkin seeds and comes in three varieties: red onion, sea salt, and garlic. They are also veganfriendly, non-allergen (as opposed to nut-based snacks), have 70% less fat than nuts and are not listed in the multiples.
FOOD & DRINK FROM IRELAND 2019-20
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A-Z OF SUPPLIERS CHOCOLATEY CLARE chocolateyclare.com Creatively named Chocolatey Clare produces premium dairy-free milk chocolate using organic and ethically sourced ingredients. The six-strong range includes flavours like salted peanut, strawberry, lemon crunch and mint crème. Cacao is sourced from organic Peruvian Criollo beans and the result is said to be a “unique creamy chocolate that is both vegan and gluten-free”. The packaging too is fully compostable, with the inner chocolate wrappers made from a plant-based film and the boxes printed with vegetable-based ink.
BURREN SMOKEHOUSE burrensmokehouse.com For a Swede, Birgitta Hedin Curtin looks remarkably at home behind the bar of the Roadside Tavern in Lisdoonvarna, where, after talking business with Fine Food Digest and posing for photos (above), she pulls us a few samples of the pub’s micro-brewed beers. Purely for research purposes, as they say. The pub has been in husband Peter Curtin’s family for more than a century, and is just yards from the smokehouse that the couple established in this Co. Clare town 30 years ago. “We got married in Sweden, came back here, and started the business,” says Birgitta, who was
a marine biologist before hitching up with Peter. A former merchant seaman, he developed Burren’s smoking process and built its smokehouse in 1989. Since then Burren has become one of the icons of Irish speciality food – and one of a very small band of high-end Irish smokers. The core of its range is a plain cold-smoked organic Irish salmon, oak-smoked with a light salt – a product that, in the past 10 years, has had stints on the shelves of Fortnum & Mason, Selfridges and Harrods. There’s is also a Scandiinfluenced hot-smoked range, and in recent years the Curtins have developed variants of both styles to maintain interest in the brand. These include a honey-glazed cold-smoked
We still use the same suppliers, temperatures, and smoking times. For us , it’s that consistency that’s important.
organic salmon with honey, whiskey & fennel, and hot smoked salmon with lemon & pepper. A frequent winner in Irish and UK award schemes,
Burren saw a cold-smoked variant with seaweed reach the Great Taste Top 50 five years ago, and regular good results in Great Taste has spurred continued product development. While it exports to countries as far apart as Austria and Hong Kong, Burren takes much of its revenue from mail-order. And much of this follows on from the 45,000 tourists who each year come to the smokehouse visitor centre. But Birgitta says it’s key that the core product has not changed. “We still get our oak shavings from the same supplier, our salmon from the same source. We use the same smoking times and the same temperatures. For us, it’s that consistency that’s important.”
A gift from Lisdoonvarna Birgitta and Peter Curtin’s smoked salmon has been served at a Great Taste awards night and sold at Harrods and Fortnums, but it’s equally prized by tourists visiting the couple’s famed Co. Clare smokery 8
FOOD & DRINK FROM IRELAND 2019-20
CLONAKILTY FOOD CO clonakiltyblackpudding.ie Said to be Ireland’s leading brand of black pudding, Clonakilty Blackpudding was first made in the 1880s by the Twomey family butcher shop in West Cork, using a secret recipe which remains to this day. Combining beef, oats, onions, blood and a secret spice mix, the black pudding is said to have a crumbly texture and distinctive flavour. Today, the black pudding is joined by sausages, rashers and white pudding as part of the Clonakilty breakfast selection.
A SUPPLEMENT TO FINE FOOD DIGEST
Genovese Foods award winning kitchen can offer you three unique brands with retail and food service size options. Our small batch production techniques use absolutely no additives, preservatives or colourings and are free from GMO and Low Salt. None of these products will disappoint in flavour or quality.
Clean Food, Expertly Made
GENOVESE – authentic Italian fresh pesto’s & tapenade made with traditional premium ingredients giving you flavours that are a delight for the senses. This range is Gluten Free/Nut Free/Vegetarian.
OH MAYO – homemade style fresh mayonnaise in a selection of delicious flavours. Made from great Irish ingredients this range is Gluten Free/Dairy Free/Nut Free/Vegetarian.
VEGGIE EARTH – bursting with flavour this is healthy, honest plant based nutrition at its best presented as fresh pesto’s & tapenade. This range is Gluten Free/ Dairy Free/Nut Free/Vegan.
www.genovese.ie
A PASSION REALISED
Taste the difference, you won’t be disappointed Innovators on the pulse of current trends, promoting single origin and single estate Coffees constantly seek out those "Hidden Gems" that allow us provide unique flavours that work through all speciality beverages to enhance our customers businesses. We offer single-origin coffees from Brazil, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mexico, Costa Rica Nicaragua and Indonesia to name a few, allowing customers to choose from many flavour profiles and to understand the story behind each individual farm.
Partnering with La Marzocco, We promote a wide range of proven equipment A friendly Flexible company. Work with Us.
TROPICAL RED
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FOOD & DRINK FROM IRELAND 2019-20
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A-Z OF SUPPLIERS COLLAR OF GOLD RAPESEED OIL collarofgold.ie Collar of Gold’s Clearly Pure Irish rapeseed oil has received high praise from Michelin-starred chefs like The Five Fields head chef Marguerite Keogh and the head chef of Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Kieran Glennon. The oil is produced via a patented non-chemical method and, unlike other oils, does not break down under high cooking temperatures or impart colour on food during cooking. It is also said to emulsify easily. Recommended drizzled over salad or as a substitute for butter.
GENOVESE FOODS genovese.ie Fresh pesto producer Genovese Foods has been producing its Italian-inspired fresh pestos and tapenade in Stoneybatter, Dublin, since 1999, making it the oldest pesto producer in Ireland. As well as the Genovese brand, the company also offers retailers two other brands with both retail and foodservice options, including a vegan, nut-free pesto and tapenade brand called Veggie Earth and Oh Mayo, a range of fresh flavoured mayonnaises.
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DINGLE CHOCOLATES carolineoconnor1 @yahoo.com Artisan confectionery company Milseogie is wellknown for its award-winning luxury Christmas puddings and has been recognised by celebrity chef Rachel Allen and Dragon’s Den’s Norah Casey. In the last few years, the producer has been working on a chocolate range under the brand Dingle Chocolates. Made using organic fruits, rich fillings and couverture chocolate, the range includes a selection of truffles and chocolate-covered fruits, including Irish whiskey truffles and dark chocolate figs.
GRAN GRANS FOODS grangransfoods.ie From Loughrea in Co. Galway, Gran Grans Foods is said to be one of the most creative new food producers in the Irish market. The brainchild of chef Nigel Murray, the startup produces a range of ambient lines including condiments, preserves, relishes, dressings, dips, infused oils and seafood sauces. Among the vast range is Tandoori dip, carrot cake marmalade, smoked chilli & apple jelly, an Argentinian chimichurri sauce and a brand new Indian chutney.
FOOD & DRINK FROM IRELAND 2019-20
DURRUS CHEESE durruscheese.com Durrus was set up in the 1980s when founder Jeffa Gill started making cheese and selling to local restaurants in West Cork. Today, the business has grown, with Gill and her daughter Sarah making four award-winning cheeses: Durrus, a semi-soft, rindwashed cheese; Durrus Og, a smooth, rind-washed cheese; smoked Durrus; and an aged semi-hard Dunmanus cheese. Durrus Og received three stars in Great Taste 2016 and was crowned Best Irish Cheese in the British Cheese Awards 2017.
GREEN SAFFRON greensaffron.com Based in East Cork, Green Saffron produces a range of spice blends, ready-to-use Indian curry sauces, rice and chutneys for the retail market. Founder Arun Kapil says the spices used for the products are sourced from partner farms in India and make an eight-week trip from “source to sauce”. The gluten-free range includes a Jalfrezi sauce, Rogan Josh spice sachet and mango chutney among others, with the company’s latest launch consisting of heat-and-eat Indian cuisine fresh pots.
ELIZABETH ANN DESSERT COLLECTION elizabethann.ie Pear & pecan, berry & almond, and apple, chocolate & cinnamon are just some of the luxury fruit tarts in the nine-strong range from premium maker Elizabeth Ann Dessert Collection. Founded by Ann Fox in 2010, the Dublin-based bakery also produces seasonal fruit tarts such as rhubarb as well as festive flavours during the Christmas trading period (mince & almond tart and mince pies). A zesty lemon tart was added to the range in summer 2019.
FANCY FUNGI fancyfungi.ie Fancy Fungi is a producer of Irish-grown mushrooms and an importer of wild, exotic, gourmet mushroom varieties. Run by Nikk and Catherine George, the pair grow grey, gold and pink oyster mushrooms and Shiitake mushrooms without the use of chemicals, pesticides and animal byproducts at their tunnels in Co. Wexford. As well as fresh ingredients, the company also has its own ambient range of wild & gourmet mushrooms consisting of paté, umami paste, relish and pickled mushrooms.
HOMESPUN FOODS homespunfoods.ie Homespun founder Erica Sheehan started supplying her healthy granolas to a local farmers’ market in 2014. Now Homespun’s Quinoa Crunch range is available in prestigious artisan food stores throughout Ireland, including Avoca, Donnybrook Fair and Nourish, as well as in the UK and UAE. Made by hand in West Cork using organic popped
quinoa, there are currently two flavours: pecan & cranberry and goji berry, cashew & coconut, both in 275g packs, RRP £4.99. Packaged to appeal to the premium market, Quinoa Crunch products are gluten free and, thanks to the use of sustainably sourced popped quinoa, are said to be “notably lighter and more digestible”. Sheehan says a companion snack range will be introduced in 2019.
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A-Z OF SUPPLIERS JUSPY juspy.com Start-up brand Juspy is a functional food company which has launched to market in the last year. The first product is a cacao and orange drink which founder Leonie Lynch says is the “perfect mini-meal”. It is made with 10 ingredients including organic coconut milk, organic cacao, sunflower seed butter, flax oil, orange oil, organic coconut sugar and collagen protein. High in Omega-3, collagen, and protein, the product is said to give consumers sustained energy throughout the day.
THE HAPPY PEAR thehappypear.ie When veggie health brand The Happy Pear was featured in the Irish Times, its front men, twins David and Stephen Flynn, were photographed in physically impossible-looking yoga poses. When Fine Food Digest meets them at their café and food store in coastal Greystones, a few miles south of Dublin, they perform handstands on the shop floor, leap on to tables and juggle fruit and veg like circus pros. Earlier, they say, they enjoyed their daily dip in the sea before doing yet more yoga stretches on Greystones seafront. If sheer energy is anything to go by, the pair are a fantastic advert for a business that encompasses three café-shops, a string of successful cookery books, online healthy eating courses, and a product range spanning granola, sprouted seeds, pestos,
soups and much more. What began with a fruit & veg store in 2004 and a vegan café in 2005 swiftly became a food brand too, when the Flynns realised there weren’t many Irishmade options for those seeking healthier foods. Now there are 33 packaged lines under The Happy Pear brand, some made in house (like the sprouts and pestos) others by Irish contract packers. Together, they have achieved listings in approaching 1,000 stores, and the business is turning over €10m. There’s another Flynn brother, Darragh, working behind the scenes in the business, and he has already been in contact with UK distributors, including Cotswold Fayre. To pave the way for the brand with UK shoppers, the brothers provide regular veggie recipes for Waitrose Weekend (they also had a brief listing in Waitrose)
The Flynns realised there weren’t many Irish-made options for those seeking healthier foods
and have been raising their UK media profile, with The Times dubbing them “poster boys for vegetarianism”. If and when they gain distribution in the UK, there will be plenty for trade buyers to choose from. Products currently available under the brand include Cool Jim’s Granola (oats, seeds, sultanas, coconut, goji berries and cashews); sweet potato, coconut & ginger soup, and crunchy vegan Seedie Cookie Bites.
Go veggie, be happy With their daily dips in the sea, beachside yoga, impromptu handstands – and juggling skills – brothers David and Stephen Flynn are a perfect advert for their The Happy Pear health brand
KEOGH’S CRISPS keoghs.ie Keogh’s has been farming potatoes in north County Dublin for more than 200 years. Today, it produces a bagged crisp range and other snacks for the independent market. Its core Keogh’s Crisps range includes flavours such as chorizo & cherry tomato, shamrock & sour cream, and sea salt & Irish cider vinegar. The producer’s most recent addition is a complete departure from its signature product having launched three flavours of bagged popcorn: Atlantic sea salt, sweet chilli & cherry tomato, and honey & salt.
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FOOD & DRINK FROM IRELAND 2019-20
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N ew Natural Artisan Irish A perfectly natural range of delectable preserves made with the finest organic ingredients by hand in small batches in New Ross, Co. Wexford
Meet the award winning
LONGWAYS TIPPERARY CIDER FAMILY Warming and richly fruited Irish apple cider from the orchards of Tipperary
Wexford Blackcurrant Jam
New Ross, Co. Wexford, Ireland.
00 353 51 426646 info@wexfordpreserves.ie
Award winning products making any dish around the world taste great. Our commitment to quality and taste has earned us over twenty-five Great Taste awards over the past two years alone; including the coveted Golden Fork for the second time
+353 9064 92472 12
FOOD & DRINK FROM IRELAND 2019-20
info@olivercarty.ie
www.olivercarty.ie A SUPPLEMENT TO FINE FOOD DIGEST
A-Z OF SUPPLIERS KHANYA COFFEE khanyacraftcoffee.com Khanya Craft Coffee says it sources its range of single-origin Arabica coffee beans from some of the best coffee regions in the world, including Colombia, Indonesia and Ethiopia. It offers a selection of espresso beans, filter coffee and decaf coffee for the Irish market, with different flavour profiles for each bean which “tells the story of its individual farm”. The company has received Great Taste awards for four of its coffees, including a one star for its Yirgacheffe and two stars for its Tropical Red.
While big cider brands focus on consistency, Killahora Orchards is creating a high-end niche with drinks reflecting terroir and vintage
We have all these rare and wild apples that each introduce something unique
Vintage cider with a winemaker’s touch KINNEGAR BREWING kinnegarbrewing.ie Kinnegar Brewing, in north east Donegal, brews an extensive range of beer styles, from Scraggy Bay (IPA) and Limeburner (Pale Ale), to the popular Rustbucket (Rye IPA), Big Bunny (NEIPA), Swingletree (Saison) and Yannaroddy (Porter). The brewery says the beers are unfiltered and unpasteurised during production, which now takes place in a new state-of-the-art facility in Letterkenny after moving from Rathmullan.
KILLAHORA ORCHARDS killahoraorchards.ie When a craft producer wins International Champion Cider at the Bath & West Show in just its second year of commercial production, it has to be taken seriously. In the case of Killahora Orchards, it’s not just the high profile award but its whole approach that is grabbing attention. Barry Walsh (pictured), who founded the business with cousin David Watson, told Fine Food Digest: “I’ve been trying to create a kind of ‘Irish vineyard’ feel.” Although its first products include a bittersweet cider with the market-friendly name Johnny Fall Down, the business is heading in a direction that will chime with speciality retail buyers. It is making slow-produced
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drinks – a cider, an apple port (called Pom’O), a sweet apple ice wine and a fine perry (Poiré) – each with a unique vintage, reflecting their terroir and unique fruit blend. Walsh and Watson – who refer to themselves as, respectively, the “booze geek” and the “tree geek” – have been steadily planting hundreds of trees on a south-facing hillside at Killahora, Co. Cork, that is believed to have held an orchard for at least 200 years. Now, over 100 varieties of apple and 30 of perry pears are complemented by more than adozen long-established “wildings” - self-seeded trees of no recognised variety – which offer a further unique twist to Killahora’s output.
Although currently making around 10,000 litres of what Walsh terms “commercial cider”, Killahora is focused increasingly on higher quality drinks, fermented and matured for a year, then blended and bottled by vintage, with the year on the label. “The first question most people ask is, ‘How do you get it to taste the same every time?’,” says Walsh. “But the answer is, ‘We don’t want it to’. “We have all these rare and wild apples that each introduce something unique.” Walsh is a scientist by background, and will happily use science to capture a “house style” in terms of complexity and balance. But just as important, it seems, is to celebrate difference.
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A-Z OF SUPPLIERS Property developer, artist and all-round force-of-nature Eavaun Carmody is turning a scarce mountain cattle breed into “the Irish Wagyu” KILLENURE DEXTER BEEF killenure.com She’s been a bronzecaster, an antique dealer, and made money restoring and selling property. But it’s her role as a beef farmer and forceful rare breed champion that has brought Eavaun Carmody’s name to the world of speciality food. The owner of Killenure Castle, near Dundrum, in Co. Tipperary, has almost single-handedly brought one of Ireland’s few indigenous breeds, the Dexter, back from the brink. Now, to ensure its survival, she’s creating a luxury brand that spans charcuterie, leather goods, and beef that has been dubbed “Irish wagyu”. Carmody moved to Killenure in 2010 in pursuit of the good life. It was in a local bar that she first heard
In five years, she has put together the world’s biggest herd of Dexters
talk of how the Dexter – a diminutive breed once beloved of the English gentry – had originated just two miles away, on Dundrum Estate. It seems the tough little cattle – a cross of Kerry, Anglesey, Welsh and a local mountain breed – were bred here in the mid -1700s to give poor households
a hardy animal they could rear on any scrap of land. For many generations, however, the breed was ignored as a commercial option, and more so recently when native breeds were considered useless for high-output beef farming. Yet Carmody’s researches convinced her the Dexter played a significant role in Irish history and culture. In the face of much mocking from the conservative farming establishment, she began persuading farmers to either buy and rear a few Dexters, offering them a guaranteed premium at slaughter, or to provide well-paid “B&B” for cattle she had bought herself. In this way, in five years, she has put together the
world’s biggest herd of Dexters, with over 800 spread across 26 farms. At the same time, she begun creating a market for the cattle’s tender, highly marbled wagyu-like meat.
Top chefs as far afield as Hong Kong have been raving about Killenure beef which, with its extraordinary back-story, will surely see its first London food hall listing soon.
Leading the Dexter to sunnier pastures 14
FOOD & DRINK FROM IRELAND 2019-20
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Purely natural honey of the highest quality from carefully selected farms of Europe.
Bringing a contemporary twist to traditional recipes, The Scullery creates a delectable range of handmade Christmas Puddings, Relishes, Barbeque Sauces, Pasta Sauces and Pickles. These sumptuous foods are gluten,preservative and additive free – what you see is what you get! While keenly priced there is no compromise on quality, just a wonderful homemade taste. The Scullery, Unit 4C, Stafford Street Business Park, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary Telephone: 00 353 86 1744402 E mail: florrie@thescullery.ie Web: www.thescullery.ie IRISH QUALITY FOOD
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Apple Cider Vinegar One of nature’s gifts made from the humble apple
We deliver a taste to be remembered. Since 2016, we carefully source the best produce from beekeepers around Europe. We focus on unblended, natural, raw honey of the highest quality for the best gastronomical experience. B2C abd B2B offers available. Mia’s Honey www.miashoney.ie jan@miashoney.ie +353 85 284 8653
Mileeven - Delightful Honey, True to Our Name.
A family business since 1988. Contact Sarah for more information about our exquisite range of pure honeys, infused honeys, gifting range and exciting new products added for 2019.
Our award winning apple cider vinegar is a pure, unfiltered, unpasturised vinegar containing “The Mother”, naturally loaded with HEALTHY ENZYMES AND PROBOTICS, produced from our home grown apples. Available in 500ml bottles and 10L, 200L or 1000L containers. An amazing health tonic for both humans and animals. Pa t M c Ke eve r - 07876 6 8 4 9 9 2 Ca t h e r i n e M c Ke eve r - 07876 6 8 4 9 93 Pe t e r M c Ke eve r - 075 4 3 4 4 4 8 6 6 w w w . l o n g m e a d owc i d e r . co m 16
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Cultural capital
With fermented drinks in the ascendency, Gerry Scullion is riding the wave with his range of light, low-calorie, probiotic-packed water kefirs, all made in the Irish capital KING OF KEFIR kingofkefir.ie So is it ‘keffa’, ‘keefer’ or ‘k’fear’? “I pronounce it different ways on different days,” admits Gerry Scullion, founder of Dublin’s King of Kefir. Whichever it is, Scullion has been a pioneer of the gut-friendly soft drink in Ireland, and it’s seeing rapid growth in multiples, specialist stores and even the more healthaware bars. Made redundant from the chemical and pharmaceutical industry in 2012, he had considered turning his interest in brewing and winemaking into a business. But with so many craft ales already coming through and so few lowsugar soft drink options on the market, he looked instead at the newlyemerging category of fermented drinks - and gave it a twist. “A lot of people are familiar with the yoghurty milk drink,” he says, “but mine is a water
kefir, made with yeast and approximately 30 different bacteria. “One of those bacteria eats the sugars and produces a jelly-like physical structure, called water kefir grains, that becomes the home for the other bacteria. “I let them eat out the sugars to almost zero, which then gives me a shelf-stable product.” A small amount of apple juice is added near the end of the process, and Scullion uses stevia, a natural plant extract, rather than sugar to add back some sweetness. Then a final 14-day bottleconditioning period gives it some natural fizz. If the making of this “live culture fermented beverage” sounds complicated, Scullion says he keeps the story simple when chatting to consumers, stressing the health benefits as well as the taste. “I tell them it’s a fermented product with a very low calorie count - around 10kcal per bottle – and a mix of
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Gerry Scullion looked at the new category of fermented drinks and gave it a twist
complementary bacteria that can improve your gut health.” There are currently three flavours: lemongrass & ginger, chilli & ginger and cucumber, mint & thyme. Initial sales were through health food shops and cafés, but King of Kefir is now listed in 43 SuperValu supermarkets, and Scullion is gaining traction in cocktail bars – including Dublin’s trendy no-alcohol Virgin Mary bar.
KINSALE MEAD CO kinsalemeadco.ie Believed to be the first meadery set up in Ireland for two centuries, Kinsale Mead Co. has been producing its “light and refreshing” take on the traditional fermented honey drink for two years now. In that short time the Co. Cork business – set up by locals Kate and Denis Dempsey – has made its mark with some high profile awards, including gold in the International Mazer Cup not once but twice. At only 12% ABV, Kinsale’s meads are suggested for pre-dinner drinks, to pair with food, or to enjoy after dinner with a cheeseboard or dessert. “We’ve also seen some fantastic mead cocktails,” says Kate Dempsey. There are currently three variants to choose from. Atlantic Dry Mead is made with traditional orange blossom honey, Wild Red Mead uses Irish blackcurrants and dark cherries, and Kinsale’s Hazy Summer Mead is made with ripe summer berries. “It’s an Irish answer to Pimm’s,” Dempsey says of the summer variety. The gluten-free range collected a gold and silver at the 2018 Irish Food Awards as well as gold at last year’s FreeFrom Awards, and the business is also certified under Bord Bia’s Origin Green scheme for its sustainability credentials.
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A-Z OF SUPPLIERS MAMA NAGI’S mamanagis.ie Owner Mindi Keane set up Mama Nagi’s in 2015 with the aim of bringing healthy, authentic, raw vegan Indian chilli pastes and cook-in sauces to the Irish market. Produced using inherited family recipes, Mama Nagi’s portfolio contains three chilli pastes including its hot Punjabi chilli. The company has recently launched four new cook-in sauces: Goan hot tomato, Kashmiri fruity tomato, Sri-Lankan sweet mango and a Keralan exotic coconut. RRP €3.29 for jars and €3.99 for pastes in tubs.
MCGARGLES/RYE RIVER BREWERY ryeriverbrewingco.com Irish craft brewery Rye River Brewing Company produces a range of award-winning beers including its signature McGargles brand in Celbridge, County Kildare. Brewed in 2,500 litre batches using hand-turned malts directly from farm hops, the nine-strong range was recognised at the 2018 World Beer Awards, with Dan’s Double IPA crowned Best Double IPA, and Darragh’s Session IPA taking home the Country Winner award for Session IPA for the second year running.
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MARINE HEALTH FOODS marinehealthfoods.com Marine Health Foods is a specialised producer of marine products in Co. Wicklow. It is owned and managed by marine biologist Stephen Kavanagh. From its smokehouse in the coastal town of Arklow, the company produces smoked oysters and scallops packed in MAP trays and available in 100g, 150g, 200g and 300g tubs with a 35-day shelf life. It also supplies a smoked oyster paté and smoked scallop paté packed in 100g tubs for retail and 500g catering tubs with a 28-day shelf life.
MARIA LUCIA BAKES marialuciabakes.com Luxury gluten-free food specialist Maria Lucia Bakes produces a range of handbaked, all-natural granolas and porridges in retail and foodservice formats, along with a range of gluten free cookies. Key lines for the business, which sells to independents and larger stores throughout Ireland, include four granolas: cashew, almond and cinnamon; cranberry, coconut & chia seed; a no-added-sugar variant and a fourth, oat-free ‘ancient grains’ product with quinoa, millet, buckwheat and chia seeds. The porridge offer comprises a plain variety, in 450g packs or 50g pots, and a raspberry oat-free version (only in the 50g pot format). The brand’s best-selling cookies include cranberry & white chocolate and chocolate chip flavours in both individual 33g packs and 150g mini cookie formats. Two distributors – Route 2 and Kentas of London – currently handle Maria Lucia Bakes products in the UK.
FOOD & DRINK FROM IRELAND 2019-20
MELLA’S FUDGE mellasfudge.com A selection pack featuring three new flavours of fudge is among the latest developments from Mella’s Fudge, a Co Cork-based producer that lists premium retailers like Avoca and Fallon & Byrne among its customers. Vanilla and salted caramel fudge – also included in the new selection pack – are among the small producer’s best-selling flavours, alongside dark chocolate, Irish cream liqueur and Christmas spice with orange. Products are available in 48g bar, 175g pouch and 300g gift box formats, and a new Christmas gift tin is on its way. Owner Mella McAuley
first made fudge alongside her mother as a child, and in 2005 started producing it commercially in her kitchen in Bantry, selling at markets and local shops in West Cork. Now, her team of three are based in Lisavaird Co-op, outside Clonakilty. Mellas’s Fudge is distributed in Ireland through Taste the View and Sheridans, while customers in Great Britain can buy through Diverse Fine Foods. “We use local butter to make a buttery, crumbly, old fashioned style of fudge, very like tablet,”says McAuley. “It’s more buttery than most fudges that I compete with in the UK.”
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An artisan confectionery company based in Dingle Co Kerry, renowned for its award-winning Luxury Christmas Puddings which have won awards from Blas na hEireann (Irishfoodawards) and Great Taste. We also have our ‘Dingle Chocolate’ range of products, which include Irish whiskey truffles and chocolate-dipped fruits, such as organic salted figs, organic dates with dried raspberries, and candied orange, all made with 70% couverture chocolate. For more information, please contact us on +353 (0) 892119795 or email milseoige@gmail.com www.facebook.com/milseoige A SUPPLEMENT TO FINE FOOD DIGEST
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A-Z OF SUPPLIERS
Eilis and Sarah Gough say honey remains the bedrock of the Mileeven brand
Two dry seasons in ’86 and ’87 left them with a glut of honey that they began selling to local shops
Tell ’em about the honey It’s more than three decades since amateur beekeepers Joe and Eilis Gough began turning their hobby into a business. Now Eilis and daughter Sarah sell their Mileeven honey and preserves to markets as far apart as the UK and Hong Kong. MILEEVAN mileevan.com Ireland’s famously damp climate – ideal for growing grass – has helped shape its food industry, with beef and dairy both major exports. But it was an unusually dry couple of summers three decades ago that prompted the Gough family to turn their honey-making hobby into a business. Joe and Eilis Gough already kept bees at the family’s home in Piltown, Co. Kilkenny, as a “natural addition” to Joe’s beloved garden. But two dry seasons in 1986 and 1987 left them with a glut of honey that they began selling in local shops. By 1988, the couple had decided it was time to take 20
honey more seriously, and they set about developing a brand, Mileeven, that 30 years on finds its way into high-end stores all round the world. With most Irish summers providing a honey-making season as short as six weeks, local bees were never going to provide the volume for a significant business. The answer was to start importing speciality honeys from other nations too, like acacia from Hungary, and Spanish orange blossom. The Goughs also approached lrish Distillers, asking to produce honeys blended with its whiskey and Irish Mist liqueur, and this provided the foundations of a range that would take Mileeven into
FOOD & DRINK FROM IRELAND 2019-20
both speciality retail and the gifting market. In 1997, the purchase of a small preserves business helped Mileeven extend its reach beyond honey -
although bees still provide the bedrock of the business. And now, with daughter Sarah heading marketing operations and running the business alongside Eilis,
there is also a separate “Sarah’s” range too, with its own distinct branding, that combines honey with flavours like ginger, lemon, sour cherries and blueberries. Mileeven started exporting in the early 1990s while at home, after a decade selling mainly to independents, it picked up its first business with the multiples. But Sarah Gough says it is careful to avoid clashes between the two. “We have products that are very much aimed at supermarkets,” she says, “but also a whole range for independents, hampers and gifting. So smaller retailers won’t see a honey for sale in Tesco at £4.50 that’s £5 in their own shop.”
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A-Z OF SUPPLIERS
MIA’S HONEY miashoney.ie Mia’s Honey has been sourcing and importing natural raw honey from private beekeepers around Europe since 2016. Specialising in unblended natural raw honey, the Dublin-based company says it changes its portfolio throughout the year to bring customers a wide variety of honey types. One such is the honeydew fir, made from bees collecting the sugary liquid produced by aphids on pine trees. With antibacterial properties and a dark colour, this honey-like substance won two stars in Great Taste 2018.
MORA FOODS morafoods.com Mora Foods produces “authentic gourmet food” from cuisines around the world for both foodservice and retail. Its specialities are Argentinian and Spanish food products, which it creates using Irish ingredients such as beef and lamb. Signature lines include empanadas (a filled baked or fried pastry), but the company has more recently begun offering a seitan range for foodservice under the Sasta Saol brand and will launch a selection of Mexican-style tamales in meat, vegetarian and vegan options in October.
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NATURALLY CORDIAL naturallycordial.ie Owner Clodagh Davis says she uses local fruit given by neighbours and friends along with organic citrus fruit for her 11-strong range of award-winning cordials. Consisting of just water, sugar, fruit and citric acid, the flavours include lemon & lime, pink grapefruit, blackcurrant, and lemon & passionfruit. Since 2013, Naturally Cordial has grown from local farmers’ markets to now retailing at a national level in some of Ireland’s well-known artisan stores.
MIENA’S NOUGAT mienas.ie A familiar name in high-end delis and premium multiples in Ireland – and one set to appear in Harrods this year – the Miena’s nougat brand was born in founder Miena Rust’s home kitchen back in 2012. “My first retailer was Avoca, in March of 2014,” Rust recalls. “We started producing for Dunnes Stores Simply Better range in 2017, and our nougat is now available nationwide under Miena’s brand and also Simply Better.” Products today include 50g nougat bars, packed 18 to a shelf-ready box, in flavours such as roasted almond, almond & pistachio, almond & fig, and chocolate, hazelnut & cranberry. There are also 105g nut
selection and fruit selection boxes containing seven individually wrapped sweets, reflecting the strength of Miena’s handmade products for gifting. Despite the big-name clients, Miena’s Handmade Nougat is still made by its owner and her two helpers in a purpose-built ‘nougat kitchen” in her convered garage. “We do everything in-house from roasting the nuts to packaging,” Rust says. “All the flavours are developed by myself and we do a taste test on every batch before it goes out.” Plaudits for Miena’s nougat include gold and silver at the Irish food awards, Blas na hEireann, last year, as well as a twostar at Great Taste.
NUTTERLY NUTRITIOUS nutterlynutritious.com Nutterly Nutritious was founded in 2016 after owner Fiona Maher, prompted by a personal health issue, was unsatisfied with the brand of nut butters available for her needs and felt she could offer something different in terms of taste, texture and variety. The result is a range of award-winning premium Irish 100% roasted, sprouted and organic nut butters. Each product is gluten-, dairy- and refined-sugar-free as well as free of palm oil and additives.
O’NEILL’S BACON oneillsbacon.ie As its name suggests, O’Neills Dry Cure Bacon Company specialises in Bord Bia-approved Irish pork that is cured by hand from a family recipe. The Wexford-based business is best known for its dry cured rashers, which, as with all its pork products, contain 30% less salt and no added water or phosphates. Last year, the business received one star for its drycured streaky rashers and smoked streaky rashers in the Great Taste awards and two stars for its dry-cured back bacon joint.
FOOD & DRINK FROM IRELAND 2019-20
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FOOD & DRINK FROM IRELAND 2019-20
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A-Z OF SUPPLIERS OLIVER CARTY olivercarty.ie Oliver Carty is one of Ireland’s largest pork and bacon suppliers and a verified member of Bord Bia’s Origin Green programme. Its rashers have been the core of the business for many years with flavours diversifying from the standard smoked and unsmoked varieties to new flavoured varieties such as sea salted, maple, cherrywood and honey. In 2013, the company set up VOA Foods, a valueadd ingredient company which works with retailers and wholesalers to develop bespoke products including marinades, sauces, glazes, rubs and spices.
PONAIRE COFFEE ponaire.ie Owners Tommy and Jennifer Ryan have been supplying a wide selection of coffee from their roastery in Newport, Co. Tipperary since 2006. Today, Ponaire (the Irish word for bean) supplies speciality food shops, cafés and restaurants, roasting to order more than 12 different coffees to suit differing tastes and methods of preparation. Among its wide-variety of blends and beans include Costa Rica Blend, Indian Blend, European Espresso Bean, Connoisseur Blend and Organic Peru.
OLLY’S FARM ollysfarm.ie After producing honey from his beehives for family and friends, beekeeper Olly Nolan decided to grow it as a business and set up Olly’s Farm in 2016. Today, he keeps up to 100 beehives in Dublin to produce the raw Irish honey. Key products in the range include the Dublin Mountains Heather Honey and the Dublin Softset, as well as several blossom honeys from the producer’s various apiaries around Dublin and Wicklow.
RIGNEY’S FARM rigneysfarm.com Granola might seem like a drastic change of direction for farm and pork producer Rigney’s Farm Foods, but the business – which also operates an on-site B&B – wanted to offer something to complement its breakfast selection of streaky bacon, pork sausages and black pudding. It came up with Rigney’s Irish gluten-free granola which it now produces for the trade in two varieties: goji berries & flame raisins and whole pecans, almonds, cinnamon & dates.
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ORIEL SEA SALT orielseasalt.com Oriel Sea Salt began commercial production of its PDO Irish Sea Salt in 2013 from Port Oriel, Co. Louth, and is used by Michelinstarred chefs, restaurants and food producers alike. Kosher-friendly, organic and sustainable, the salt comes in three varieties: Natural Mineral Sea Salt, Kiln Dried Sea Salt and Teeling Whiskey Smoked. The former is said to be “slightly moist” with deep mineral after tones, while the latter is enhanced by oak and whiskey notes.
RUCKSNACKS rucksnacks.com Meat-based snack producer Rucksnacks is well-known for its award-winning beef biltong (it picked up a one star in the 2017 Great Taste awards) but has now branched out with two new jerky products: honey beef jerky and garlic turkey jerky. Pitched at the “time constrained, health conscious consumer”, the new snack varieties are high in protein, gluten-free and both have an RRP of £2 and shelf life of 12 months.
PANDORA BELL pandorabell.com With a broad catalogue of premium confectionery, ranging from real-fruit pates de fruits and honey nougat to handmade lollypops and candy canes, Pandora Bell’s products can be found in some of the most exclusive international food halls. Globus Switzerland and Dean & Deluca in the UAE are among the Co. Limerick company’s big-name retail clients. But according to Nicole Dunphy, who founded Pandora Bell 10 years ago, bringing European luxury confectionery to Ireland
and the UK was her initial motivation. “In Ireland, at the time, we didn’t have access to premium quality sweets like the rest of Europe,” she says. Now, as well as selling to retailers like Avoca and Fallon & Byrne in its home market, Pandora Bell supplies Fortnum & Mason and a number of independent farm shops and food halls in the UK. It also works with distributor Suma at Christmas, with a range suitable for the health food market, and this year has seen a significantly expanded vegan range.
POACHER’S WELL poachersdrinks.com Already selling into the UK online and now seeking a trade distributor here, Poacher’s is Ireland’s only producer of higher-end mixers to complement the international premium spirits market. The Co Wexford-based business last year picked up a number of Great Taste awards for a product line-up that comprises Classic Tonic, Citrus Tonic, Wild Tonic, Ginger Ale and Irish Soda Water. Poacher’s director Brendan Colbert says the brand features in the “largest
and most prestigious UK-based online premium spirits clubs”. It is also well established in the Irish on-trade, with customers including Adare Manor, Merrion Hotel, The Westbury, The Marker Hotel , The Conrad, The Radisson Group and The Morrison Ashford Castle, as well as Tindal Wine Merchants and premium distilleries. Big developments from the brand this year will include the launch of Poacher’s Ginger Beer, Light Tonic and Irish Malt Cola.
FOOD & DRINK FROM IRELAND 2019-20
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A-Z OF SUPPLIERS
SADIE’S KITCHEN sadieskitchen.ie Bone broth is a relatively new category in the UK, and in Ireland has been pioneered by Sadie’s Kitchen, based in south Co. Dublin. Founder Sarah Kiely set up the business when a tough career in PR and journalism began to take its toll on her digestive health. Her researches pointed to bone broth as a traditional way of helping to “restore balance” in the gut, and once she started experimenting with recipes she could also see a significant difference in quality and taste compared with existing preservativeheavy stocks. She now has two preservative- and salt-free products, both made with free range Irish chicken and suitable as a savoury hot
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drink or a flavouring for other dishes. Sadie’s Kitchen Comforting Chicken Bone Broth is made with organic apple cider vinegar, fresh vegetables and herbs, slow cooked to extract the best flavour and gelatine. Super 7 Greens Bone Broth is fortified with seven green veg and flax seed, making it a good source of Omega 3. Both have an RRP of €4.50 for 350ml. This year will also see the launch of a beef bone broth and a vegetarian option. Sadie’s Kitchen products are already on sale in multiples and specialist independents across Ireland, and are sold in Northern Ireland via Soulbia. “We’re currently seeking a UK distributor,” says Kiely, “and we’ve had significant interest from Selfridges to stock our range.”
FOOD & DRINK FROM IRELAND 2019-20
SCOTTS CIDER scottsirishcider.com Jonathan Scott began Scotts Irish Cider in County Cavan in 2014 after studying at the cider academy in Gloucester. Today, the five-strong range consists of dry, medium dry, summer medium, elderflower and winter spiced. Each cider is made from a blend of Irish eating, cooking and cider apples such as Dabinetts, and purposely not blended with apple juice before bottling so as not to cover the fermented flavour from the apples.
SEERYS seerys.ie Ireland’s largest manufacturer of Christmas puddings, Seerys has been producing its premium cakes and puddings for the Irish, UK and European market for 30 years, with the aim of making “high-quality products on a commercial scale”. Alongside its festive puds, the cake manufacturer offers rounded iced cakes (chocolate, red velvet, coffee), lava desserts (chocolate, salted caramel), fruit cakes (tea loaf, Irish stout), top iced fudge cakes (lemon, coffee, carrot), and loaf cakes (banana, ginger, Madeira).
THE FARMER’S DAUGHTER tfdaughter.com Gourmet frozen beef producer The Farmer’s Daughter uses 100% grass fed Irish beef which it rears on its own farm for its product lines. Sourcing all ingredients within a 50-mile radius, the producer says it aims to “bring good quality, homemade products to the frozen beef burger category”. The range includes a classic beef burger, a caramelised red onion & cheddar cheeseburger, meatballs in tomato sauce, and a steak mince with onions & herbs
THE FOODS OF ATHENRY foodsofathenry.ie The Foods of Athenry specialises in the manufacture of “clean-label” bakery products from its family farm which has two bakeries in the west of Ireland. The additive- and glutenfree range of products include crackers, cookies, flapjacks, Irish oat muesli & granola, soda bread toasts and mince pies. Selfridges, Harrods and Whole Foods are just some of its stockists and the producer has received celebrity endorsements from John Cleese and Ellie Goulding.
THE STUDIO COFFEE ROASTERS thestudiocoffee.com Alan Phillips’ Co Meathbased roastery offers “seasonal, single-origin coffee from around the world” to the café and hospitality sector, as well as selling direct to consumers online. Green beans are ethically sourced from all the major coffee-growing regions and roasted in small, single-lot batches on a 15kg Giesen roaster. Already pushing into the UK market, and with a Great Taste award for his Ethiopian Duromina, Phillips has recently appointed a sales agent in north-east England to serve speciality shops and delis.
THREE FOOLS COFFEE threefoolscoffee.ie Speciality coffee company, Three Fools Coffee sources its current range from farms within small regions of Guatemala, Ethiopia, Brazil and Costa Rica. Its Guatemala Volcan De Oro – a full-bodied, fruity and chocolatey tasting coffee – won two stars in the Great Taste awards last year. As well as offering its coffee for wholesale, the company offers training, assistance in running events and coffee bags, home brewing equipment and merchandising for retail. Trade prices start from £17.91 for its 1kg bags and from £5.82 for its 250g bags.
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A-Z OF SUPPLIERS THE LISMORE FOOD CO thelismorefood company.com Selfridges, Whole Foods Market and hamper specialist Dukeshill are among the UK retailers who already stock The Lismore Food Co’s range of biscuits and snacks. Distributed here by Buckley & Beale, the sweet and savoury biscuit range (150g, RRP €6.50) includes lemon polenta, Irish digestive with wild Atlantic sea salt and all-butter Irish shortbread, all of which are Great Taste award winners, while the producer’s caraway with Irish seaweed is a three-star winner.
THREE MEN IN A TRAILER 3men.ie It might sound like the opening line to a joke, but Three Men in a Trailer food company produces a range of Irish artisan ketchups in three varieties: original, smoked and spicy. Developed by a chef, a butcher and a farmer from Tipperary, the ketchups are gluten-free, vegetarian friendly and said to contain less sugar than their competitors. In 2016, the brand received a one-star award for its original ketchup in the Great Taste awards.
Lismore’s snacks range includes three varieties of apple stick: dark chocolate, milk chocolate and the award-winning crisp apple stick (25g, RRP €2) which was named Free From Ireland ‘Snack of the Year’ 2019 Started five years ago by three experienced food industry veterans The Lismore Food Company has a strong customer base among Ireland’s premium stores, including Avoca, Fallon & Byrne, Donnybrook Fair and SuperValu. But it also exports to Europe and beyond, selling on “great taste, interesting and creative flavours and beautiful packaging ”.
THIS IS SEAWEED thisisseaweed.com Four years after its launch by marine biologist Paul O’Connor, This Is Seaweed is selling a range of whole-leaf and flaked organic seaweeds to health food stores, artisan food stores and seafood counters across Ireland. It’s also on the lookout for a UK distributor, after dipping a toe in the water via Selfridges’ Irish food promotion in 2018. The company’s products – including dulse, carrageen, sea spaghetti, kelp and alaria – are all drawn from the nutrient-rich waters of the Atlantic. Its organic seaweed flakes are intended for use as condiments, and come in a range of 20g-40g tins (depending on the species of seaweed) with an RRP of £4. Whole leaf organic seaweeds are supplied in 40g, 100% compostable packages (RRP £3.50-£4.50), with the most popular being organic sea spaghetti. “It’s very easy to prepare,” says O’Connor. “You can just add it to the cooking pot or pickle it in your favourite vinegar 26
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and add it to salads.” All This Is Seaweed products are certified organic. They’re harvested by hand and dried under controlled conditions at a temperature never exceeding 40˚C to ensure healthy enzymes and vitamins remain intact. September 2019 sees the launch of a range of organic smoked seaweed risotto mixes, each blended with organic carnaroli rice. There are three to choose from – smoked sugar kelp & sundried tomato; smoked alaria & asparagus and sea spaghetti & porcini mushroom. “The intention is to make it easy for consumers to engage with and incorporate health-giving seaweeds into their diets,” says O’Connor.
TRUSTEA trustea.ie A newcomer to the tea market, trusTEA offers a range of 10 premium tea blends. Based in Dublin, the brand produces a range of loose-leaf blends including herbal, green, black, fruit, and rooibos. One signature herbal blend is Four Thieves Tea, a mix of sage, thyme, lavender and rosemary which is said to have immunity boosting properties. Other varieties include Morning Delight (a vanilla-flavoured black tea) and Green Harmony (a strawberry-flavoured green tea).
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A-Z OF SUPPLIERS
UFLOURISH uflourishfoods.com West Cork-based functional food company Uflourish was set up by husband and wife Jerome and Margaret Forde who produce smoothies from the fermented milk drink, kefir. Made by fermenting kefir cultures with fresh Irish milk and real fruit purée, the drinks are available in two flavours:
strawberry and mango & turmeric. According to the producer, the kefir cultures contain 12 strains of beneficial bacteria, which aid in improving gut health, and are a source of protein, calcium and vitamin B12. The smoothies are also gluten free, suitable for vegetarians and , because they are fermented, are also lactose reduced.
WICKLOW FARMHOUSE CHEESE wicklowfarmhousecheese. ie Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese offers a range of handmade cows’ milk cheeses produced by John Hempenstall and his daughter Mary on their family farm in Co. Wicklow. The farm has been producing cheese – including its Wicklow Blue Brie and Ban Brie – since 2005. It now makes a selection of flavoured cheddars including its Wicklow Gold, cheddar with tomato & herb, cheddar with basil & garlic, cheddar with nettle & chive and a Beechwood smoked. All are available prepacked and in wheels.
WICKLOW WAY WINES wicklowwaywines.ie Móinéir (Irish for ‘meadows’) is a brand of wine made from Irish strawberries, blackberries and raspberries, produced by Wicklow Way Wines. The company says that, unlike other fruit wines, its are based on undiluted berry juices which allow the flavour and characteristics of the berries to come through. Its flagship strawberry wine (ABV 11%) is said to have around 150 strawberries in one bottle, with the taste described as complex with a hint of sweetness and full-bodied aroma which “tapers to a crisp finish”.
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URBAN KITCHEN FOODS urbankitchenfoods.com Urban Kitchen Foods is an artisan wellness food company producing natural plant-based foods in Dublin’s busy riverside neighbourhood, Temple Bar. It makes a wide variety of products including custom cakes, confectionery, spreads, bread and cake mixes, but its speciality lies in cakes, tarts and ready mixes to cater for a variety of food intolerances and dietary requirements. All its products are made with minimal ingredients and flavoured and coloured with natural spices, herbs, fruits, nuts and vegetables.
WALSH’S BAKEHOUSE walshsbakehouse.ie Run by third generation brothers and bakers Michael and Dermot Walsh in Waterford City, Walsh’s Bakehouse produces the same Waterford Blaa it has been making since 1921. Derived from the French word “blanc” meaning white and dating back to the 1700s, Blaa is a traditional soft white bread roll dusted with flour made with flour, yeast, water and salt. In 2013, the Waterford Blaa received PGI status and is now available in three different sizes for retail and foodservice.
WEXFORD HOME PRESERVES wexfordpreserves.ie Wexford Home Preserves is run by the Sinnott family, who produce jams and marmalades from a batch kitchen in New Ross, Co. Wexford. It uses the traditional open pot boiling method for its preserves, makes its own pectin for jam from apples and saves the pips from lemons to help set its marmalades. Made from local fruit as well as organic Seville and Navelina oranges, the range includes strawberry jam, raspberry jam, and blackberry & apple jam, as well as Sicilian lemon marmalade and orange marmalade.
WILD ABOUT wildabout.ie Wild About is a slow food producer that delivers on ecological credentials as well as taste. It produces a range of artisan chutneys, relish, preserves, dressings, oils and more that have together collected 19 Great Taste awards. All are made from seasonal produce, sourced locally or grown on its organic permaculture farm in Co. Wexford. It is also said to be Ireland’s first commercial nettle farm. It works with seasonal produce and flavour combinations such as Celtic Roots, a “robust” pub chutney made from Irish root vegetables & Guinness.
WILD FUSCHIA BAKEHOUSE wildfuschiabakehouse.ie Wild Fuschia Bakehouse produces a range of breads, cakes and pastries for retail and wholesale from its bakery in Co. Donegal. Two of its most popular breads – soda and wheaten – have been developed into bread mixes for retail customers to make at home. The bakery says the mixes can be upgraded with other ingredients such as black olives, sundried tomato or blue cheese, while soya or rice milk and oil can be replaced for buttermilk and egg to produce bread that is vegan friendly.
WOODSTOWN BAY SHELLFISH wbsglobal.com Woodstown Bay Shellfish’s certified sustainable oysters are grown in the “A” class waters of Woodstown Bay Co. Waterford. Described as beautifully fresh, with a “slightly salty and sweet taste that is both creamy and smooth”, the oysters are said to receive first-rate care from turning to cleaning to low density-beds for maximum nourishment and exposure to the plankton rich waters. The result is plump oysters that were awarded two stars in the 2017 Great Taste awards.
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Growing the success of Irish food & drink For more information contact: Estelle Alley +44 20 7307 3555 Estelle.alley@bordbia.ie www.bordbia.ie www.irishfoodanddrink.com 2 FOOD & DRINK FROM IRELAND 2019-20
Bord Bia – Irish Food Board 201 Great Portland Street London, W1W 5AB A SUPPLEMENT TO FINE FOOD DIGEST