HR Jan 2016

review NI

YEARBOOK JAN 2016

The VOICE of Northern Ireland’s catering, licensing and tourism industry

HOSPITALITY REVIEW NI YEARBOOK AND TRADE DIRECTORY JANUARY 2016

Beginning with this issue, Hospitality Review NI will be following the theme of each month throughout Northern Ireland Year of Food & Drink 2016.

Advertising and editorial opportunities will be available to make the most of #EnjoyNI16.

If you would like to make the most of Year of Food & Drink, get in touch with Mark Glover on 028 90783234 or markglover@greercommunications.com

review NI

Tourism success story set to continue Tourism Northern Ireland Chairman Terence Brannigan reflects on the year past and sees a positive outlook for the industry in 2016.

Terence Brannigan

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t was yet another busy and eventful year in our tourism sector; one that created new directions for the industry as well as a number of changes within it.

The big news from the organisation early in 2015 was the name change for tourism's lead www.hospitalityreviewni.com

body, as recommended by the Hunter Review.

Tourism NI welcomed the overall Hunter Review recommendations and our response to them has already generated a positive drive toward a fresh phase of development within the sector.

In the spring and early summer respectively, there were appointments made to replace the outgoing Tourism NI chairman and the retiring chief executive, whilst the incoming DETI Minister, Jonathan Bell, and some new board appointees saw further changes to key personnel responsible for steering our industry.

Tourism NI is now working closely with Invest NI and the 11 newly constituted councils and is heavily engaged in the development of a new Tourism Strategy for Northern Ireland.

This strategy will set the future direction for our industry and clearly state what we can expect to achieve and deliver.

The best of what can be achieved by a vibrant tourism industry was exemplified this year by events such as the Irish Open at Royal County Down. Whilst this tournament was another remarkable sell-out, it also witnessed a large rise in out-of-state visits compared to our successful 2012 Royal Portrush event.

The Gran Fondo, a Giro d'Italia legacy event, began its three-year run in 2015 and was a huge success, as was the excellent Tall Ships Titanic Maritime Festival, which attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors. As a thrilling finale to an eventful, exciting and successful year, for the first time ever Northern Ireland hosted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

The last 12 months also brought the opening of new attractions such as the dramatic Gobbins Cliff Path on the Causeway Coastal Route, the Siege Museum in Derry~Londonderry and the £7.5m restoration of Mount Stewart in County Down.

Our performance in the tourism market saw us generate 2% growth in overall trips during January to June 2015. This delivered an additional £4.5m for the economy and it is noteworthy that overseas markets performed particularly well, realising a healthy 12%

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growth.

Accommodation statistics were also very good, up 5% on the same period in 2014, with the number of hotel rooms sold in the first eight months of the year reaching its highest on record. Against this, however, the weak euro remains a concern and is continuing to impact key indicators for the Republic of Ireland market in particular.

The restoration of the all-year United Airlines service to New York was another welcome development this year, as was the addition of further direct flights on European routes, bringing Northern Ireland's connections with international destinations to 57; up from 50 in 2014.

Throughout 2015, Northern Ireland has continued to develop and capitalise on a very strong product offering and we have yet more capacity, investment and initiatives currently in our pipeline. Product enhancement will continue in 2016 and beyond, such as improvements to the Museum of Free Derry, a Heritage Gateway to Fermanagh and the completion of the HMS Caroline project. In addition, with the extension to the Belfast Waterfront set to open next year, we will be in a very strong position to add enormous value to our business tourism mix.

Meanwhile, there are further opportunities ahead to develop new visitor experiences and international propositions in areas such as screen and golf tourism and planning can now start for the staging of The Open in July 2019.

This is undoubtedly the biggest event in world golf, bringing with it an estimated £70m boost to our economy.

Significantly, the 2016 Year of Food & Drink will be hugely focused on tourism and is set to play a central part in our destination sell throughout the year.

As a key driver for the Northern Ireland economy, tourism and hospitality continues to increase in importance year by year and I am in no doubt that the growth that it has delivered will continue unbroken in 2016 and in the years ahead.

YEARBOOK HRNI • 3

contents

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2015 IN PICTURES: HRNI looks back on the highlights and key events of 2015, from the announcement Belfast would host the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards, to Pubs of Ulster rebranding as Hospitality Ulster and Royal County Down hosting the Irish Open.

YEAR OF FOOD & DRINK: is now underway with Breakfast Month. HRNI showcases activity around the January theme alongside plans and opportunities for the year ahead, with Food NI Chief Executive Michele Shirlow urging the trade to tell their stories.

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GREAT ADDITIONS: The countdown to IFEX 2016 (Titanic Exhibition Centre, March 8-10) is underway, and organiser Fresh Montgomery unveils the latest developments including a partnership with the Guild of Fine Food to introduce IFEX’s first Great Taste Market.

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JACK ROCKS: IWSR is forecasting American whiskey as the category to watch, and Bacardi BrownForman is poised to make the most of it with its portfolio including market leader Jack Daniel’s and the fastest growing bourbon in the UK on-trade, Woodford Reserve.

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BUILDING BUSHMILLS: Northern Ireland’s historic whiskey brand Bushmills is getting the attention it deserves from new owner Proximo, including a proposed investment of £30m to double production capacity and potentially create 20 new jobs at the distillery.

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FANTASTIC FELICIA: Founder/owner of local craft drinks distributor Prohibition Felicia Matheson is a driver of the local craft beer scene and collaborations across drinks, food and the arts, while she even has a beer named in her honour.

HOSPITALITY ULSTER: Olga Walls reflects on her first year as chair of the trade organisation, and plans for this year’s DERGFEST, while CEO Colin Neill highlights the NI Assembly Election, tourism VAT and Year of Food & Drink as areas of focus in 2016.

TRAINING THE TRADE: Having taken on the role of Northern Ireland Hotels Federation president at Hospitality Exchange last year, Ciaran O’Neill identifies training as a key focus alongside launching his new Bishops’ Gate Hotel in Derry~Londonderry.

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OPEN SEASON: With the Open Championship finally returning to Royal Portrush in 2019, Tom Cotter reviews golf tourism’s potential to boost the guesthouse accommodation sector in Northern Ireland.

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LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL: The licensed and leisure market has continued to improve, says Osborne King’s Mark Carron, with significant activity among public houses changing hands and the hotel market dominating headlines.

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YEARBOOK HRNI • 5

comment

A year of food, drink and good fortune

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ompiling the Year in Pictures looking back at the key events of 2015 was a very positive experience, highlighting as it did the abundance of activity throughout the year from big announcements (BBC Sports Personality of the Year, The Open) to new air routes into Belfast.

Drinks groups created or took on new lines, a number of local tourist attractions or events picked up major awards, successful Tall Ships and Tennent’s Vital festivals book-ended the summer and a new tourism attraction was unveiled (The Gobbins).

The new Titanic Exhibition Centre opened its doors, and our restaurant scene saw many new entrants and a series of accolades including Michelin stars for OX and Deanes EIPIC. Most notable of all, perhaps, was the Belfast hotel sector with an unparalleled number of new projects in development; largely to service corporate trade from the expanded Belfast Waterfront opening this year.

The year ahead promises to be equally exciting for the hospitality trade, including major developments in Derry~Londonderry, and the North Coast as it prepares for The Open.

Year of Food & Drink offers opportunity for everyone in the trade to come on board and work together for the greater good. Here’s to a Province-wide resurgence in the fortunes of the hospitality sector in 2016.

And, of course, lower tourism VAT and licensing law changes wouldn’t go amiss…

Editor:

Alyson Magee

BBC Good Food Show to launch in Belfast

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iver Street Events, organiser of the BBC Good Food Shows, has announced the BBC Good Food Show will be held in Northern Ireland for the first time this year, at the Belfast Waterfront over October 14-16.

The announcement was made at the Northern Ireland Year of Food & Drink 2016 New Year Banquet hosted by Tourism NI in the Ulster Hall on January 13.

The Show will bring the winning food and entertainment format to Belfast, alongside the already established events that take place in Scotland, London, Harrogate and Birmingham. This exciting new event will present some of the nation’s favourite chefs, the region’s very best producers of food, drink and artisan products and state of the art kitchenware and gadgets.

BBC Good Food Show Northern Ireland will host live cookery demonstrations in the 800-seat Supertheatre, held in the venue auditorium, from TV favourites Paul Hollywood, The Hairy Bikers and James Martin to local star Paul Rankin. All celebrity chefs and local faces will make an appearance on the Interview Stage whilst the Tasting Theatre will be an excellent showcase of regional produce.

The Belfast Waterfront venue has undergone a £29m investment over the past year.

Editor: Alyson Magee Manager: Mark Glover Art Editor: Helen Wright Production Manager: Stuart Gray Subscriptions: 028 9078 3200 (Price £27.50 UK, £37.50 outside UK) Accounts: Gerardine Carson Publishers: James and Gladys Greer.

Published by Greer Publications: 5B Edgewater Business Park, Belfast Harbour Estate, Belfast, BT3 9JQ. Tel: 028 9078 3200 Fax: 028 9078 3210.

Contact: alysonmagee@greerpublications.com. Tel: 028 9078 3246 Sales: markglover@greerpublications.com. Tel: 028 9078 3234 The Review is the official publication for: Hospitality Ulster: 91 University Street, Belfast, BT7 1HP. Tel: 028 9032 7578.

Chief Executive: Colin Neill Chairperson: Olga Patterson The Northern Ireland Hotels Federation: The McCune Building, 1 Shore Road, Belfast, BT15 3PJ. Tel: 028 9077 6635 Chief Executive: Janice Gault President: Ciaran O’Neill Design & Production by: Greer Publications Design Printed by: W. & G. Baird Ltd. The opinions expressed in Hospitality Review are not necessarily those of Hospitality Ulster or the NIHF.

Hospitality Review is copyright © Greer Publications 2016

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reviewof2015

A year in pictures Hospitality Review NI looks back over the highlights of 2015

Board, land Tourist Northern Ire t with Alan er CE of the (pictured lef 5 ece rm 01 fo , -2 ke 62 ar preciation pi an 19 ss ap Alan Cl ro an cC M ith w llar of d Martin 2013), man’ and pi remembere ro award in rry He De ism ud ur ro e To a ‘p urs. receiving th his years as ssan City To ing back on artin McCro in HRNI look y with his M str du in the tourism

Belfast City Airport Com mercial and Marketing Director Katy Best and then-Trade Minister Arle ne Foster welcomed new s Air France KLM was to commence a daily serv ice from the airport to Amsterdam Schiphol.

nded and into the exte an Uluru moved ersons. Pictured are De t an ur sta t Em magh re l supermarke ca Acclaimed Ar lo of s premise refurbished erson. d Gavin Em Coppard an

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Zoe Ta y celebra lor, Manag er Tim ted th Herro year o e first n, b f Cathe business, th irthday of T Kevin McAu dral Q h uarter e Beanncho e Dirty On ghey and S ion an c r-own welco d Yard arlett Heale ed ba med 2 r y b 20,00 0 custo and restaura ird. In its fi rst mers. nt in B elfast’ s

Niall McKenna of James Street South, Bill Wolsey of the Beannchor Group and James McGinn of the Europa Hotel are pictured at a Focus on Food event attended by 300 delegates in St George’s Market, Belfast.

Highlighting the importance of food to the local tourism industry, the day included a conference and ‘meet the supplier’ event.

United Wine M erchants exclusiv teamed e u McAule distributor in all-Irela p with Kimbo y is pic tured w nd. Unit Coffee to beco ith Kim ed Win bo Coff me its ee UK M e Merchants M D Martin D Angu s McKe nzie.

YEARBOOK HRNI • 7

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er and de Brian Mah Licensed Tra d with er re ag ctu an pi M e t ar cational Accoun ssador Danielle Baker as named Co ba Coca-Cola Na , lt. Nathan w rve Brand Am al in Dublin r Magherafe fin Ba Signature Se nd y’s la ar re M l-I so s from at an al Coca-Cola al Nathan Evan Serve Bartender 2014 a. nt la At in re -Cola e.

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Rafael Agapieto (House) Wayne Hegarty (No Nam e) and Kyle Sheridan (Drury Buildings) are pictu red at the Dublin heat of WORLD CLASS, Diageo’s mixology com petition. It showcases the Diageo luxury spir portfolio including Kete its l One, Ciroc, Zacapa, Tanq ueray, Bulleit and Johnnie Walker.

Bombay Sapphire Brand Ambassador Sean Ware visited Belfast to launch the Star of Bombay, a new super premium gin under the brand.

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8 • HRNI YEARBOOK

Visit Belfa st announ ced over the ne xt three ye plans to add £360 m to the lo stays. Pict ars by incr cal ured with easing leis the Lord M ure and bu economy Belfast’s G ayor of Be erry Lenn siness over lfa on McMullan. night st, Arder , Rachael Carson, ar McGuickin e Visit , Mary Jo McCanny and Anne

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McGuigan, with Barry r is pictured E Arena ste SS Fo e e th g len nouncin ity of Minister Ar ts Personal y Peters, an or ar Then-Trade M Sp e C m BB Da e host th ke and Darren Clar sey) was to ys Od e th ll sti Belfast (then mber 20. ards on Dece the Year aw

Olga Pa in Cas tterson, ge neral tlederg mana rebra , was ger an nded name dc Ho d Walls at the spitality Uls as the new o-owner of chair the De launch ter). O engra of Pub ved w rg Arm lg o a f as is p s ith po pular pecial limite ictured wit of Ulster (s s local w h in d ords a edition gla her father S ce s nd ph rases. s for Tenne ammy nt’s

The Andras Hotel Group’s Rajesh Rana and Lord Rana are pictured with Secretary of State Theresa Villiers at the unveiling of a £1.5m refurbishment of the Ramada Plaza Shaw’s Bridge; one of many Andras projects underway in 2015.

Botl Wine & Spirit Mer chants owner Jim O’N eill launched a new premium brand targeting younge r drinkers, Butterfly Can e Rum, following 18 mon ths of development and a £50 0,000 investment.

d lla presente Michael Cafo y Hospitality’s to the Industr of n io te ut tu sti rib In nt e ding Co r, to his s Awards, th the Outstan anic Quarte Tit ith e w At the Janu th na in en Niall McK Cast & Crew Joanne and new venue, all added a accolade. Ni .

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e Whitla ds held in th urism Awar of n Ireland To (second left) er id rth ua No cQ al M Annu Darach Tourism At the 37th ribution to rsity Belfast, nt Co ive Un ng ker di n’s tstan Tom McCus Hall at Quee iving the Ou pictured with Terence Sports rece Start. He is d g Bi an Shade Tree ll lia Be Ita an e Giro D’ urism NI ister Jonath award for th airman of To , Trade Min stings as ch Tennent’s NI of sponsor d Howard Ha de ee cc su who Brannigan, in 2015.

Celebra Killyh ting the ope evlin H ning o o f new Leigh Watso tel were th restau eH n with ra local p otel’s Jacq nt Kove in u E erson ality S eline Wrigh nniskillen’s arah Tr t, Kev in avers (secon Watson an d d left).

Diageo moved to new Belfast city centre offices, and announced a two-year, £100,000 investment in Visit Belfast.

Diageo’s Jorge Lopes and John Kennedy are pictured with Trade Minister Jonathan Bell.

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Chairman Sir ay ls M te in Ho n s sting try Dow ional rum and Ha an internat Royal Coun eld to at M t n ld uc he he od ep en pr rd GM St tourism e Irish Op Slieve Dona ns during th land’s golfing s and golf fa ghlighting Northern Ire host player hi s, es cc su ge deemed a hu audience.

10 • HRNI YEARBOOK

The Dea d Rabb it, a Ne named w York W venue Spirited orld’s Best Bar at the Awards in 2015 in New , is run Orlean s by two bartend Be ers - Se an Muld lfast McGarr oon an y. d Jack

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Belfast City Council hailed Tall Ships Belfast 2015 an outstandin g success, with 500,000 visito attended, generating £10m rs thought to have in revenue for the city over July 2-5. Lidl Northern Irelan welcomed guests aboard the d was host port sponsor and Sorlandet Tall Ship during the event.

Hastings Hotels unveiled plans for its £30m redevelopment of Win dsor House in Belfast into the 200-bedroom Grand Cen tral Hotel.

anes EIPIC OX and De de staurants ichelin Gui M e th Belfast re in ing ed a star 16, becom 20 each gain nd la in & Ire hold the currently Great Brita i I venues to chef Dann N ad ly he on C e th EIPI ctured are ael Deane. ich M honour. Pi ur restaurate Barry and

Belfast’s new Tita located opposite nic Exhibition Centre, Alderm a 6,000 an Guy the Titanic Stu -s d Spence , Tourism ios, opened in quare-metre st Septem ructure NI Chair be with ca man Te pacity fo rence B r. Pictured are r ranniga B n and Ti elfast’s Deputy 3,000 visitors tanic Be lfast CEO Lord Mayor Tim Hu sbands.

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YEARBOOK HRNI • 11

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on in urist attracti in , a major to air reopened Islandmagee ep at sr di th to Pa l in h and fallen s Coasta p of GB coac ch had since The Gobbin ou hi gr w a y ur led nt th ce Ireland the early 20 of Tourism line Mulligan cliff-side walk.

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Royal Portrush was confi rming as the host of The 148th Open in 2019, marking the event’s first return to NI in 70 years.

on Merchant w ey from The your Andrew Dick cardi Create Ba e th of heat in Aether the Belfast tition, held pe m co il ta ing Legacy cock Secret featur The Family lernum, fa t & Echo, with lve ve , Blanca bitters Bacardi Carta ne, orange ed Benedicti garlic-infus . ist tw and a lemon

12 • HRNI YEARBOOK

Calvin Harris along side T was among he Road a Playin Script, Ellie rtists perfo g Field rming G s hoste oulding, K at Ten ne od d 65,0 00 fan aline and m nt’s Vital, s over o Augus re, as the B t 29-3 ouche r 0.

East Belfast’s Park Avenue Hotel became the first local site of a Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill. Pictured is head chef Eddie Patrick.

Galgorm Therma Resort & Spa l Spa V u illage a nveiled its £ with m 11m ex nd 48 odel M n p eagan Green. ew rooms an ansion, creati d suite s to the ng 80 new jo bs and venue. adding MD Pa ul Smy th is pic a tured

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nd Hotels rthern Irela tel – ts of the No e Europa Ho re presiden th tu fu in d ge an an t esen y Exch The past, pr at Hospitalit d ll. re rro ctu Ca pi e vin ar Federation Neill and Ga ck, Ciaran O’ Mandy Patri

Marc Bo Dillon issonnett, A B mbass hosted ass, Vincen a t Borjo deur de la g n Maiso of eve uests at th n Hen e Merc -Prive, Hen nts ce n nessy lebrati hant H Conno and G essy, Joann ng 25 o isseurs te l for a e O'H 0 yea reg H cockta s a ughes rs of th pecial il com , Dillo gan, d eH inn petitio n Bass n and ennessy bra er as one of trip to n Cogna d including a series c. a Hen nessy

Bill Wolsey, pictured with his wife Petra and HRNI Editor Alyson Magee, was named Industry Legend at Hospitality Ulster’s Pub of the Year Awards in partnership with Hospitality Review NI. At the beginning of 2015, he was awarded an OBE for services to business and the hospitality industry in Northern Ireland.

John M cG hospita rillen, who wa lity sect or to m s appointed ch ake the ief execu most of tive of Northe rn Irela Tourism NI in July, in nd Yea v r of Foo d & Dri ited the nk 201 6.

Bushmills Irish Whiskey , now owned by Proximo , hosted two buses of local trade at the Old Bushmills Distillery for a tour, lunch and full tast ing of the range.

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YEARBOOK HRNI • 13

flogasprofile

Upstairs at Joes, Cushendall Head Chef Pol Shields runs Upstairs at Joes, located above Jonny Joe’s Bar in the heart of Cushendall village, with his wife Sinead. Serving quality fare with a seafood focus, the restaurant extended its offering in September to include a cookery school, Pol tells Alyson Magee.

WHAT’S YOUR BACKGROUND? I started in the Slieve Donard and then went to the Stormont Hotel and then the Ballygally Castle Hotel, and that’s where I met my wife Sinead; she was a receptionist and I was a chef. We’ve been married for 23 years. Then I went to the Kiln in Larne, and was there for 14 years as head chef and, after a few other places, ended up here in Cushendall and have stayed ever since.

Pol Shields

WHEN DID YOU OPEN UPSTAIRS AT JOES? In 2007 and it was brilliant; we thought, happy days, this is great and then the crash happened and everybody suffered but it’s slowly turning around. Since 2012-2013, it’s been coming on and we rebranded ourselves the year before last as a seafood restaurant. Because we’re a tourist restaurant, we were mainly catering for everybody’s needs but we decided to go 70% seafood with a wee bit of choice for everybody else and it’s really taken off. It’s crazy that it took us so long to decide to do it; we’re on the coast and people expect to come to a coastal town and get fresh seafood.

dee bar. They would send customers up to us and then, if people are waiting on tables, we would send people down to them and then go down and get them when their table’s ready.

Most people come here on a Friday and Saturday night just to have their meal and then go downstairs.

TELL US ABOUT THE SPACE YOU HAVE We have two restaurants on split levels. There’s a 50-seater restaurant on the lower level and then a 25-seater restaurant on the top.

We are above Wee Johnny Joe’s, a fiddly

WHAT FEEL ARE YOU AIMING FOR? We aim for a very friendly feel, and just won Best Customer Service at the Irish Restaurant Awards. It’s just really relaxed, with no airs and graces and people come in on a rainy day and

14 • HRNI YEARBOOK

put their coats on the banister. If it’s not on the menu but I have it, then the customer can have it. Somebody was leaving the other day and said it was just like being in our house, it’s so relaxed.

WHO ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS? We are really busy during the summer with lots of tourists from all over the world visiting.

It’s unbelievable, we’ve been here since 2007 and the first year we had a guest diary book to sign in and people were coming from Africa, Australia, Canada, America, Saudi Arabia. Last

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flogasprofile

HOW DO YOU MARKET THE BUSINESS? I’m never off Facebook and Twitter; it’s constant. We run competitions to win a place on our cookery school. In the village, everybody knows about it but it’s getting it out broader and trying to get people in. People come to the school and they’ve never been to the restaurant, and then they see what we’re doing and often come back.

year, there were people in from Israel, Belgium, Russia; everywhere really.

WHAT’S ON YOUR MENU AND WHAT’S THE INSPIRATION BEHIND IT? It would be fish-orientated, just simple cooking with fish and nothing too elaborate. I let the fish do the talking, with just a wee garnish on the side as an accompaniment.

DOES YOUR MENU CHANGE OFTEN? Seafood-wise, it’s seasonal using whatever’s available. During the summer it would be fish with salads and salsas and things like that and then, as you get into the winter, it’s more like comfort food with gnocchi, pasta, risottos and seafood casseroles with breads.

WHAT’S YOUR FOOD SOURCING POLICY? The only thing we buy frozen is ice-cream.

Everything else is all freshly delivered, including lobster from down the coast and scallops. We get some of our fish from Keenan Seafood, salmon from Ballycastle and mackerel from a local guy, Dave Carr, who smokes his own and it’s gorgeous. Brakes would be our main supplier for veg and dried goods, and I’ve been getting meat from Tom McKeen’s butcher’s shop in Larne for years. When you trust them, you just stay with them.

TELL US ABOUT THE COOKERY SCHOOL The cookery school started in September. From September to Easter, we were only open at the weekends and I would work somewhere else, at Mourne Seafood Bar and the Eagle Bar & Grill at Galgorm Castle.

When we were closed and I went to Mourne Seafood, they showed me another way to go, a different way, and that was the direction I took.

Their fresh seafood was served differently and

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looked brilliant and tasted unbelievable. They were my inspiration of going that way, maybe the kick in the ass I needed to push me that way. Thank God for Bob McCoubrey and Andy Rae. You get stuck in your own wee rut, doing what you’re doing unless you go out and see other restaurants.

Last year, instead of closing, I decided to keep the place open, do a cookery school and get the locals involved with the restaurant.

It’s taken off really well; we get people from Ballycastle, Ballymena, Larne and Carnlough all coming down for the school. The kids’, steak and fish classes would be the most popular ones. All the chefs are off on Monday, the cookery school runs Tuesday to Thursday and then the restaurant Friday to Sunday so it’s a good balance.

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HOW WAS TRADE IN 2015?

Unbelievable – last summer was our best summer ever. That’s why I decided to put money into the cookery school. It cost me £5,000; you think opening a cookery school you need to get this and that but then you have to multiply it by 10 or 12. I’m not going to get a return this year, I’m probably not going to get a return next year but it’s there, I’ve got all the stuff and I can do it. Last summer was brilliant and this winter has been good too with the cookery school and busy weekends; they complement each other over the winter months and the summer just looks after itself.

23 Mill Street, Cushendall Tel: 028 21772849 Email: Pol@upstairsatjoes.com facebook.com/Upstairs-at-joes Twitter: @_Upstairsatjoes Winter opening hours: Cookery school Tue-Thur 5-9pm; Restaurant Fri-Sat 5-9pm, Sun 12-8pm

YEARBOOK HRNI • 15

chefprofile

Kieron Donnelly, head chef at The Ivory Restaurant & Bar, Belfast talks to Alyson Magee

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tarting out as a part-time dishwasher with no particular interest in food or cooking, The Ivory’s head chef Kieron Donnelly has proved discerning in his career since segueing into the catering end of the business.

At his dishwashing job in the Oxford Exchange (now George’s of the Market), while still at school, “I was getting more chef jobs handed to me, then I really started to enjoy it and get a real interest in cooking,” says Kieron.

“The chef I worked with had trained in London for 10 years, and was a really good chef. Back then when I started cooking, I wasn’t a big foodie or anything, I was sort of taught to like and appreciate the art of food. “So I started off there, got myself qualified as a chef at Belfast Met and then went to the best restaurant in town, Deanes.”

Coming on board as a commis chef, Kieron was at Deanes for five to six years, working his way up within the company and eventually becoming head chef of Deanes Deli. “It was a really good experience,” he says. “All the chefs were proper qualified chefs from all over the world. It was a great experience working at Deanes as it got me really wide experience, and we had a chef/owner in Michael Deane so it was good to see the business side of things as well and not just the cooking.

“Another great chef that worked there, Derek Creagh, had been sous chef in the Fat Duck which was the best restaurant in the world at the time. It was those guys who inspired me to be a chef with their drive and passion.”

After four years at Deanes on Howard Street, Kieron ran Deanes Deli on Bedford Street for a year and a half from its opening. “I was able to do what I really enjoyed and explore my style of cooking,” he says. “Those guys had taught me how to make the classics, and I was able to develop my own style and started getting into more modern cooking.

“I just wanted a change and went to James

16 • HRNI YEARBOOK

Kieron Donnelly

Street South and worked there for a year where I gained a lot of experience working again under a chef/owner. After James Street South, I then wanted to gain some hotel experience so I went to The Merchant.”

Gaining further experience in fine dining at both venues, his time at the five-star hotel was also inspiring for the breadth of its operations.

“They had their own bakery with two bakers, and all their bread and everything was made in there,” he says.

In the meantime, Fisnik Ujkaj, managing director of The Ivory, had known Kieron personally for years and was aware of his growing reputation as a chef with the finesse to add his own twist to high-end food. Seven years ago, Kieron joined The Ivory as sous chef for a few weeks on a temporary basis but, within that time, the head chef position opened up at The Ivory and he has been there since.

At The Ivory, he has brought a focus on simple ingredients and flavours which shine in their own right, with a style along the lines of contemporary European cuisine.

With the venue on the top floor of the House

of Fraser in Victoria Square catering to a diverse clientele, from everyday guests and shoppers to corporate events, parties and weddings, “The Ivory has a lot of different aspects,” says Kieron.

“We might have fish and chips in a box one day and a fine wine dinner the next.”

Local sourcing is a focus, with suppliers including Crossgar for meat and, for vegetables, McCormack and North Down, which seasonally sets aside a plot to grow tomatoes, fruit and root vegetables for The Ivory.

Over the buoyant festive season, up to 12 chefs and three kitchen porters were working under Kieron, and last year he received an Employer Recognition Award from Belfast Met for taking on apprentices and training them up.

“A lot of them have gone on to be successful; one went to work with Gordon Ramsay, another with Michel Roux,” says Kieron, “but they always come back. Most of the chefs working with me have been there for five, six years.”

This year, Kieron plans to continue serving simple, locally-sourced food with a contemporary feel to it and updated his menu in the New Year with more health-conscious options. “I think that’s the way forward now, people are looking for healthy food,” he says.

“There’s a lot more vegetarian options on the menu. Normally we would have had just one or two but now there will be more choice.”

Time off “sort of intertwines with work and personal life,” he says. “I like watching cookery programmes, going out for nice meals and reading cookery books.”

A fan of Gordon Ramsay and his Boiling Point TV show in particular, he says “I would love to meet him, he’s my inspiration.”

Looking ahead, his focus is developing a spectacular Valentine’s menu, with The Ivory a popular destination to which many couples return year after year. Kieron had his own wedding there in 2015, with his team of chefs doing the cooking.

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restaurantnews

Latest additions to the restaurant scene Paul De Francisci and Patrick Gray have launched Kua ‘Aina.

Brett, Ross and Dery Desmond have purchased the all-Ireland franchise for Five Guys.

T

he local restaurant scene continued from Northern Ireland, have to see new entrants through to already brought Kua ‘Aina to Pictured launching the end of 2015, with activity London, and the restaurant Solo are Anthony O’Neill (waiter) with centred around Belfast but will focus on using the Zoe Benson from also extending beyond. best possible local Lisburn and Daniel McCavery from Moira.

Two new restaurants ingredients to prepare opened in Victoria Square, everything fresh from Five Guys and Kua’Aina, scratch. while Solo Kitchen and A landmark Belfast Bar opened in Wellington city centre location was, Place and Primrose Café in meanwhile, transformed Derry~Londonderry. into a new tapas bar Five Guys Burgers and Fries, and casual dining venue the fastest growing restaurant business in December. The building, in in the US and a favourite of President Barack Wellington Place, well known in decades Obama, opened its first island of Ireland past as The Wimpy and Carlton Bar, will outlet on December 7. Famed for its Zagatnow be known as Solo Kitchen and Bar. approved made-to-order burgers with a vast Owner Michael Karan, who also owns the choice of toppings and Five Guys fries, the Ambrosia Restaurant on the Ormeau Road, Irish franchise has been purchased by brothers has invested more than £250,000 in the Brett, Ross and Dery Desmond with the Belfast building, creating 20 jobs. opening creating over 50 full and part-time And 15 new jobs are being created jobs. with the Ulster Bank-supported expansion The Desmond Brothers are planning to of a husband and wife-run business in roll out ten restaurants over the coming two Derry~Londonderry. to three years, with Dublin identified as the Ciaran and Melanie Breslin are opening next location and Derry~Londonderry also their second eatery in the city as part of a earmarked for an outlet. substantial personal investment throughout Inspired by the iconic Hawaiian burger their Primrose-branded company. and sandwich grill bearing the same name on The new Primrose on the Quay bistro on Hawaii’s North Shore, Kua ‘Aina also opened the popular Quayside will have capacity to in Victoria Square in December, creating 30 seat up to 45 people inside and some 20 new jobs. outside, adding to the existing Primrose Café Paul De Francisci and Patrick Gray, both on Carlisle Road.

Rhonda McClelland, Ulster Bank, with Ciaran and Melanie Breslin at their new bistro on the quays in Derry~Londonderry.

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YEARBOOK HRNI • 17

foodnews

Food Standards Agency gears up for the NI Year of Food & Drink

By Food Standards Agency NI Director Maria Jennings

W

e are on the cusp of a very exciting year in Northern Ireland; one that explores our food heritage and the local produce we have on offer. It’s a time for celebration and showing recognition for the things we’re proud of, from the landscape to the sea and everything in between.

As the government department responsible for food safety matters in Northern Ireland, it’s the Food Standard Agency’s job to use our expertise and influence, to ensure food businesses and producers are supplying food that people can trust throughout the NI Year of Food & Drink. So

18 • HRNI YEARBOOK

with 366 days of foodie experiences on the horizon, we really do have a busy year ahead.

Our work touches everyone - after all, we all eat. By being genuinely open and engaging, we aim to find ways to make the consumer’s voice heard, both in our policy making and delivery, and in their relationships with the food industry. In 2016 and beyond, it’s our duty to ensure consumers have all of the information they need to make safe, healthy choices about the food they eat.

We are currently in the process of putting in place a law that makes it compulsory for food businesses to display their food hygiene rating.

This means that consumers can see, before they purchase food in a restaurant, café, or shop, how seriously the business takes food hygiene.

We also recently launched our new, online tool, MenuCal for food businesses in Northern Ireland. This free tool will help businesses manage allergen information and calculate calories in the food they serve. Consumers will feel more confident to ask about allergenic ingredients when eating out and will hopefully

make healthier choices by being more informed about the calories in the food they order. Using this tool, businesses also have the potential to increase their profitability by making smarter choices about the food they serve, tailoring their portion sizes to reduce the food’s energy value or changing the ingredients to give a healthier option.

These are just some of the ways we aim to fulfil our strategic plan and support for the food and drink industry in NI for the year.

This way we can help to ensure that food is safe, is what it says it is and gives consumers access to an affordable, healthy diet, now and in the future. Our legislative and policymaking decisions ensure the work we do makes food safety, standards, nutrition and dietary health, across the entire food chain, a top priority.

For further information on the NI Year of Food & Drink visit: www.bit.ly/1PrCOGV or join our conversations on facebook.com/ FSAinNI and Twitter @FSAinNI.

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coffeeprofile

Nespresso offers consistency and quality to coffee market Gordon Thompson, commercial manager, Nespresso Business Solutions Ireland, talks to HRNI.

Gordon Thompson

WHY DO YOU THINK IRISH HOSPITALITY VENUES HAVE TAKEN TO NESPRESSO? Nespresso is extremely popular in Ireland, particularly as Irish people are choosing to drink coffee over tea. The response to Nespresso has been great, as consumers are delighted to be able to get their favourite Nespresso drink when they are out and about. In addition to customers looking for Nespresso, Nespresso is consistent and that’s important to service providers. We also have a strong customer service support team here locally. So anyone who needs training or a machine serviced will be looked after quickly. Clients have a very good relationship with their Nespresso representative which is important.

WHY ARE PREMIUM VENUES HAPPY TO PROVIDE THEIR CUSTOMERS WITH NESPRESSO? Provenance and consistency. Irish chefs and Irish consumers are very knowledgeable about food, ingredients and where their food comes from.

Nespresso ticks a lot of connoisseur boxes in that it is harvested ethically and the beans used in the Grand Crus are the top 1-2% of the crop with the rest sold on.

The roasting techniques, blends and packing of the grounds are created to produce a superior perfect coffee. The coffee drink is consistently good and consistency is very important to premium restaurants.

WHICH VENUES ARE OFFERING NESPRESSO? We are working with Ireland’s leading hospitality venues large and small; including the K Club, Tankardstown and Thornton’s Restaurant. We also have a number of smaller venues such as Fishy Fishy Restaurant and Michel Patisserie as well as a large number of golf clubs. The brand is going from strength to strength in the Irish market.

WHAT would NESPRESSO BUSINESS SOLUTIONS OFFER OVER and above OTHER COMPETITOR BRANDS? The core qualities of Nespresso Business Solutions are consistency and quality.

Nespresso’s ability to provide a consistently perfect coffee drink for customers is a very appealing service to venues. The wide range of Nespresso’s Grand Crus ranges adds another element of service, particularly suited to those with a premium offering. The Grand Crus ranges create different strength coffee drinks to suit customers’ exact taste. To top it off, the Aguila 420 and Aguila 220 remove the need for specially trained baristas as the system is easy to use and makes consistently delicious coffee every time. The beans are harvested through Nespresso’s Fairtrade programme. People like to know their drink is quality and the fact that it has been harvested ethically adds to the satisfaction.

WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR NESPRESSO BUSINESS SOLUTIONS FOR 2016?

Watch this space. We will continue to expand our HORECA offering in Ireland and consumers will find it easier to get their favourite Grand Crus when they are out.

We will be forging new experiences for our HORECA customers such as exclusive connoisseur tasting sessions. It will be an exciting year as the interest from the Irish market just keeps growing. www.hospitalityreviewni.com

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YEARBOOK HRNI • 19

Year ahead will boost hospitality industry

By Michele Shirlow, Chief Executive, Food NI

O

ur first ever Year of Food & Drink is now in full swing and is going to be an immensely exciting and significant year for the food industry in Northern Ireland and indeed further afield. I am delighted to say that many of the region’s hospitality businesses and top retailers have already pledged their support. Tesco, for instance, is putting £500,000 into a year-long campaign to promote our food and drink; an initiative that will benefit many of our rapidly growing cluster of smaller and artisan businesses.

Plans are taking shape to celebrate our fantastic food and drink and the people and companies behind the products that are increasingly being recognised here and abroad as being outstandingly tasty, wholesome and, of course, safe. There will be a series of major announcements soon that will excite the hospitality industry by supporting the work of Tourism Northern Ireland and Tourism Ireland to harness the potential of our food and drink to bring many thousands of new visitors here over the year ahead.

The year will showcase the best of local food and drink especially to promote Northern Ireland as the ideal destination. It should also have significant business benefits by increasing consumer awareness and sales. Showcasing the breadth and quality of what’s readily available here for visitors is, of course, what our Year of

20 • HRNI YEARBOOK

Michele Shirlow

Food & Drink is all about.

We want to tell people here and abroad about the products and enterprising and creative people behind them… and also to encourage and challenge consumers to opt for local food and drink. Retailers will be running promotions highlighting local products. Indeed there will be a host of other initiatives designed to engage consumers.

We are working with our cadre of talented

chefs to harness the products to develop Northern Ireland’s growing reputation as a global centre of original dishes that will also increase our appeal to tourists and other visitors. We hope to see restaurants and hotels across the region highlighting our food and drink on their menus.

Many international chefs have already expressed interest in being involved in the year.

As well as boosting sales of artisan food and drink in Northern Ireland, the campaign will also seek to assist smaller businesses in particular to explore sales abroad and especially in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland; still our most important export markets.

A substantial rise in business to these two huge markets could have a profound impact on the local economy and especially in rural communities.

Each month has a dedicated theme – breakfast is the theme for January. In addition, there will be several major events to be announced over the next few weeks. For instance, the Great Taste judging panel will be here in May to sample the best we have to offer.

We are already working on our hugely popular Food and Drink Pavilion at the RUAS show at Balmoral Park, which is going to bigger and better than ever. The unique Taste of Ulster artisan shop is open at Belfast International Airport and doing great business.

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Year of Food & Drink kicks off with Breakfast Month

N

orthern Ireland Year of Food & Drink 2016 is a celebration of everything that makes local produce so good including epic landscapes, time-honoured traditions and the people and producers behind its food heritage.

Kicking off 366 days of celebration is Breakfast Month.

BREAKFAST MONTH EVENTS: Four Tourism NI roadshows: January 19 - Join the Food Revolution Derry~Londonderry Roadshow – Guildhall January 20 - Join the Food Revolution Enniskillen Roadshow - Killyhevlin Hotel January 21 - Join the Food Revolution Armagh Roadshow - Marketplace Theatre January 22 - Join the Food Revolution Belfast Roadshow - Stormont Hotel January 24-30 Breakfast Week www.shakeupyourwakeup.com January 26 – Food NI breakfast event Europa Hotel January 28, 1-5pm Routes to Market for Food and Drink Products Ulster University, Coleraine Campus January 29 - Ulster FRYDay Share breakfast images on social media using the hashtag #UlsterFRYday, tagging @Food_NI and @NITouristBoard

The theme for February is Love Local.

For more information on getting involved in Year of Food & Drink 2016, visit www.discovernorthernireland.com.

22 • HRNI YEARBOOK

Kick start the New Year with a

400-calorie breakfast

A

competition to create healthy breakfast options of 400 calories or less has been launched by the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF) and Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland (FSA in NI).

To support local businesses in their efforts, the competition submission process will use the Food Standards Agency’s free online tool MenuCal, which helps caterers manage allergen information and calculate calories for the food they serve.

Local chefs will be asked to test Gault (Northern Ireland Hotels Federation) is pictured out their breakfast recipes using Janice with Julie McKinstry Harvey (Food Standards Agency) dishing the simple tool to calculate the up two healthy breakfast options, a breakfast shake (217kcal per serving) containing 120g whole yogurt, one medium banana calorie count of their food. without skin and one average portion of strawberries and The challenge will also the healthy ‘Ulster fry’ (245 kcal per serving) containing two support Northern Ireland’s drive medium-sized poached eggs, approximately six small tomatoes and one average portion of grilled mushrooms. to showcase local food and drink as it celebrates Year of Food & Drink 2016.

“It's easy to let breakfast fall off your list of priorities when you are rushing to get out of the house, but taking just a few minutes to have something to eat can make a massive difference to your day,” said Janice Gault, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation.

“If you don't have time to eat before leaving the house, there are lots of breakfast options that can be eaten on the go or when you arrive at work. It is said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and, to achieve a healthy balanced diet, aim to include a breakfast around 400 calories.

“Northern Ireland is known for culinary delights and it has an established food production industry with numerous products exported globally on a daily basis. To mark the Year of Food & Drink 2016, and to ensure that our hospitality providers are showcasing the talent and creativity that exists within our shores, we are kicking off the New Year with a celebration of breakfast.

“The competition mechanic invites members from the hotel and guesthouse sector to submit a breakfast suggestion that is 400 calories or under, using the MenuCal tool to work out the Calorie count. It is important to stress that MenuCal stores information safely and securely, so no-one else can access your information. Entrants will also be asked to supply an image and a summary of the breakfast ingredients as part of their submission.”

Julie McKinstry-Harvey, senior dietary health advisor at the Food Standards Agency, said: “With one in six meals being eaten out of the home, coupled with the fact that consumers are becoming more and more health conscious, it’s important that we provide local business owners with the resources and information they are looking for when it comes to offering healthier menu options.

“Using this tool, businesses have the potential to increase their profitability by helping them make smarter choices about the food they serve, by changing the ingredients to give a healthier option or tailoring their portion sizes to reduce the food’s calories if it contains too many. So this is where the idea for the competition came from; by simply putting in your ingredients you can create healthier breakfast options with the help of MenuCal.” The free, online resource provides a mechanism for businesses to be confident that the information they are providing to customers is correct. MenuCal also allows businesses to provide information to their customers about the 14 main allergen ingredients, inspiring more confidence in consumers about the food they are eating.

For further information on MenuCal and to sign up for free, visit menucalni.co.uk. twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

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breakfastmonth-coffeeprofile

Coffee house or coffee home?

By Philip Mills, Sales Director of Johnsons Coffee

W

hen President Woodrow Wilson appointed Josephus Daniels to the position of US Navy Secretary, he was totally unaware that his new officer in chief was going to start a nation’s love affair with coffee. One of Daniels’ first decisions was to ban alcohol on board the ship, and thus the strongest drink available to the navy crew was a cup of coffee, which, in deference to Josephus Daniels became know as a ‘cup of Joe’.

Today, we frequently refer to having a ‘cuppa Joe’ as part of our daily routine; a short ‘timeout’ from the hectic pace at which we all live to relax either alone or as part of a social event with colleagues and friends.

The rise in espresso-based coffee consumption over the past 25 years has seen fast growth in the espresso bar culture, with huge national chains competing with specialty independent coffee houses to meet the demand for our daily ‘fix’. Many would argue that the high street has reached saturation and there is no further room for expansion, but yet our appetite for quality coffee continues to grow.

The USA may be the largest coffee consuming nation in terms of tonnage, while Finland remains the champion of consumption per capita, but the UK and Ireland are known for offering premium quality coffee out of

home as roasters and retailers alike fight for a share of a relatively small market where quality must be captain to win consumer spend. As a consequence, we all as consumers have become accustomed to quality and anything less will not suffice.

The ‘at home’ coffee sector has changed dramatically over the past 25 years as the split between instant and real coffee has moved from 96% to 75% with real coffee growing market share. This is quite simply because we wish to enjoy the same quality ‘cuppa Joe’ at home as we do when in a coffee house, and the way in which we brew is also changing. The percolator, which was replaced with the filter brewer or cafetiere, is now under pressure from sophisticated systems. The ‘pod’ suppliers did lead the way, but the ever present demand for premium quality has seen a growth in the level of proper ‘barista’ machines being used in our kitchens.

It is a logical fact that the best espresso coffee is brewed from freshly ground beans.

Only freshly ground coffee contains the myriad of aromas that forms the basis of our coffee experience where over half our sensory intake is via the olfactory system. To extract the 600-plus chemicals found in the humble coffee bean and to ensure that the correct level of carbohydrates

(sugars), fats and lipids (fats containing sugars) and acids (amino and chlorogenics) are found in the brew means the coffee must be ground prior to the high-pressure brewing process. For espresso extraction, most volatile aromas will have dispersed within four hours of grinding and for this reason the best coffee cup is brewed from beans ground immediately before brewing.

While it is impractical for most kitchens to house a commercial machine (not to mention the skill of a barista required to use one), there are now small high tech machines that can brew quality espresso with little requirement for operator skill. The Jura F, for example, will freshly grind every cup before brewing each espresso in the 20sec time elapsed window to ensure a golden capped crema is served.

With adjustment for strength and cup size, this can allow the owner to tailor drinks to personal taste and with the addition of auto milk foaming, an entire menu of ‘coffee shop’ drinks is now available with our marmalade and toast - and all at the touch of a button.

It was the intention of Josephus Daniels to improve service on board ship, but his dictate has influenced not only his home nation, but also that of generations who all agree, there is nothing like a great cuppa Joe.

Awards and innovation for Johnsons Coffee A

nother successful year for Johnsons Coffee was capped off with its latest award - silver at the Blas na hEireann 2015 food awards for its Bellagio espresso blend coffee – and an experimental project to grow coffee beans in Northern Ireland.

“We are delighted to receive this recognition for our Bellagio expresso blend, which recognises our commitment and passion for maintaining the highest standards and developing quality products,” said Philip Mills, sales director, Johnsons Coffee, following the Blas na hEireann award.

Meanwhile, his domestic cultivation project, in collaboration with local horticulturist David Pattison, has produced over a dozen coffee plants.

David Pattison, managing director of awardwinning landscape designers Plantations and Philip Mills, sales director at Johnsons Coffee tend to the first crop of locally-grown coffee plants at Johnsons Coffee.

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YEARBOOK HRNI • 23

breakfastmonth

Healthy focus for Breakfast Week 2016 B

reakfast is undergoing a revival, led by on-trend pop up breakfast cafés, all day breakfast restaurants and grab‘n’go innovations.

Now the organisers of Breakfast Week (January 24-30) have joined forces with TV presenter and model Vogue Williams, who won the ITV Bear Gryll’s Mission Survive programme, to call on the nation to make it their mission to rethink breakfast.

Breakfast Week is organised by AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds on behalf of UK cereal farmers and producers, who grow and make the foods we all enjoy at breakfast.

AHDB research shows that when people skip breakfast: ■ three in ten (30%) say they lack energy and one in seven (14%) feel grumpy ■ they consume an extra 252 kcals a day ■ they are twice as likely to reach for a bag of crisps or a biscuit midmorning than breakfast eaters.

Yet, with the help of a few simple tricks and ideas, anyone can make up a tasty breakfast to enjoy at home, at work or on the go that will keep them smiling throughout the morning. Studies show that eating breakfast can give you more energy, help reduce stress levels, improve concentration and mood and may even help you to manage your weight.

“I always feel healthier and happier when I eat breakfast,” said Williams. “It’s my favourite meal of the day and I’m really glad to be involved in this year’s campaign because I’m learning lots of fresh ideas on how to shake up my mornings with breakfasts that I love.”

To find out more about Williams’ ‘Mission Breakfast’ to create a series of quick and simple breakfasts in under three minutes, and other activities around Breakfast week, visit www.shakeupyourwakeup.com.

McKeever Hotels spills the beans on newly ‘crafted coffee’ blend

A

new specialised craft coffee blend has been created by the McKeever Hotel Group, to be served across the family-run Group’s four hotels.

The coffee, which has South and Central American influences as well as a host of secret profiles, has been in development for a number of months with NewtownardsMcKeever Hotels Group Operations based coffee roasters 38 Director Eddie McKeever is pictured alongside Ryan Bell from Craft Roasters Espresso.

38 Espresso.

It launched in January to tie in with Tourism NI’s Year of Food & Drink 2016, and will be on sale across Corrs Corner, The Dunsilly Hotel, The Adair Arms and Dillons Hotel, Letterkenny on the breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and restaurant menus.

“As a family-run hotel group, we are constantly investing in our product to ensure our customers have a wonderful experience with us,” said Eddie McKeever, Group operations director at McKeever Hotels. “We have worked with the Coffee Roasters 38 Espresso team for many years now - their coffee is already a huge hit with our customers.

“The opportunity to locally craft a new bespoke blend of coffee exclusive to McKeever Hotels is another part of our ongoing investment, and something we believe our customers will love. Working with the team from 38 Espresso, we have essentially created our own bespoke coffee blend, which has a wonderful rounded full bodied flavour. We love that the coffee is roasted in Northern Ireland which helps seal in the fresh flavour.”

Hastings celebrates Breakfast Month with gourmet specials H

astings Hotels has introduced two gourmet all-day breakfast specials for January to mark Breakfast Month across its local hotels portfolio.

Furthering the hotel group’s commitment to local sourcing, the two options embrace local ingredients and are served with tea or coffee.

24 • HRNI YEARBOOK

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advertorial

Make Bunzl Rafferty your Number One Stop in 2016

B

unzl Rafferty Hospitality Products aims to be your number one stop in 2016 through its comprehensive hospitality offering. As a business, it confidently enters the New Year maintaining its status as a leading supplier of hospitality goods across Northern Ireland bringing you new and exclusive product ranges to suit every taste and need.

With an ever growing portfolio of high quality products carefully selected by a dedicated Sourcing Team, Bunzl Rafferty will ensure that there is plenty of choice in 2016 for each and every customer.

To view the Bunzl Rafferty Hospitality Products collection for the New Year, make sure to grab your very own copy of its go to guide,

www.hospitalityreviewni.com

Everyday Essentials, containing a wide variety of hospitality goods and an extensive offering of personalised products.

Explore the spectacular range of restaurant essentials including the unchallenged array of Menu covers and table decorations as well as the impressive selection of Candelabras, Lanterns and Candles to enhance each dining experience. Irish Chocolatier Lily O’Brien’s also features prominently within Bunzl Rafferty’s Everyday Essentials guide and exclusively caters to the hospitality industry throughout Ireland with their assortment of delicious chocolate treats.

Fragrant Guest Amenities, Luxurious Bathroom and Bedroom collections not to mention Professional Conference necessities are also included within this essential guide; all ensuring that your property is ready to kick off the New Year in style.

“The team at Bunzl Rafferty are dedicated in bringing all our customers the highest quality products with exceptional customer service,” said Nicola Cully, marketing manager at Bunzl Rafferty. “Our Everyday Essentials contains everything you need on a day-to-day basis but

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our portfolio of hospitality goods doesn’t stop here, we offer so much more and through our talented sourcing department we bring you new, exclusive and innovative products.

“Bunzl Rafferty works with a range of leading brands including Lily O’Brien’s, Corby, Rubbermaid and Brabantia and we are continuously adding to our collection in order to enhance our customer offering.”

Make Bunzl Rafferty Hospitality Products your Number One Stop in 2016 and grab your copy of their Everyday Essentials brochure today. Copies are available directly from Bunzl Rafferty’s superb sales executives, including Siobhan Rushe (siobhan.rushe@ bunzl.ie) as well as newly appointed Iain Speers (iain.speers@bunzl.ie). Copies can also be downloaded via laptop, tablet and mobile device by visiting www.

RaffertyHospitality.com.

To speak to a member of the sales team about your hospitality needs in 2016, please feel free to contact Bunzl Rafferty Hospitality by email at rafsales@bunzl.ie or call 028 3025 2205.

YEARBOOK HRNI • 25

foodsupplierprofile

Meeting high service level standards for hospitality customers Sales growth over the past year shows Musgrave MarketPlace has the right plan in place, Northern Ireland Wholesale Director Trevor Magill tells HRNI. very successful this year. We also attended the Hospitality Exchange in the Europa Hotel for the first time this year, helping us to secure new business. These received positive feedback from our customers and have enabled the business to highlight the strength and diversity of the MarketPlace brand.

Trevor Magill

HAS THE SIZE OF YOUR WORKFORCE GROWN OR ANY OTHER DEVELOPMENTS? Throughout 2015, we have invested in our internal structures and service proposition.

This has enabled the business to achieve exceptionally high service level standards, meeting the demands of our customers. We have engaged the sales team and indeed the wider business in enhancing their product and range awareness, ensuring that they have the necessary skills to grow the business.

We also implemented a full sampling and tasting events schedule across our branches in 2015 which have proven very popular with our customers and we will continue these in 2016.

HOW WAS TRADE FOR MUSGRAVE NI IN 2015?

We have had a very positive year in the foodservice sector, experiencing a significant sales uplift and a growing customer base. This is testament to our strategic approach and the hard work of our dedicated team. In 2015 we retained our contract portfolio and were successful in securing new contract business.

ARE THERE ANY SIGNS OF RECOVERY IN THE MARKET? The ongoing quest for value is still hugely important within the sector and customers are more discerning than ever in the choices they make. Certain sectors of the market remain quite unpredictable given that food trends are constantly evolving. Having said that, our yearon-year business performance would indicate that the market is improving and the increased demand for new product ranges is indicative of increasing customer confidence.

WHICH PRODUCTS ARE PERFORMING BEST FOR YOU? Our own brand meat has performed exceptionally well this year. The two Musgrave MarketPlace brands (Butchers Select and Simply Meat) cater for all meal occasions and provide consistent quality and value for money. Butchers Select is a premium quality beef and lamb 26 • HRNI YEARBOOK

range which is the perfect choice for all types of dining from à la carte and function catering to high end bar food. The Simply Meat beef range offers quality products at highly competitive prices and is ideal for early bird, carvery and pub menus.

DID MUSGRAVE LAUNCH ANY NEW LINES IN 2015?

In 2015, we introduced even more local suppliers into our fresh range and we have seen sales grow in this area week on week. Our own brand ambient range has also expanded this year with the introduction of the Fairway range which provides our customers with quality products that also enhance their margin.

WHAT WERE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR FOR MUSGRAVE MARKETPLACE? When I reflect on 2015, there have been a number of highlights for the company. The growth we have seen in foodservice sales stands out as a key highlight of the year. It shows we have the right plan in place and that our execution has been effective. Increases in performance across all outlet types this year have also illustrated our ability to meet individual customer needs.

Our trade events such as the Great Food Show at St George’s Market and Customer VIP nights at our branches have also proved

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR 2016?

In 2016, we will build on the success of this year with even greater support for our existing customers. We will also up-weight our focus on attracting new business across all business types. Value, Choice and Service are at the heart of everything we do as we continue to build strong long-term relationships with both our customers and our suppliers. We also intend to use the breadth and depth of our product range to attract new business, fully embed our enhanced delivery proposition and utilise our three cash and carry branches, in Duncrue, Lurgan and Derry/ Londonderry, to provide foodservice outlets with the most comprehensive offer in the market.

WILL YOU BE INVOLVED IN ANY ACTIVITY AROUND YEAR OF FOOD & DRINK? It is fantastic to see the focus being placed on food and drink in 2016. Northern Ireland already has an excellent reputation for good food and hospitality. At Musgrave MarketPlace we have a significant number of Northern Ireland products and produce to showcase, therefore the Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink 2016 will provide the perfect platform to do so.

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ifexexhibition

‘Great’ additions to IFEX 2016

VRQ Level 3 Advanced Professional Chef Diploma students from Belfast Met are pictured with Sean Owens, Director of Salon Culinaire.

T

his March, Northern Ireland’s biggest food, drink, retail and hospitality event – IFEX 2016 – will open its doors at its new home the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast featuring more ingredients for a successful show than ever before.

Organised by leading events company Fresh Montgomery, the trade expo has partnered with The Guild of Fine Food to introduce the first ever Great Taste Market to IFEX, which will house many ‘great taste’ producers from across NI and ROI. From cheese producers to tea houses, the Great Taste Market has already attracted many leading names including Burren Smokehouse, Cavanagh Free Range Eggs, Cashel Blue, Goodness Grains, S D Bell and Yellow Door.

“The addition of the Great Taste Market was introduced to further build on IFEX’s growing status as the trade expo which showcases thousands of innovative new products and services over three days,” said Caroline McCusker, IFEX event manager.

“IFEX is set to become the ultimate destination for all those in the food, drink, retail and hospitality industries, and for visitors it’s a ‘one stop shop’ for discovering and tasting some of the best food and drink products that Northern Ireland has to offer.”

For small producers, the addition of the Great Taste Market at IFEX provides the perfect platform to connect with key buyers, make valuable contacts and increase awareness of their products.

As well as the array of exciting food and speciality products on offer, IFEX will feature a host of culinary competitions. Returning this year is the Salon Culinaire, which will house almost 250 industry and student chefs. The Salon Culinaire is hotly anticipated as the place where the ‘best of’ culinarians in Northern Ireland are formally acknowledged – including Michael Deane, Chris Bell and Roisin Gavin – who were first recognised on the IFEX stage.

Skills are high on the agenda and the Salon 28 • HRNI YEARBOOK

IFEX 2014 Chef of the year Shaun Hanna

Culinaire, which raises the bar in terms of culinary skills in Northern Ireland includes The ChefSkills Theatre, La Parade des Chefs and Edible Art (cold display).

Running over the three days, the ChefSkills Theatre sees an exciting series of back-toback, live, hot competitions, including the hotly contended Department of Agriculture and Rural Development-supported IFEX Northern Ireland Chef of the Year and Northern Ireland Junior Chef of the Year accolades.

La Parade des Chefs, featuring four teams of eight, from outstanding NI culinary colleges, go head–to-head to serve 60 covers daily in a ‘real time’ restaurant. For this team competition, preparation, service, timing and team work are every bit as important as the quality of cooking. The winning team will offer the ‘whole package’ of hospitality skills.

Long-standing Salon Culinaire Director, Sean Owens said: “This year I’m confident

that we’re going to discover some extraordinarily talented young chefs, and to have uncovered and encouraged new talent to flourish at IFEX is what the event for the food, drink, retail and hospitality industries is all about.”

Bigger and better than ever before, The ChefSkills Theatre and La Parade des Chefs are designed to nurture the talents of the Province’s young chefs.

For those who hope to compete, ChefSkills and the team event, La Parade des Chefs, are now open for entry.

IFEX 2016 is taking place from Tuesday, March 8 to Thursday, March 10 at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast. The show opens daily at 10am and runs until 6pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, and to 4pm on Thursday. Follow IFEX on twitter @IFEX_NI or via Facebook.com/IfexBelfast or log onto to register your attendance for free now at www.IFEXexhibition.co.uk.

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cateringequipmentprofile

From refrigeration to knives, and everything in between

Jordana Pye, key accounts manager Northern Ireland at Nisbets, tells HRNI about Nisbets’ growing presence supplying quality catering equipment to the local hospitality market.

TELL US ABOUT NISBETS Established in 1983 on the basic principle of high-quality catering equipment affordably priced, today Nisbet's products cover everything from refrigeration to pastry, cooking machines to knives, and everything in between.

WHAT SERVICES DO YOU OFFER TO THE LOCAL HOSPITALITY TRADE? With over 20,000 products available online, Nisbets is able to meet all business requirements, from cafes to restaurants and B&Bs to hotels. Free next day delivery is available on orders over £100, and our Low Price Guarantee ensures we’ll beat any like-for-like price by 5%.

DOES NISBETS OPERATE A LOCAL TEAM? Nisbets has two dedicated key account managers operating in Northern Ireland, along with a sales support team based at our head office in Bristol. The team is designed to offer an account-managed service, and act as your primary contact; whether you have a specific product requirement or a general enquiry.

WHAT ARE NISBETS PLANS FOR 2016?

Nisbets continues to look for ways to improve its service to its loyal customers both in Northern Ireland and the UK. We have recently taken on a new delivery partner in Parcel Force, who we believe are aligned to our ever-growing strategy of delivering what our customers expect from a catering equipment partner; much like we have done during 2015 with the introduction of our 6pm cut off time and weekend delivery service.

HOW IS TRADE IN NI? We have been really excited by the opportunity in Northern Ireland during 2015. During 2015, there was strong growth in the hospitality sector and we anticipate this will continue into 2016 with growth coming from the restaurant, public house and hotel sectors.

ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR ISSUES, CHALLENGES OR TRENDS IN THE LOCAL MARKET? It’s vital our product range stays in touch with the changing requirements of our customers and, with new product launches every quarter, we aim to offer the very latest in design and innovation at affordable prices.

30 • HRNI YEARBOOK

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drinksprofile

A Febvreuary celebration W

ine Distributor Febvre & Company has introduced FEBVREUARY, a month of wine discovery, taking place around Ireland throughout February.

The concept, Fiona Beckett based on the Febvre name in conjunction with the month of February, is that Febvre will host different events in various venues throughout the month. The FEBVREUARY events, open to trade only, will include wine tasting from Febvre’s portfolio and allow attendees to meet visiting winemakers, attend educational seminars and learn the latest in global consumer wine trends for 2016.

The full diary for the month can be seen on www.febvrewines.ie and, as places are limited, it is necessary to book your place in advance on www.febvrewines.ie/events/ to attend the event of your choice.

From its opening on February 1, FEBVREUARY events will take place from Enniskillen to Kilkenny, from Belfast to Cork and many places Jan Konetzki

in between.

Febvre & Company has been to the forefront of the Irish wine trade for over 50 years, and the quest for quality and integrity has never waned. The company is partnered with some of the most illustrious and traditional names across the wine world. Each of the wines in the portfolio has been carefully chosen to suit their target consumers, whether in style, price level or to meet current trends. The character of those partners is reflected in the quality of visitors coming to Ireland to partner Febvre in its FEBVREUARY. Fiona Beckett, award winning journalist and blogger of www.matchingfoodandwine.com (the most comprehensive food pairing on the web), will demonstrate how seasoning affects your wine choice. She starts her tour of the country in Enniskillen and Belfast, and each talk will be adapted to the venue where the workshop is taking place.

From France, Louis Fabrice Latour, the seventh Louis Latour and the eleventh generation of the Louis Fabrice Latour family, will host a tasting about the Twelve Wines that tell the story of innovation at Maison Louis Latour over the last century.

Marcelo Rematal, chief winemaker of De Martino, will talk about ‘A very different Chile’.

Marcelo was named the 13th most influential in the world and the best in Latin America by Decanter magazine last December.

What promises to be a very interesting discussion will take place when winemakers Chester Osborne from D’Arenberg, McLaren Vale, Australia will join (live from there) Herve Robert of Delas Wines, France in Dublin through Skype in a Tasting of the ‘Rhône Style’ wines

Chester Osborne

from D’Arenberg and the Northern and Southern Rhône wines from Delas.

Jan Konetzki, head sommelier at Restaurant Gordon Ramsey, London will take guests through his thought processes on creating a new wine list following his recent win of the ‘2015 Imbibe Wine List of the Year-Sommelier Award’. He will also have a limited number of consultations on the day to review individual wine lists – by booking only.

Other interesting sessions include a Castello Banfi from Italy – ‘The Tuscan Lifestyle’ tasting; Warre’s Port Quinta da Cavadinha vertical tasting to include vintages from 1992, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2010 and 2012. The Basque Culinary Centre ‘Irish meets Basque’ Pintxox Demonstration will be hosted by an awardwinning chef from the Basque Country and matched with a selection of wines from the award-winning Conde de Valdemar Rioja Wines. Richard Halstead, COO of Wine Intelligence UK, will host a workshop on Global Consumer Wine Trends following the publication of the latest report due out in February.

Throughout the month, Febvre will be opening up 21 still and sparkling wines on a rolling basis for the trade to taste. They will also be demonstrating Le Verre de Vin Wine by the Glass technology which keeps all wines fresh for 21 days and showing their full range of Spiegelau glassware and EuroCave cabinets.

For information and bookings: www.febvrewines.ie/events

Febvreuary a month of discovery Perhaps it’s the extra day and the chance it brings of a surprise proposition that makes each leap year so special. Regardless, there’s most definitely a curious feeling of something noteworthy and remarkable in the air.

So this February, why not use the extra day to discover something truly special and carefully selected by Febvre. Whether it’s the charms of a complex French producer or the impressive tones of a smooth South African, at Febvre we have an abundance of choice, so you’re sure to find something new.

Sales Representatives in N. Ireland: Alison Farr Tel: +44 7968 409428 • Roddy McBride Tel: +44 7834 337645

www.febvrewines.ie/events

32 • HRNI YEARBOOK

@FebvreWines

/FebvreWines

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COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH

NACHO LIBRE

35ml Jose Cuervo Especial 15ml Aperol 15ml fresh lime 25ml ruby grapefruit 10ml agave syrup

COCKTAIL MONTH of the

with jose cuervo

In the latest of a regular series, we ask local bartenders to showcase a signature serve featuring the superb premium spirits brands presented by Proximo. Andy Carson at The Plough Inn/Bar Retro shares a serving option for Jose Cuervo Especial. jose cuervo The featured spirit in this month’s signature serve is Jose Cuervo.

nacho libre 35ml Jose Cuervo Especial 15ml Aperol 15ml fresh lime 25ml ruby grapefruit 10ml agave syrup Topped with tonic water “Most people do a twist on a margarita but I wanted to do a long drink which is refreshing and clean and that people who might not normally like tequila might like to drink,” said Andy Carson. “It’s an approachable serve.”

about the bartender Andy Carson has been general manager at The Plough Inn/Bar Retro in Hillsborough for five and a half years. He has worked there since 2004, starting part-time when he was at school. After catering college in Portrush, he returned full-time as a trainee manager in 2006 and worked his way up through the company. “I’ve only ever worked in hospitality,” he says. “I like the buzz, atmosphere and meeting people. With the restaurant, bar and nightclub, there’s so much going on here and no two days are the same. Hillsborough is a nice place with no hassle.”

Andy Carson, The Plough Inn/Bar Retro

Available from all good wholesalers.

T: 0845 463 4570 Please drink responsibly. ©2015 Proximo Spirits UK.

drinksprofile

The new bring in the old L

ocal venues seeking to revitalise their wine lists with something unique and special in 2016 need look no further than new entrant to the wholesale trade, Holywood-based Harland Wines.

School friends Simon Bryans and Adam McCullough came together last September to launch a bespoke wine wholesaling business specialising in wines from regions less well known in the UK and Ireland.

Having already secured exclusive all-Ireland rights to a portfolio of Georgian and Indian brands, Harland also lists an Irish Cabernet Merlot blend produced just outside Dublin and has plans to add products from Moldova in the near future.

To date, Harland has secured customers among the high end of the local

34 • HRNI YEARBOOK

restaurant scene and independent off licences, while plans for 2016 include a series of tasting nights and targeting the corporate event and wedding markets.

Before reuniting for the business venture, Simon had worked in hospitality while at university and in sales at an estate agency.

Adam is a law graduate, which has proved useful for establishing the business and negotiating contracts, Simon Bryans and Adam McCullough and had picked up an interest in fine wine while working seasons on the ski slopes of Courchevel and on super yachts in the Mediterranean.

“We’ve known each other for years,” says Adam. “We both went off to uni and then I tried Georgian wine for the first time in London last year and thought it was really good but couldn’t find it anywhere.

We saw a gap in the market and thought, instead of going through the usual graduate schemes, let’s work for ourselves.”

Research into Georgian wine had revealed the country as the birthplace of wine, with grapes cultivated there since 6,000BC and its wine revered across the Roman Empire. An embargo on exports to the west after the creation of the Soviet Union in 1917 led to obscurity for much of the 20th century but political tension led Russia to ban Georgian wine imports in 2008 and it began re-entering western markets.

Over the last few years, Georgia has been highlighted as a leading undiscovered wine region of the world by the Financial Times, Bloomberg and the BBC, among others, with its wines picking up a series of prestigious Decanter awards.

Georgia is noted for its Saperavi grape, and conditions well suited for viticulture with temperate summers and winters and abundant natural springs in the mountains around its historic wine regions.

All but one of Harland’s Georgian wines are from the Kakheti region in the Caucasus mountain range in Eastern Georgia, which boasts European-style appellations, including Marani and Tbilvino from the Napareuli, Tsinandali and Telavi appellations. The other wine, Tsitska, originates from the Imereti region further west, which is more coastal, creating lighter and crisper white wines.

“It’s a bit of theatre in restaurants as well,” says Simon. “Everyone’s trying to do something that’s different and a bit interesting so it gives waiters a chance to have a chat with customers if they’re coming in.”

Harland also holds exclusive all-Ireland rights to distribute the Soul Tree brand of Indian wine from the Nasik Valley region, which includes a portfolio ideal for pairing with spicy Asian cuisine.

While the Nasik Valley high above Mumbai boasts a micro climate producing wines akin to those of South Africa, Georgian wines from the Kakheti region are produced in conditions comparable to Bordeaux, says Adam.

Harland Wines’ renovated offices will open on the High Street in Holywood this month, while its 1,500-bottle stock is housed in a bonded warehouse in Belfast Harbour.

“Our thing is to try and keep it interesting and bring in new varieties,” says Adam. “We’re not really competing with the big guys; no-one really has anything comparable to what we have and we’re only focusing in on the unique and undiscovered.” twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

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drinksprofile

A ‘hoppy’ new year for Diageo Jorge Lopes

Success for Hop House 13, the Guinness PRO12 final in Belfast and new city centre offices were among highlights of 2015 for Diageo, Country Director NI Jorge Lopes tells Alyson Magee.

D

iageo’s move from Boucher Road into Belfast city centre in 2015 “has been absolutely brilliant in so many different ways,” says Jorge Lopes, country director NI. As well as boosting team morale, “it makes more opportunities. Beforehand, we always had to be in that setting-up-a-meeting type of mode.

Now we just have to walk around and we bump into them and opportunities arise from that.”

It’s been a good past year for the drinks group; to mark positive results for the financial year to the end of June, a celebration was held on one of the tall ships during the festival for the local team. “It was absolutely brilliant, a beautiful day with 100 employees on a big boat in the middle of the action in the city centre,” says Jorge. “Our market shares are looking very healthy as well, so it was a great www.hospitalityreviewni.com

year. We are working hard to replicate last year this year.”

While the summer was slightly slower than desired, with poor weather and a weak euro attracting business away from Northern Ireland, “since then things have picked up and expectations for Christmas are positive.”

As for the overall trading environment, “the key thing is that the on-trade seems to be declining less fast than it was,” he says.

Highlighting 2015 as “a brilliant year for innovation for us,” Jorge says: “We had the launch of Hop House 13, and it’s the fastest growing beer in Northern Ireland. It’s really exploding and the feedback we get from customers and consumers is absolutely brilliant.

I can’t tell you how pleased we are.”

The introduction of Hop House 13, named after an early 1900s hop store building at St

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James's Gate, follows the successful launches of Smithwick's Blonde in 2014 and Guinness Dublin Porter and Guinness West Indies in 2015, as part of The Brewer's Project. "All of these have been working very well for us," he says.

In November, the new experimental Open Gate Brewery was launched at St James Gate in Dublin, allowing the trade to sample small batch beer. “Basically, the vision is to invite our customers to go and spend a day with us in Dublin,” says Jorge.

Diageo’s Reserve portfolio of premium spirits – in particular, Tanqueray, Bulleit, Ketel One and Ciroc – has also been a focus.

“Although from a small base, the growth is just tremendous,” says Jorge. “It’s amazing how receptive our customers have been towards these premium brands so we’re very pleased with that as well.”

Diageo’s established brands continue to perform well, and “the market share for Guinness was exceptional on the back of the Rugby World Cup.” “Next year, in terms of events, we have Euro 2016, and Carlsberg is the official sponsor, so we’re very much looking forward to activating Carlsberg big time in both the on-trade and the off-trade.”

With Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, England and Wales all qualifiers, “that’s going to be a big presence for us this year on top of the usual 6 Nations and Guinness PRO12 rugby.”

“We have big plans across all our brands,” says Jorge. “We have more money to invest than in a long time across the board, from Harp to Carlsberg, Guinness, Smirnoff and our premium range.”

Industry priorities for 2016 include further progress towards lowering corporation tax and tourism VAT. Looking forward, Northern Ireland Year of Food & Drink 2016 is viewed as a great opportunity for Diageo, which is exploring food-matching opportunities with its craft beer portfolio in particular and plans to support a number of events throughout the year.

“Hop House 13 and all the Guinness range allow us to play much more into that kind of space,” says Jorge. “That is something that we are looking forward to working with our customers on and supporting them.

“There’s so much passion for beer right now; being a brewer is cooler than having a rock band nowadays and, it’s bringing a lot of new excitement to the category. It’s something that we welcome so the Year of Food & Drink is great. We would urge as many customers as possible take part in it and we’ll try to support as many as we can.”

YEARBOOK HRNI • 39

drinksprofile

Jack continues to rock the UK on-trade Americana is hot right now, and both Jack Daniel’s and Woodford Reserve are reaping the rewards, Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands Head of Commercial Planning and Activation Crispin Stephens tells Alyson Magee.

Crispin Stephens

W

ine and spirits information source IWSR is forecasting American whiskey as the category to watch over the next five years, and Bacardi Brown-Forman is poised to make the most of it with its portfolio including market leader Jack Daniel’s and the fastest growing bourbon in the UK on-trade, Woodford Reserve.

“American whiskey is very exciting to be in at the moment,” says Crispin Stephens, head of Commercial Planning and Activation at Bacardi Brown-Forman. “It’s a great category for customers to get behind. A number of trends are supporting that, including a boom in meat and whiskey and all things Americana.”

As with most trends, it laid its roots in London and soon spread across the UK, alongside growth in the premiumisation of spirits and popularity of cocktails.

Within the buoyant American whiskey category, Tennessee whiskey Jack Daniel’s boasts a majority share of the UK market and is growing within key sectors including food-led on trade outlets.

“The trend is away from traditional wet-led pubs to growth in more food-led operations, and Jack Daniel’s has been able to capitalise on that,” says Crispin.

The brand has a long-standing affiliation with meat, with the Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue now in its 28th year. In the UK, a meat and whiskey programme has been created to build on the association and capitalise on the current popularity for US-style barbecue foods.

“We are building that association with meats like pork, ribs, burgers and steaks and have

40 • HRNI YEARBOOK

created a drinks menu with meat and whiskey pairing, choosing meats to complement the drinks,” says Crispin. “For example, with brisket and ribs, Jack Daniel’s no 7 will stand up to it or with something lighter, like a chicken dish, a Julep would be more approachable.”

Music is another focus, with the brand supporting the UK music circuit at festivals and independent venues under the Jack Rocks banner. “Jack Rocks has had a real response from the on-trade around the UK,” he says.

“For us, it’s about continuing to support all our on-trade customers – and providing them with authentic live music experiences.”

And Jack Friday in September ties in both associations, with on-trade venues invited to market the brand through music and foodmatching opportunities.

“Millennials are looking for entertainment, and experiences to enjoy with their friends,” he says. “The on-trade has to offer that experience to keep consumers there for the evening.”

Jack Daniel’s Tennesse Fire was launched in the UK on-trade among a limited number of customers in September, and has seen strong growth. “Where it has visibility, it’s getting great feedback,” says Crispin.

"It’s served straight up, and aims to tap into late night drinking opportunities. In the US, it’s had the same growth as Tennessee Honey has had in the UK and is already over 50% of sales of Tennessee Honey within two years of launch.”

Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey has seen double digit growth year-on-year since its 2012 launch, with 8-10% of Jack Daniel’s drinkers having tried it according to research by Bacardi BrownForman.

“It has great opportunities for growth because the occasion is different,” he says. “No 7 is more high energy and enjoyed long. Tennessee Honey is more of a low energy drink, can be enjoyed straight up or long and is more accessible. One of its best serves is straight up from the freezer with ice. Consumers are also enjoying it at the end of a meal.”

WOODFORD RESERVE Jack Daniels has retained its cachet despite a shift amongst millennial consumers towards experimentation, which has also boosted prospects for premium variants such as Gentleman Jack and Bacardi Brown-Forman’s bourbon brand Woodford Reserve.

“There is a proliferation of premium brands, with a lot of bourbon and rye whiskies coming on the market as consumers want to explore and experiment,” says Crispin. “Woodford Reserve is premium, and meets the credentials of authenticity and absolute quality which consumers are looking for.”

The triple-distilled bourbon has consistently picked up awards, including gold medals and commendations in the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, Whiskies of the World Awards, San Francisco World Spirits Competition and International Spirits Challenge. “It’s the fastest growing bourbon in the UK on-trade,” says Crispin. “People are getting it, they love the brand.”

Among contributors to growth in the American whiskey category is the burgeoning cocktail market in the UK, with the category the top choice for consumers in cocktails. “In the UK’s top bars, the best selling cocktail is the Old Fashioned,” says Crispin. “Iconic cocktails offer heritage and excitement, with TV programmes like Mad Men celebrating the coolness of Americana and showcasing a lifestyle consumers want to enjoy.”

Woodford Reserve is the ideal choice for drinks like the Old Fashioned, which require a big and bold bourbon able to stand up to the other ingredients with its punchier notes.

The Woodford Reserve portfolio has seen a new addition to the UK market, Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey, adding further interest to the category.

A further focus for Bacardi Brown-Forman this year will be “driving education around the broader category of American whiskey, including Tennessee Whiskey, bourbons and rye and flavours,” says Crispin. “We are working with our customers to educate them about styles and flavours through tastings and masterclasses, so they can help consumers explore the category.”

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winewizard

Wine Wizard!

Ciaran Meyler

Cheers 2015

by Ciaran Meyler

C

heers to another wonderful year in the Northern Ireland wine industry, challenging but always very enjoyable. All the excellent wine dinners and tastings; sure, what’s not to like. As someone once said: ‘When you find the job you love, you stop working.’

So many global major events in 2015: • David Cameron encouraged the country to go to war in Syria and he also knows the best wine to serve with carpaccio of pork, thanks to some gastronomic experiences during his student days.

• Ireland underperformed, in what looked like was going to be a great World Cup; then again, at least we got past the group stages.

• Donald Trump was doing a very good impression of Donald Duck; only worrying thing is he could be the next leader of USA. what about the great wine events of 2015?

January, that period of hibernation, is always pretty quiet in the trade. We’re all feeling a wee bit guilty, so it’s difficult to sell gourmet wine dinners.

By February, most of us have forgotten about the diet and are raging about taking out that gym membership which we’ve used twice. So it’s time to get over to London for the highlight of the wine merchants’ wine tastings, Mentzendorff’s tasting at The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. I also look forward to this one as you have the opportunity to taste the full Bollinger, Taylor’s, Chanson and Langlois Chateau wines along with any new wines. Mentzendorff launched the event with a master class on Ayala (Bollinger’s baby sister); it was a very productive day.

February also saw a real treat for whisky drinkers.

Nial McKinlay (Inverouse sales director) paid a visit to The Hudson to conduct a master class on Balbair Single Vintage Malts. What an unforgettable experience, with 1989 first release being the highlight - a full-bodied malt with aromas of raisin, green apple and hints of banana and lemon. The American oak, ex bourbon casks used in the maturation lend a warm toffee vanilla fragrance.

March saw the launch of Santa Rita Wine Estates Wine Education Course. Twenty six trade customers were enlightened about wine and its production, the ‘Get to Grapes with it’ programme and some great tastings.

April was a quiet one for a change, with no major local wine events in May either.

In June, I was very fortunate to get the opportunity to visit Marques de Caceres at Cenicero near Logrono

42 • HRNI YEARBOOK

in La Rioja. Two magnificent days were spent touring the vineyards and cellars of this outstanding Rioja Bodega. The highlight was an evening eating at the many Tapas Bars in Logrono, (yes a full evening dandering around, what seemed like hundreds of wee tapas bars eating), you’ve got to try it.

July and August, were quiet however, I did have the pleasure of having Andrea Montemini, export director from Kimbo coffee with me. This was a real eye opener; as a wine drinker, it seems strange to admit this but I’ve never been a big coffee drinker.

More of a tea man, say’in as I’m from the country hi.

Andrea conducted a superb tasting of the four different Kimbo blends, Extra Cream, Superior, Prestige and Premium beans. At the ripe old age of 48, I’m converted. I now understand why people say ‘coffee is something you drink until it’s an acceptable time to drink wine’.

September was hectic with staff training in the many new restaurant accounts we’d picked up.

October is always a busy month for wine and food events. Historically it’s a quiet month for the trade so the well organised outlets will always have a few events planned in October. This helps to raise the profile of the outlet and gives consumers something new to try whilst they’re thinking about booking their Christmas party.

The month kicked off with a sensational French evening at La Bastille Restaurant, accompanied with the magnificent Masion Chanson from Burgundy.

Matthieu Barrere conducted a superb tasting of some awesome Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs which were a perfect match for the classic French cuisine. The highlight being Beaune Teurons 1er Cru 2004 served with Entrecote de Boeuf.

Later that same month, it was all about France again over in the east of the city at Graze Restaurant.

Brett Crittenden (an Australian working for a French producer) from E Guigal Rhone Valley wines paired some big Syrah based wines with some outstanding local venison, what a combination with 2010 Crozes Hermitage.

Thankfully for my liver and my arteries, things slow down in November and December; it’s all about selling the stuff.

However, I couldn’t escape one more dinner before the year was out. It was the most magnificent setting with the most amazing wines, the International Wine & Spirit Competition Awards dinner in The Guildhall London. What a joy to behold! However as your man back home would say ‘a tell ye wat, the food wasn’t as good as it is back in Belfast’.

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Wine And So Much More United Wine Merchants, 70 Silverwood Road, Craigavon, BT66 6SY Tel: 028 3831 6555 Fax: 028 3831 6444 sales@unitedwines.co.uk www.unitedwines.co.uk

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drinksprofile

United Wines rings in the New Year with its new commercial team

Ciaran Meyler

M

artin McAuley, managing director of United Wine Merchants, is rounding out his 30th year at the Lurgan-based drinks distributor celebrating the success of its latest additions to the portfolio, including renowned brands Santa Rita and Kimbo.

Speaking to Hospitality Review NI, Martin said: “The hospitality sector in Northern Ireland has, in recent times, weathered a fairly dramatic storm. During the downturn in the economy, United Wine Merchants has steered a steady ship, building our portfolio of both prestigious and value brands and diversifying to ensure that we meet changing consumer demands.

“Our most recent diversification was Kimbo Coffee; as the licensed trade continues to develop and evolve, we have reaped the rewards of tapping into the increasingly popular coffee market across the island of Ireland.

“Key to our success at United Wine Merchants is undoubtedly the expertise and passion of the talented United Wine Merchants team. As managing director of United Wines, I am constantly looking at ways to build the capacity of our experienced and talented staff. As the company evolves, we have taken the opportunity to restructure the commercial department within United Wines. This will see key members of staff, Ciara King and Ciaran Meyler, taking on new roles within the

Ciara King

organisation.”

Ciara, who has been with United Wines for 14 years and has a wealth of experience in stock control and purchasing, will be responsible for the company’s non-agency portfolio. Meanwhile, Ciaran Meyler, a wellknown industry figure in the world of wine with over 32 years within the drinks and hospitality sector, will be responsible for the agency portfolio and will continue his role within the company as wine expert.

Ciara, commenting on her new role, said: “It’s important to know first hand what is happening in the market, what customers want and what trends are coming to the forefront. This information is vital to ensure that we have the right product at the right price to bring value to all of our customers. “Buying major non-agency brands in the current economic climate is a fairly challenging proposition. Indeed it is a constant challenge, so I need to be one step ahead of the game at all times. I am delighted to be taking up this role and the challenges that come with it.”

Ciara will also be working closely with Ciaran. Commenting on 2015 and his new role, Ciaran said: “It’s always an enjoyable year working in the drinks trade, and 2015 was no exception. While trade has been tough over the past six to seven years with squeezed margins,

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we’re holding our own and hitting targets. The wine market is flat and has been for a number of years but we continue to outperform the market.

“Australian wine, and McGuigan Black Label in particular, continues to lead sales in the local market and the McGuigan brand will launch further NPD in 2016 with its Founder’s Series featuring a Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. With each wine focused on a specific winemaking region, the idea is to show consumers if you go specific to smaller areas, you get a much deeper flavour.

It takes them to the next step on the ladder.”

Following a successful food and wine masterclass at St George’s Market in 2015, celebrity chef John Torode is expected to revisit Northern Ireland, in partnership with McGuigan, this May to launch the range in the local market and again later in the year for another food and wine-related event.

United Wine Merchants has witnessed an increase in consumers trading up in the ontrade market; in particular with a more recent addition to the brand portfolio, Santa Rita, which is a consumer favourite in the quarter bottle format.

Looking at wider trends during 2015, wines produced from the Spanish Albariño grape are proving popular in the UK, which imports 40% of all production, while Argentine Malbec has also been a hit, in particular Dona Paula and Beefsteak Club.

United Wines will be turning its attention to Portugal this year, where there is “a lot of new investment, an increase in quality and the style is right for the UK market,” says Ciaran.

The sparkling wine category continues to grow in popularity, led by Prosecco with United Wines recently boosting its existing sparkling stable with Satori Prosecco, a more premium brand encouraging consumers to trade up. “The category is very healthy,” says Ciaran. “It’s the ultimate celebration to hear corks popping; it creates a feel good factor.”

Beyond the wine category, Ciaran says you couldn’t talk about 2015 without mentioning gin. He says: “It has helped a lot of on-trade customers increase their revenue. Consumers are happily spending £8 to £10 on a G&T featuring premium gins such as Caorunn and in the more popular establishments, staff are trained to encourage such trading up. Our customers can definitely get better value out of their customers and give them a better experience.”

Ciara and Ciaran will take up their new roles from February 1, and Hospitality Review NI wishes them every success.

YEARBOOK HRNI • 43

bushmillsprofile

Bushmills dreams

for 2016

big

By Alyson Magee

Master Distiller Colum Egan

I

t doesn’t get more local than Bushmills Irish extends to around £3m of capital expenditure Whiskey, and the brand is entering Year of annually over the next 10 to 15 years.

Food & Drink 2016 on a high with Old Bushmills Distillery currently exciting expansion plans. employs 150 full-time and agency A planning application staff, with production at the has been lodged for a Distillery running 24 hours a £30m development day, seven days a week. project which, The Distillery welcomes if approved, is around 97,000 tour expected to double visitors and an additional production capacity, 30,000 visiting the shop and create 20 new annually, and is open jobs and there are year-round apart from significant plans for Christmas to New Year. upgrades to the visitor “Since 2008, it’s been The River Bush lends its water and its name to the brand. centre at the Old Bushmills pretty constant,” says Lynne Distillery.

Bryce, brand home manager at Mexican drinks group Jose the Old Bushmills Distillery. Events such Cuervo, acquired Bushmills in 2014 from as the launch of Titanic Belfast, World Police Diageo, and has since announced its intention & Fire Games and Derry~Londonderry Year of to invest in the brand. Its proposed investment Culture bump up visitor numbers; “other events 44 • HRNI YEARBOOK

in Northern Ireland do help.”

Visitors come from all over the world, with the greatest numbers from the UK, Republic of Ireland, France, Germany and the US. In recent years, the Distillery has regularly welcomed celebrities and dignitaries including members of the Game of Thrones cast and other actors, comedians and international ambassadors.

While the planning application includes further development of the visitor attractions at the Distillery, a number of improvements are already underway including knocking through the tasting room to make it bigger with a snug in the corner and additional capacity for private tastings. The work should be completed by March.

Welcoming the new ownership, Lynne says: “There seems to be a lot of excitement around the brand in general and they have been incredibly supportive of us.”

A new marketing campaign for Bushmills

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bushmillsprofile A 10th still was added in 2008.

Old Bushmills Distillery embraces Year of Food & Drink A

s part of a broader push to develop its visitor facilities, the Old Bushmills Distillery has taken on an executive chef from Sodexo to enhance its restaurant.

Darran Benham introduced a new whiskeyinfluenced menu during a trade visit in December, and will be developing it further in 2016 alongside Year of Food & Drink, with a focus on Brewing & Distilling Month in April.

A new menu featuring signature dishes focused around whiskey will be introduced over the next month.

STARTER Black Bush Sweet Cured Salmon Fillet Lemon Crème Fraiche, Slow Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumber and Pickled Sherry Beetroot with Freshly Baked Wheaten

Black Bush Sweet Cured Salmon Fillet

MAIN COURSE Bushmills 10 Year Glazed Loin of Antrim Venison Malted Barley Risotto, Buttered Cabbage and Honey Glazed Roots Finished with a Chocolate Venison Jus last year marked the first significant activity since Bushmills’ 400th anniversary in 2008, and heralded the beginning of a new era for the brand.

Another exciting development underway at the Distillery is the archiving of its historic documents. Around 3,000 pieces have already been documented, with another 500 to be completed in the early part of 2016, with the expectation local museums may feature exhibitions.

Proximo Spirits, Bushmills’ & Jose Cuervo’s UK distribution arm, is also making a big push for Bushmills in the local trade this year, led by Senior Sales Manager NI Patrick Morgan and brand activation managers Jack Ferris and Mark Craig.

Following on from a successful trade day at the Distillery in December, attended by two tour buses of bartenders, a series of roadshows www.hospitalityreviewni.com

DESSERTS Bushmills Honey Irish Coffee Tiramisu Espresso Soaked Sponge with a Light Whiskey Infused Mascarpone topped with Shavings of Chocolate 21 Year & Dark Chocolate Fondant Toffee and Praline Ice Cream

is planned this year to highlight the brand to trade around Northern Ireland and tie in with Year of Food & Drink.

The team will continue to work with bars throughout the year, and work is also underway to develop new cocktails and long serves for Bushmills. “We’re feeling much closer to consumers through the way Proximo is managing it,” says Lynne.

While the brand portfolio currently extends to Bushmills Original, Black Bush, Honey, 10yr, 16yr and 21yr, Master Distiller Colum Egan is currently working on innovation for 2016.

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21 Year & Dark Chocolate Fondant

YEARBOOK HRNI • 45

drinksprofile

Prohibition poised for Year of Food & Drink She’s so good, they even named a beer after her – Felicia Matheson tells Alyson Magee about her growing craft drinks distribution business.

Among Prohibition's most popular brands is London brewery Beavertown.

Felicia Matheson

P

rohibition was launched in December 2013, marking the 80th anniversary of its repeal in the US, and Felicia Matheson already has a beer named after her.

The founder/owner of the Newcastle-based craft beer, cider, wine and spirits distribution business has been honoured with Felicia, a heady (6.5%abv) raspberry and white chocolate beer produced in a collaboration between Liverpool-based Mad Hatter Brewing Co and Belfast-based Boundary Brewing.

Boundary also collaborated with another brand supplied by Prohibition, Shortcross Gin, on the sold-out beer 'Tis the Saison featuring botanicals from the local craft gin producer.

A passion project for Felicia, the first few years of Prohibition have seen its listings rise from four to 20 breweries, alongside craft cider and spirits and, most recently, wine on tap in partnership with Wine Lab. A keen supporter of collaborations across food, drink and the arts, many of Felicia’s projects will tie in nicely with Year of Food & Drink, such as ice-cream created by Nugelato in Newcastle featuring Poker Tree beer, and food and drink pairing with SculleryMade black pudding and Mikes Fancy Cheese lines. “We will be planning lots of different events this year from meet the brewer evenings to pop up tastings so people can get involved,” she says.

Felicia is also a co-organiser of both the ABV Beer Festival in Belfast and the award-winning Newcastle Community Cinema for which Marble Brewing, as a sponsor of the cinema, is creating a beer aimed at supporting the arts and independent cinema.

Last year’s ABV Beer Festival was held in the Titanic Drawing Offices. “We sold out a month before the festival happened,” says Felicia. “We’re just finalising where to have it this year; we want something architecturally beautiful again to change the perception of beer festivals.”

Felicia has a degree in natural science and 46 • HRNI YEARBOOK

a master’s in forensics, so don’t mess with her stock. Prohibition grew sufficiently to become a full-time role six months after its launch, before which she was working for the independent off-licence Crushed Grape in Derrylin and had developed her interest in the drinks category with a wine diploma and seat on the panel of the International Wine & Spirits Competition.

Extensive international travelling, posteducation, whet Felicia’s interest in the global craft beer scene and a desire to get the Northern Ireland market in on the action but importing through other distributors proved tricky and she found it easier to directly approach breweries. “So I put my savings in and started up Prohibition, bringing beer straight in from breweries,” she says. “I try to source really interesting beers with great stories, and I do try and source good Irish beers.”

As well as Boundary and Poker Tree from Northern Ireland, many of Prohibition’s beers are from the Republic of Ireland including Rascals, Eight Degrees, Trouble Brewing and White Gypsy. “I am picky and choosy,” she says. “The craft scene in Ireland has really developed.

There were seven breweries in Northern Ireland and now there are 23, and there were 22 in the island of Ireland and now there are over 100.”

English suppliers also feature heavily in the portfolio, including Beavertown, Ilkley Brewery, Siren Craft Brew, The Wild Beer Co and The Kernel, while Felicia is enthused by auteurs in the craft beer scene such as Evin Twin founder Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø from Denmark who tours the world collaborating with small breweries.

With craft beer all about IPAs in 2015, Felicia predicts sour beers as the next big thing, while “I don’t want to leave wine behind,” she says. “I’m keeping it in the portfolio in a more innovative way.”

The partnership with Wine Lab involves reusable kegs of wine, which keep fresh for 90 days allowing venues to offer high quality, fresh house wines.

Prohibition now employs a full-time driver and another casual employee, and Felicia hopes to expand the team further as turnover grows.

Now supplying well over 100 local hotels, restaurants, bars and independent off-licences, Felicia is finding even tied pubs are recognising the demand for more unique beers and can be persuaded to untie one tap.

Other venues are embracing the category wholeheartedly, such as Brewbot with its 10 rotational craft pumps, one of Prohibition’s biggest customers Woodworkers in Laverys which hosts monthly meet the brewer events and has six rotational taps, and The Bay Tree restaurant in Holywood which hosts regular beer and food matching dinners.

Education is an important factor in driving the category, and Felicia is working towards a beer sommelier qualification. “It’s confusing for bar staff if they don’t have the knowledge, so it’s important to give them a bit of confidence in what they’re talking about,” she says. “We’re just trying to get everybody excited about craft beer.”

“I do a lot of staff training and speaking about wine,” says Felicia, “and I’m trying to reflect the wine scene in the beer scene. People can be snobbish about beer but when they try it, they discover things they never thought they would like.”

On Felicia’s wish list for 2016 is a change in Northern Ireland’s licensing laws which would allow small local breweries to serve samples of their beer to visitors. “In England, you can go in and buy beer in the breweries,” she says.

A keen supporter of collaborations across food, drink and the arts, many of Felicia’s projects will tie in nicely with Year of Food & Drink"

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drinksprofile

Shaping the future: Tennent’s NI on course for continued success

By Tennent’s NI Marketing Director Brian Beattie Brian Beattie

G

reat brands, great customer service and front line sales; great innovation and a great deal of hard work have combined to make 2015 a successful year for Tennent’s NI and that potent combination is set to keep the company firmly on course for further success in 2016.

In what continues to be a tough marketplace ‘running a tight ship’ remains an essential basic discipline for everyone in business – ignore it at your peril - but, ultimately, it is our commitment to innovation which will be the key to future growth. At Tennent’s NI, we live by that mantra; eyes firmly on the future, but never at the expense of the present.

Tennent’s NI continues to perform well year on year and has made some key gains with its brands in the on trade right across Northern Ireland. Of course new customers are attracted by our diverse portfolio of truly world-class and highly distinctive brands, but the excellence of our customer support and brands dispense also play a key role in the decision to come on board with Tennent’s NI. New and loyal customers alike value the active support which the Tennent’s NI team can bring to their business, strengthening their offer and proactively supporting mutual growth.

As statistics demonstrate, the Northern Ireland on-trade market remains in year-on-year decline.

The trend for in-home consumption continued in 2015 and has impacted adversely on consumption in the on trade, although we do see pockets of customers who are performing 48 • HRNI YEARBOOK

well. Generally speaking, those who choose the right brands and invest in their premises to enhance consumer experience are reaping the rewards and performing better. We are fully aware of the challenges facing our customers and we understand that additional investment isn’t always a viable option but, with us, great brands and service come as standard, giving our customers the essential building blocks for success.

Our support begins with providing best brands, but it doesn’t end there. We are committed to developing both our business and that of our customers. One major development in this arena in 2015 was the introduction of our new Customer Service Centre, which was set up to improve our level and range of service to our customers. Based at our new Belfast offices, we have a strong team of 20-plus specialists, dedicated to improving engagement between Tennent’s NI and our customers.

2015 was another outstanding year for our flagship brand, Tennent’s Lager, still Northern Ireland’s firm favourite lager. Not only was the brand top of the lager popularity charts but its visibility was, also, at an all-time high. Tennent’s Vital was a stunning success for the brand, underpinning Tennent’s profile, and attracting more than 60,000 music (and Tennent’s) fans over two nights and generating more than £2m in media coverage. Tennent’s Vital will be back in August 2016 and promises to be bigger and more impactful than ever.

At the close of 2015, we also brought the

Tennent’s Lager brand name to football, pouring at the new National Stadium at Windsor Park, becoming the official beer of the national team and supporting Northern Ireland’s favourite football tournament, the Tennent’s Irish Cup. It’s been a great year for innovation with up and coming star performers Heverlee and Clonmel 1650 each showing significant double digit year-on-year growth. We’re also delighted to see Clonmel – one of the fastest growing brands on the local marketplace - collect gold at the International Brewing Keg Awards and to see new kid on the block, Roundstone Irish Ale, really take off while Magners’ Forbidden Flavours have performed extremely well, exceeding even our bullish predictions. Next year will bring further expansion for Magners’ Forbidden Flavours, Heverlee and Clonmel 1650 reflecting consumer demand for the products plus a renewed focus on our emerging range of craft products including Whitewater, Drygate and Dowd’s Lane.

Here at Tennent’s NI, we’re planning for success and growth next year in a market which we predict will be even more competitive than 2015. There are more brands available than ever and consumer choice is already at an all-time high, but there are great opportunities ahead too.

Opportunities which we create ourselves in the form of innovative new brands and those which open up to us, such as the Year of Food & Drink.

We will need to be at the top of our game if we are to follow the impressive growth we enjoyed in 2015, but we’re more than ready for the challenge.

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drinksprofile

Investment results in growth for Dillon Bass A good year for Dillon Bass has seen its Irish whiskey portfolio continue to grow, revived interest in Hennessy on the back of its 250th anniversary and a strong platform for Absolut in the Belsonic festival, Business Unit Director Greg Hughes tells HRNI. separate economies. Large operators and urban outlets have seen growth but, further outside the urban centres, trade is still difficult. We are still operating within a very challenging and competitive marketplace and to continue to drive the industry forward, we must work together.

Greg Hughes

HOW WAS ON-TRADE BUSINESS IN 2015?

Dillon Bass experienced a strong year in both the on trade and retail sectors. Our brands are going from strength to strength and we have achieved great growth, particularly in our Irish whiskey portfolio, following significant investment over the last few years.

There is growing consumer demand for premium brands with a strong heritage and story. Consumers are becoming more educated on spirits and more demanding in their choices.

We have worked with the trade through a number of targeted training initiatives to build and develop industry knowledge, particularly in our premium spirits portfolio, with brands such as Hennessy and our range of premium Irish whiskeys and will continue to do so as we head into 2016.

ARE THERE SIGNS OF ANY RECOVERY IN THE MARKET? There is growth but there are signs of two www.hospitalityreviewni.com

WHICH BRANDS PERFORMED BEST FOR DILLON BASS IN 2015?

As the largest Irish whiskey producer with a portfolio of over 25 whiskies, we have been sharing our love of Irish whiskey with customers throughout Northern Ireland by educating the industry and partnering with key accounts. All our brands are performing well within their sectors – Jameson is our huge success within Irish whiskey, but all our whiskey brands are benefiting from the revival in Irish whiskey, and brown spirits in general are undergoing a renaissance.

In 2015, we marked the 250th anniversary of Hennessy with a suite of initiatives, including the launch of our inaugural Hennessy Connoisseurs Challenge, and this helped to drive good performance for the brand in terms of both trade and consumer engagement.

Vodka is still the largest spirits category and Absolut meets consumers demand for a premium brand. Belsonic continues to be a fantastic platform to showcase Absolut.

DID YOU LAUNCH ANY NEW BRANDS OR VARIANTS IN 2015?

2015 was an exciting year for our Irish whiskey portfolio with the re-branding of Powers Gold Label, along with the launch of the limited release Midleton Dair Ghaelach and Powers 3 Swallow. These launches follow the great success of Jameson Caskmates and the increasing consumer interest and demand for new and exciting varieties of Irish whiskey.

WHAT WERE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR FOR DILLON BASS?

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Our Hennessy Connoisseurs Challenge was a huge success for the Hennessy brand in 2015.

Designed to uncover Northern Ireland’s top mixology talent, the Hennessy Connoisseurs Challenge provided career-enhancing training opportunities for three bartenders and allowed us to share their talents with the rest of the world. We wanted to show the flexibility and versatility of the Hennessy brand - a brand steeped in rich history but which is undergoing a renaissance - and bringing Hennessy to a wider spectrum of consumers. As we look back on 2015, this is most definitely one of the highlights and an example of how trade engagement is so crucial to the success of brands.

In partnership with Hospitality Ulster, Dillon Bass has embarked on a series of targeted whiskey training sessions for pubs, restaurants and hotels across Northern Ireland to help boost knowledge and skills to improve the customer experience in outlets across the region. This is an initiative we will continue in 2016 which will be particularly important as the Northern Ireland Year of Food & Drink 2016 approaches.

WHAT OTHER PLANS DO YOU HAVE FOR 2016?

Irish whiskey will continue to be a key focus for Dillon Bass in 2016 and the opening of our micro distillery at Midleton, Co Cork means that there are lots of exciting developments on the horizon.

In addition, we have plans to build on the work undertaken with Hennessy in 2015 to continue to build the brand and bring it to new consumers in Northern Ireland.

WHAT ACTIVITY ARE YOU PLANNING FOR YEAR OF FOOD & DRINK? The Northern Ireland Year of Food & Drink is a platform that will provide hospitality businesses with great opportunities for promotion in the year ahead. Irish whiskey is a massive tourism product and we want to work with our customers to develop on this in 2016, continuing with our Irish whiskey training. We will also seek to assist our customers with the provision of timely brand activities, launches and initiatives to support their work in the year ahead.

YEARBOOK HRNI • 49

advertorial

Fireball Whisky to explode in 2016 F

ireball Whisky was launched in Northern Ireland by GDK Drinks in 2013 and is fast becoming a back bar must stock. Worldwide Fireball is exploding everywhere with over 60 awards, 130% growth, 4 million plus cases and a favourite of multiple celebrities including the Kings of Leon, Ed Sheeran and Chris Pratt is helping to make it the fastest growing spirit brand in the world!!!

The Northern Ireland story reflects this growth with Fireball now a known bar call among all. Philip Russell, Managing Director of GDK is excited for Fireball in 2016, “We have had great success and fun building Fireball, approaching it in the same way we build all brands, but it is incredibly exciting to have brought this worldwide success story to Northern Ireland”.

Fireball have been careful to market the brand, maintaining its rightful place on the premium shot shelf yet being fun, innovative and current. It has achieved this through supporting the on and off trade, building the brand from the outlet, out reflecting how GDK Drinks builds their brands; a recipe for success.

For the uninitiated Fireball is a cinnamon based whisky from Canada. It has been compared to everything from brandy ball sweets, cinnamon sweets to hot apple pie when mixed with a cloudy apple juice.

There are a variety of ways to enoy, added to apple juice, with Classic 28 Energy drink for a Fire Bomb, add to Orpens craft cider or for the very brave add some Tabasco sauce! Fireball’s versatility has helped its growth in both the on and off trades, it also allows for strong upselling opportunity and great rate of sale. We have outlined some of the fun ways to enjoy this amazing and growing brand.

For further brand enquiries contact GDK Drinks on 028 417 54879 or email info@gdkdrinks.com

Fireball Perfect Serves: Fireberry:

Dragonade:

Recipe:

Recipe:

• 50ml Fireball • Cranberry Juice

• 25ml Part Fireball • 3 Parts Lemonade

Apple Pie:

Recipe: • 25ml Part Fireball • ½ Orpens Cider • ½ Apple Juice • Add Vanilla Cinnamon Baileys for a little bit extra

Firebomb: Recipe:

• drop 25mls into a glass of Classic 28 energy drink...simple

For more Fireballserves checkout www.fireballuk.com or speak to your GDK rep.

50 • HRNI YEARBOOK

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advertorial

GDK Drinks gets Crafty in 2016 G

DK Drinks enter 2016 with what is arguably the most complete world and craft beer list available. GDK Drinks are renowned for launching new to market brands and they’re bringing this expertise to the world and craft beer sector.

GDK have teamed up with Nelson Sauvin who together share the same ethos of operating with honesty, humility and integrity.

Together they have spent time, working with partners across The UK, Ireland, Europe and the US to bring some exciting new beers to the NI market; these brands include 9 White Deer, Galway Hooker, Williams Bros and a range of US Beers to be launched in early spring.

David Russell, Brand Director of GDK believes the NI consumer is enjoying one of the best times for world and craft beer across

the sector, “ Now is a great time for craft and world beer lovers with many companies bringing out really great offerings and as a whole we can all drive the sector forward.

We at GDK have spent time working on what we think is a really great and complete beer and cider list which will suit any on or off trade customer, providing great variety within any beer fridge yet returning quick rate of sale and strong margin.”

GDK have secured a variety of innovative and interesting craft and world beers which will be launched over the next few months.

For more information on GDK’s world and craft beer list plus to find how they can support in growing craft beer within your outlet contact GDK on 028 417 54879 or email info@gdkdrinks.com

Introducing the first Irish Gluten Free Craft beer from 9 White Brewery-Saor T

he growth of Gluten Free products and even aisles in the supermarkets is showing the growing need for Gluten free products, 9 White Deer Brewery in Co.Cork have answered this with the first Gluten Free Irish Craft Beer, Saor.

Saor meaning “Free” in Gaelige. Saor is Ireland’s first gluten free beer has just been launched by GDK Drinks in Northern Ireland. It is a light bodied crisp and refreshing pale ale at 4.5%ABV. Saor has a gentle hop and malt character resulting in an easy going beer to be enjoyed by everyone. It is even suitable for people who choose this as a healthier option. Due to intelligent and pioneering brewing techniques, the months of research finally paid off. 9 White finally cracked it! Although they were the first, we hope many others will follow to bring choice to this end of the market. There were a few driving forces behind this project A: Don a Co- owner of 9 White Deer Brewery, has an intolerance to gluten. B: They noticed a gaping void for gluten intolerant people in this industry when investigating market research. Therefore options were limited for this minority. Saor changed everything.

9White promise to lead the way in breaking new ground for brewing in Ireland. Each batch of Saor is independently tested and certified to maintain its excellence and to ensure that each batch complies with EU regulations of less than 20ppm of gluten For more information checkout 9 White Deer Brewery’s website www.9whitedeer.ie or contact GDK on 028 417 54879 or email info@gdkdrinks.com

52 • HRNI YEARBOOK

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nihfprofile

Training a key focus for new NIHF president Ciaran O’Neill tells HRNI about his first year as president of the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation and an exciting new boutique hotel venture in Derry~Londonderry.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE APPOINTED NIHF PRESIDENT? Without being or sounding cheesy, it is a great honour to be elected president of the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation by your peers, and with it comes a feeling of responsibility to represent the members on the key issues that affect our industry. It focuses you to look at our industry more strategically.

I have given my entire working life to hotels, and to be recognised with this position gives you a sense of achievement. My careers teacher in secondary school told me there was no future in hospitality and I should get a trade. It is amazing how this has changed, with tourism one of the leading employers in Northern Ireland and, with this set to grow significantly in the coming years, we need to focus on tourism skills.

WHAT ARE YOUR AIMS AS PRESIDENT? My main focus is to continue the excellent work of the previous presidents, and to support the tremendous work of Janice and John in the office. Mandy has done some great work in the last 12 months and, under her leadership, NIHF has positioned itself to ensure that we are a strong voice to represent our members and any decisions that impact our members.

The introduction of the living wage in April will be the biggest challenge hotels have faced 56 • HRNI YEARBOOK

Ciaran O’Neill

in recent years and, whilst we welcome the increased salary for employees and disposable income, we do not feel that the Government has considered the impact to small businesses that make up many of our members.

We will continue to focus on Tourism 2020 and I, as president, will continue to champion training as a key focus as we need to keep this on government’s agenda. We have recently visited Westminster to lobby for a reduction in VAT and our Chief Executive Janice Gault has given evidence to the Northern Ireland Public Affairs Committee.

But, most importantly, we are a small organisation and the team in the office will continue to answer our members’ question and support them.

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE MAIN ISSUES AND CHALLENGES? The big ticket items for us remain the five Ts from our Tourism 2020 document but we have a strong board in place to ensure that we are best placed to tackle these issues WHAT ARE THE MAIN EVENTS FOR NIHF IN 2016?

The Federation will continue to run events throughout the year to support and acknowledge the work of teams in the hotels, and we are in the process of finalising a calendar of events to launch in the next few weeks. We will be

focusing on the Year of Food & Drink in 2016, as well as working with other partners to ensure that we provide high quality and cutting edge events for our members.

TELL US ABOUT THE NEW BISHOP'S GATE HOTEL On a personal front, 2016 will be an exciting year for me as I have recently left my role as vice president of operations for Interstate Hotels and Resorts to open a high end 31-bedroom boutique hotel inside the walls of Derry~Londonderry. Having spent the last two years travelling, looking after Scotland and Northern Ireland, I am really excited to return to my native city with this project and focus on making Bishops Gate Hotel one of Northern Ireland’s little gems. The hotel is an exquisite Grade B1 listed building, which is perfectly positioned within the historic city walls in the heart of Derry City’s Cathedral Quarter. Built in 1899, Bishops' Gate Hotel blends stunning Edwardian architecture, stylish appointments and luxurious facilities which will be sensitively restored to pay homage to the rich heritage of the building, whilst exceeding the contemporary needs and desires of its guests. I feel it is the right time to go out on my own and introduce this style of product to the City. On the back of the recent City of Culture year and the public realm investment, Derry~Londonderry is perfectly placed to take the next step.

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tourismprofile

NI tourism is moving in the right direction While the Northern Ireland tourism market has a few challenges, opportunities are many, Tourism NI Chief Executive John McGrillen tells Alyson Magee.

Tourism NI Chief Executive John McGrillen

S

ix months into the job, John McGrillen has been familiarising himself with “what we do, how we do it and why we do it.” The new chief executive has been out on the road, meeting the new councils and “getting a better understanding of the overall Northern Ireland product”.

“The thing that struck me is the optimism in this industry, particularly in Belfast and the same could be said in Derry~Londonderry as well,” he says. “Derry is one of the places that has really stood out. I just think that it’s been transformed physically as a result of all the investment that’s been taking place; the way that some of the key heritage assets and built assets in the city have been refurbished and redeveloped has been fantastic and I think there’s a really exciting product there to sell.”

Among new attractions opening in the city are the Siege of Derry Museum and Museum of Free Derry, while a restoration of the Cathedral School is due for completion in 2017.

Derry is also set to be the venue for this year’s Northern Ireland Tourism Awards and

62 • HRNI YEARBOOK

conference, and John is exploring the potential of expanding the awards and conference into a week-long tourism week as Scotland has done.

“I think the Gobbins is pretty exciting as well,” he says. “It’s something which captures the imagination, and adds another string to our bow and the Causeway coastal route.”

Welcoming Belfast’s current spurt in hotel development, in tandem with the £18.5m Waterfront expansion, John says: “It’s going to be hugely impressive I think when it’s finished and certainly the bookings for 2016 and 2017 are well ahead of those set out in the original business case. There’s a nice match now starting to come together in terms of the opportunity Belfast Waterfront might present, the market for new bed space, and the new bed space that seems to be coming onto the market.”

Many other regions could do with more beds for overnight visitors such as the Causeway Coast and Glens, Mournes and the North West. “Clearly if we want to spread the benefit of tourism, we want people staying in these places,” he says.

CHALLENGES AHEAD For Tourism NI, challenges include limited resources as a result of government budget cuts. “With it will bring hard choices in terms of how we spend our money,” says John. “Should we concentrate on marketing, on business development, on product development and what does industry think that should look like. To what extent is the private sector more willing to step up and do activities for themselves that we might have taken the lead on in the past.”

For example, Visit Belfast and Visit Derry undertake activity partly self-funded but also supported by Tourism NI and by industry.

“Is there an opportunity to do that elsewhere across Northern Ireland,” he says. John would support the Hunter Report proposal for a tourism growth fund. “Certainly where that’s happened elsewhere in the UK, people seem to benefit.”

“The Republic of Ireland continues to be a challenge for us as a market,” he says. With the weak euro and a low tourism VAT rate in the Republic, Northern Ireland is at a disadvantage as a competitor and research suggests over half

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tourismprofile In October, Darren Clarke announced The 148th Open will be held at Royal Portrush, further boosting Northern Ireland’s golf tourism prospects and investment in the North Coast.

the population have never spent a night north of the border. We’ve got a significant opportunity on our doorstep but it’s how that’s addressed.”

Admiring Failte Ireland’s marketing of three key products, the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s Ancient East and Dublin, in international markets, John says: “I think they’ve recognised that you need to have propositions of scale in order to get visibility in an increasingly competitive marketplace.” In particular, the Wild Atlantic Way has grasped the imagination and driven up visitor numbers.

A major focus for Tourism NI going forward is digital marketing of Northern Ireland as a tourism destination. “It’s increasingly a digitallydriven business,” he says although, to ramp up its digital activity, Tourism NI will have to appropriate resources from other areas of its budget as additional funding will not be available.

“Whilst these are challenges, we are looking at this in a context where tourism figures this year look like they’re going to achieve record numbers,” says John. “It sets out the potential that’s there but it will be important that we collectively have resources to invest in the further growth and development of the industry.”

Part of his ethos is to work more closely with industry on a one-to-one basis, a “client-focused approach”, and positive feedback is already coming back from Tourism NI staff members www.hospitalityreviewni.com

being allocated to specific geographic areas.

With Trade Minister Jonathan Bell supportive of developing a long-term tourism strategy, Tourism NI is currently developing a paper setting out key issues it has identified. “What we intend to do then is have a series of roadshows right across the Northern Ireland where we can engage with the industry and get their views,” says John. “Really that’s about trying to make sure we’ve got the industry engaged from the very outset as opposed to presenting somebody with a draft strategy which they feel they have limited ability to influence.”

TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES A busy year ahead in terms of tourism opportunities includes the Battle of Jutland and WWI centenaries, completion of the HMS Caroline restoration, screen tourism and Year of Food & Drink.

Year of Food & Drink will be a focus with support available to create or boost and uplift existing festivals and events. “Every local authority is looking at how they will either uplift and enhance events they have got or create new events in order to take advantage of the opportunity that Year of Food & Drink presents,” says John. “We’ve got a really interesting calendar that is starting to develop, and there will be a couple of large scale events that will emerge during the course of the year that will

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The Belfast Waterfront expansion is already securing bookings ahead of targets, and has inspired a spurt in hotel development around the city.

be new and will potentially be sustained into the future.”

Northern Ireland’s growing reputation for quality food and drink, bolstered by awards success for producers and eateries, adds to the tourism proposition and Tourism NI will be investing £2m in 2016 in addition to some budget already allocated this year.

Screen tourism is another area of potential.

“Game of Thrones just goes from strength to strength,” says John. “We are seeing an ever-increasing number of businesses either developing on the back of tourism or augmenting their existing business with screen tourism experiences.

“I think we will want to take a closer look at that, and how we maximise the benefits. There may be an opportunity to get involved with future producers at an earlier stage to make sure it presents us with an opportunity to showcase Northern Ireland as best we possibly can.”

Looking further ahead, “we may be three years away from The Open taking place but we want to fully exploit the opportunities it represents,” says John. “It’s almost like being the nominated Olympic city, it gives you a very significant period of time up to that point to profile yourself.”

Significant resources will go into developing the North Coast in the run up to The Open while, in the meantime, a strong Northern Ireland presence for the Ryder Cup will maintain interest in the region as a golf tourism destination.

Market access is improving, with two new airlines KLM and Wizz Air flying out of Belfast and United restoring its Belfast-Newark service to year-round and upgrades to the Enterprise train service to Dublin.

“All in all, I think things are really positive,” he says. “We’ve had two years of record growth.

The number of hotel rooms that we sold up until August this year is a record high, 5% up on last year, and occupancy levels are really good. The room rates that people are getting are gradually increasing.

“The positives significantly outweigh some of the challenges that we’ve got. I’ve been pretty lucky, I’ve come into a job where everything is moving in the right direction and you get a huge opportunity like The Open announcement – it’s difficult to complain about.”

YEARBOOK HRNI • 63

tourismprofile

Tourism Ireland sets its sights on 2 million overseas visitors to Northern Ireland spending £476m in 2016 Launching its marketing plans for Northern Ireland in 2016 during an event in Belfast at the beginning of December, Tourism Ireland set targets of a 4% increase in overseas visitors and 5% increase in revenue.

Pictured at the launch of Tourism Ireland’s marketing plans for 2016 in the Hilton Belfast are Trade Minister Jonathan Bell and Tourism Ireland CEO Niall Gibbons.

Pictured are, from left, Michele Shirlow, Food NI; Fiona Dunne, Tourism Ireland New York ; Patrick McLain, National Museums Northern Ireland; Mark Henry, Tourism Ireland; Rosemary Lightbody, Tourism NI; and Peter Little, Peter Little Publications.

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ourism Ireland launched details of its marketing plans to promote Northern Ireland overseas in 2016 last month at an event attended by Trade Minister Jonathan Bell and tourism industry leaders from around Northern Ireland.

The organisation aims to build on this year’s positive performance and unveiled plans to attract two million overseas visitors to Northern Ireland, generating £476m spend and representing a target of a 4% increase in overseas visitors and 5% increase in revenue in 2016.

“Building on this year’s success and sustaining 64 • HRNI YEARBOOK

growth into the future is at the heart of Tourism Ireland’s strategy for 2016,” said Bell, speaking at the event in the Belfast Hilton. “Positive factors contributing to building on our 2015 tourism success include new flights to Northern Ireland and stronger economies in key source markets.

I also welcome the opportunity to showcase a new updated advert highlighting our latest tourism experience - The Gobbins Cliff Path.

The new ad will launch in January 2016 in 23 markets around the world, reaching 26 million potential holidaymakers in France and Germany alone.

“Tourism Ireland will continue to promote

major Northern Ireland themes and attractions around the world next year – including the Causeway Coastal Route, Titanic Belfast, the Giant’s Causeway, our National Trust properties and our world-class golf offering.

In 2016 we will also be inviting people from across the world to come here and enjoy a year of culinary celebrations for the ‘Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink’ giving them the opportunity to discover some of the best dining and hospitality on offer.

“Latest estimates indicate that, by 2015 year end, 1.9 million people will have visited Northern Ireland in 2015, representing a 5% increase over 2014. Revenue generated by international visitors is expected to be approximately £454m, a 2% increase over the previous year. While I believe we should celebrate this success we must now set our sights higher on even bigger targets to ensure our tourist industry reaches its full potential.

“I know Tourism Ireland will continue to build on this success and in particular its Game of Thrones campaign in the spring. They will also continue to raise awareness of Northern Ireland as a top class business tourism destination, particularly highlighting the new facilities at the Waterfront Hall.”

Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: “2015 is set to be a very good year for overseas tourism to Northern Ireland. Throughout the year, Tourism Ireland undertook a packed programme of promotions, to bring Northern Ireland to the attention of travellers everywhere.

Thousands of opportunities were created for potential visitors around the world to read, hear or watch positive messages about Northern Ireland; Tourism Ireland estimates that this media exposure is worth an estimated £90m in equivalent advertising value.

“Following a successful 2015, ambitious targets have been set again for 2016 and beyond. Next year, we will place a major focus on Northern Ireland’s Year of Food & Drink, inviting people who love great food to come and enjoy a wonderful culinary celebration – where they will discover the best of local produce and have the chance to experience the spectacular scenery and wonderful coastline which makes Northern Ireland so special. We will highlight The Gobbins Cliff Path around the world, while continuing to place a major

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tourismprofile focus on other iconic experiences like Titanic Belfast, the Giant’s Causeway and our unique National Trust properties. We will continue to target people of Ulster-Scots descent; and to promote Northern Ireland as a top golf and business tourism destination.”

Beth Greenan, Galgorm Resort & Spa, Ballymena and Simon Gregory, Tourism Ireland.

TOURISM IRELAND’S FOCUS IN 2016 Tourism Ireland has identified a number of key themes to underpin its promotional activity in 2016 and continue to grow visitor numbers from overseas. These include: • Digital and social media: In 2016, Tourism Ireland will continue to leverage its strength in digital and social media – especially important in developing new ways of reaching, and connecting more frequently, with our target audiences. Tourism Ireland is now the third most popular tourism board in the world on Facebook (about 3.33 million fans), number two on Twitter (317,000 followers) and number two on YouTube. Tourism Ireland’s international website, www.Ireland.com, attracted a record 17 million visitors in 2015. Next year, a new forum will be developed on Ireland.com, a community approach to making it easier for a potential visitor to plan their holiday to Northern Ireland.

• International publicity: Tourism Ireland will also ramp up its publicity programme around the world – placing increased focus on digital channels and working more closely with online media, including bloggers. This year, Tourism Ireland’s publicity activities generated thousands of articles and broadcasts about Northern Ireland, worth an estimated £90m.

• The Gobbins Cliff Path and the Causeway Coastal Route: Promoting the Causeway Coastal Route will remain a key focus for Tourism Ireland in 2016, with Tourism Ireland’s new TV ad featuring The Gobbins Cliff Path reaching 26 million prospective holidaymakers in France and Germany alone.

• Collaboration: Tourism Ireland will provide thousands of promotional engagements for Northern Ireland tourism enterprises and trade partners overseas – to help them do business overseas and facilitate them to ‘close the sale’, particularly in the digital space.

• Case-making for increased direct access As an island destination, the importance of convenient, direct, non-stop flights to Northern Ireland cannot be overstated; there is a proven direct correlation between access and growth in visitor numbers. Tourism Ireland will continue to work closely with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, airlines, airports and other key partners – with a particular focus on markets such as Canada and Germany – to identify and help close gaps in air services to Northern Ireland, stimulate new flights and jointly promote existing routes.

• Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening 2016: 2016 will mark the seventh year of Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening initiative – when hundreds of iconic landmarks and sites around the world will be illuminated in green to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. • Target audiences: In addition to our key ‘culturally curious’ and ‘social energisers’ audiences, Tourism Ireland will also target niche segments – including golfers, business and incentive visitors, as well as the Ulster-Scots and Irish Diaspora.

Pictured are, from left, Mark Henry, Tourism Ireland; Gillian Simpson, Loughs Agency; Emmett McCourt, food writer and chef; Charlene Shongo, City of Derry airport; Joe Rotherham, Shamrock Adventures NI ; Cathy Hicks , City of Derry airport; Mary Blake, Derry City & Strabane Council; and Orla Meenan, Visit Derry.

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Tourism Ireland

looks back on 2015 2

015 was a strong year for overseas tourism, with Tourism Ireland estimating we have welcomed about 1.9 million visitors (5% growth over 2014), contributing approximately £454m in revenue to the Northern Ireland economy.

Highlights of its activity around the world in 2015 have included promotions to highlight the Causeway Coastal Route, Titanic Belfast, our world-class golf, as well as another ground-breaking campaign with Game of Thrones creators HBO. Highlights for overseas tourism in 2015 included • The Causeway Coastal Route and driving holidays to Northern Ireland • Overseas publicity - working with overseas travel, lifestyle and special interest to generate exposure worth an estimated £90m in equivalent advertising value • Improved direct access, including new and expanded routes, with an estimated 93,313 direct, one-way airline seats to Northern Ireland available each week during summer 2015, a 10% increase over summer 2014.

Monthly highlights for Tourism Ireland included: FEBRUARY Sponsoring Ireland team for Cricket World Cup Selling NI to 250 top international buyers at inaugural ExploreGB ‘Jump into Ireland’ sales blitz in the United States MARCH Annual Global Greening initiative for St Patrick’s Day APRIL Major Game of Thrones campaign with HBO New strategy to boost tourism from Australia MAY VIP visit by The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall Ireland ranked number 5 in the world for tourism marketing and branding JUNE Sales mission to China JULY Tourism Ireland reaches 3 million Facebook fans (now 3.33 million) Online film promoting Belfast design AUGUST Online film highlights the Ulster Grand Prix Marcus Robinson films Belfast on eve of Van Morrison’s Cyprus Avenue concerts SEPTEMBER Autumn campaign with a festival focus 1.8 million Dutch see NI on top TV soap in the Netherlands OCTOBER Targeting the Ulster-Scots in the US Emmett McCourt ‘cooks up a storm’ in Chicago NOVEMBER NI Year of Food & Drink launched in London Spotlight on NI in China Online film promoting Londonderry DECEMBER Tourism Ireland scoops top marketing award for Game of Thrones campaign Belfast wins ‘trendiest city destination’ award in Amsterdam

YEARBOOK HRNI • 65

golftourismprofile

Is it finally ‘Open’ season for golf tourism?

With the Open Championship finally returning to Royal Portrush in 2019, Tom Cotter reviews the potential of golf tourism for the guesthouse accommodation sector.

Rayanne House

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he worst kept secret in golf was finally confirmed on the morning of the October 20 when the R&A, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrew’s, gathered in the Royal Portrush clubhouse to announce that the 148th Open Championship would return to the famous links in the summer of 2019 after a gap of more than 70 years.

The ‘Open’ is the largest golf event in the world and one of the four coveted ‘major’ championships in golf. Arguably the most prestigious, questionably the most sought after for the players, but the hosting of the championship in 2019 will undeniably be one of the proudest moments for Secretary Manager Wilma Erskine, for whom it will be the culmination of more than ten years of hard work. It will not only secure the position of Royal Portrush as one of the best golf courses in the world and provide a massive boost for golf tourism in Northern Ireland, but their achievement will also bring significant benefit to golf clubs the length and breath of the island for years thereafter.

With the exception of participating in a potential Rugby World Cup in 2020, the Open is the biggest sporting event ever likely to be held in Northern Ireland, with upwards of 230,000 spectators expected to visit the course and region over the week of the tournament; that’s 100,000 more patrons than attended the sold out Irish Open when it was held at the same venue in 2012. It 66 • HRNI YEARBOOK

Tom Cotter

should be stressed however that the ‘Open’ is in a completely different league from any regular season European Tour event. Take for example the independent research done on the economic impact of the 2011, 2013 and 2014 events held at Royal St. Georges on the Kent coast (where Darren Clarke triumphed), Muirfield outside Edinburgh and Royal Liverpool (scene of Rory’s victory) respectively. The ‘average’ economic benefit returned to Kent, East Lothian and The Wirral is estimated to have been £74.4m. This figure comprised, on average, £22.5m in direct spend and £50m in destination market benefit from the international exposure gained through television; ten times what the Irish Open is estimated to have had on the region in 2012. To put these figures into a better local context, the £74m figure surpasses what Tourism NI estimate to be the impact of the ‘entire year’ of activities for the ni2012

– Our Time Our Place campaign. The 2014 Championship produced over 5,400 hours of television coverage and was beamed to 505 million households around the globe. Should this be repeated in 2019, and there is no reason to suggest that it won’t in fact be exceeded, the North Antrim coast and its environs will benefit immeasurably.

Despite such impressive projections, hospitality and retail businesses in the Portrush area couldn’t be faulted for being somewhat sceptical about these assertions. The financial bonanza promised around the time of the Irish Open in 2012 simply didn’t materialise for many retailers and that was despite the fact that this was the first tournament in European Tour history to put up the ‘sold out’ signs. The combination of a ticket restriction preventing attendees re-entering the course if they left, and a very efficient transport management system, left some business owners in Portrush actually seeing their levels of business fall over the week of the tournament, vis-à-vis other years.

GOLF TOURISM & ACCOMMODATION Golf tourism has however been growing steadily in Northern Ireland for the past decade and, as it does, it is having an impact on all segments of the accommodation offering and one of these is the guesthouse and B&B sector. According to Sharon Schindler, owner of the Shola Coach House B&B in Portrush, voted the 2nd best B&B in the World by the Trip Advisor Traveller

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golftourismprofile Shola B&B

Linksview House

Choice Awards, golf is of “growing importance to their business… and is increasing year-onyear”. Furthermore, Sharon says the golfers that do stay with them are “the easiest guests in the world to look after” and she says that doing so is reasonably straightforward. “They tend to rise early to get to the golf course on time and are usually early to bed for that reason too. It’s as simple as a good bed, a good breakfast, a good shower and superfast Wi-Fi. That’s what our guests want and that’s not hard to provide” according to Sharon, “the basic things just have to be right”.

Yet it’s not just the traditional golfing towns of Portrush and Newcastle seeing an upward projection in golf visitors, with properties in Greater Belfast also witnessing their numbers of golf visitors rising. Rayanne House, located in the shadow of Rory McIlroy’s home club of Holywood, is perhaps unsurprisingly for this reason seeing its number of golfing visitors grow. Owner Conor McClelland attributes the “Rory factor” to an incredible “10-fold increase” in his golf business to those accommodated before the Holywood man rose to world number one. As a result, you can now book into the Rory McIlroy Room at Rayanne House, resplendent with a golf-themed bathroom, shower rail made from one of ‘Ror’s’ old golf clubs and a selection of his signed memorabilia on display. While golf is not “vital” to the success of Rayanne, it still makes up “a good percentage of business, as golfing purists are keen to play the home course of Rory McIlroy” according to Conor.

Located literally a stone's throw from the clubhouse of Royal Portrush Golf Club, the owners of the Linksview House would attribute almost “80% of their business to golf” and, according to Robert Gardiner, the owner, “there isn’t a country in the world that we haven’t seen golfers coming from” in the past few years. In fact Robert describes as “crazy” the number of golfers he has to turn away from his doors in the peak months but worryingly his main problem is that he has “nowhere to send them, all the hotels are booked up also”. As a result, he has resorted to producing a list of all the other B&Bs in the area, which he prints off and distributes to those he cannot accommodate.

Immediately after the 2019 announcement, Robert “had to unplug his phone” due to the www.hospitalityreviewni.com

volume of calls they were receiving and he says you can already see the impact of the announcement being felt in the town. With rumours of the tournament potentially coming being spread almost as soon as the Irish Open had packed up and left the town, it appears that investors have also been extremely active.

“You don’t see property signs staying up for too long now anymore and the painting scheme that was introduced back in 2012 for unoccupied buildings has made a real positive change to the image of the town,” he says.

Conor McClelland also believes that “the spin offs will be tremendous” from the Open coming to Portrush and he wasn’t surprised to hear that even hotels in Belfast were already starting to get booked up. Conor believes that it will encourage golfers to come in to play a variety of courses in Northern Ireland and naturally, as far as his own business is concerned, he would be hopeful that Holywood and Royal Belfast would be included in that. He further recognised that the average golfer who is “prepared to travel over 3,000 miles is not on a budget trip” and so they tend to have money to spend in the economy, something that I personally researched a number of years ago. Whilst looking at the economic impact of golf tour operator clients on Ireland’s links courses, I determined that the average daily spend by one of these golfing clients was in excess of £400, more than four times what the average leisure visitor will spend.

Sharon Schindler concurred with this supposition and highlighted the economic impact that the international golfer is already having not only on Shola but also on the wider area. Having often done a mental calculation herself she told me, “it would blow your mind what our golfing guests spend in the local economy when you include taxis, caddies, restaurants etc”.

The properties I spoke to all shared some similar guest characteristics and the North American market was evident as a vital source of business for all three. The majority of the golfers each property received were male, despite the perception that the guesthouse sector was perhaps more ‘couple’ orientated.

A significant portion of their bookings come to them directly via their own website with another good proportion by telephone although, in the case of Shola, Sharon did say that Trip Advisor and the exposure they achieved by winning

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the Traveller Choice award was the attributing factor for “at least 40% of their North American business”. In addition to this, she believes it is vital to pro-actively engage with specialist golf and traditional tour operators who she says have been “great for us” and to keep all their options open, but she feels there just “isn’t an industry body out there to turn to that would help (us) to get those individual golfers” a sentiment somewhat endorsed by Rayanne and Linksview also. Sharon went on to say, “there is something that could be done (to help promote them), but (she) just cannot put her finger on what it could be”.

When the Open Championship finally returns to these shores in 2019, the eyes of the golfing world will be firmly focused on Royal Portrush Golf Club. The news of its inclusion on the rota of Open courses has immediately sparked excitement and column inches far and wide and has been particularly well received in the US where we rely for a significant portion of our annual golfing visitors. Only 14 golf courses in the 144-year history of the Open have ever been deemed worthy to host the Championship, something that should be widely highlighted in our destination marketing to prospective visitors in the run in to the event. Almost a year into the fiveyear strategic review of golf tourism announced

by Arlene Foster back in March, confirmation of the Open coming here should provide a massive boost to this process. This once in a generation ‘game changer’, attracting golfing tourists to these shores from far and wide will generate immediate benefits that should be felt for the best part of three decades. I very much look forward to seeing the fruits of both this announcement and the strategic review of golf tourism benefiting not only our guesthouse and B&B sector in the years to come but the entire tourism landscape. The prospective golfer and spectator should take note however, rooms are filling up fast.

Tom Cotter is a golf tourism consultant and owner of the Cotter Collection, a bespoke representation agency that works with Irish golf courses, resorts and accommodation providers to forge profitable relationships with international golf tour operators and golf travellers. He can be contacted via his website www.cottercollection. com or follow him on Twitter @tompcotter.

YEARBOOK HRNI • 67

airportprofile

Belfast City expands its wings across Europe Strong domestic services and new European routes are boosting prospects for Belfast City, Commercial & Marketing Director Katy Best tells Alyson Magee, while the airport is hoping for progress on lifting its seats cap this year.

TELL US ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR COMMUNITY FUND We’re really excited about some of the community projects we worked on in 2015.

The programme had been very localised, and 2015 was a step change working across greater Belfast with a number of adopted schools. In the pipeline for 2016, the High Flyers Apprenticeship programme is going from strength to strength and we will continue to build on that. Some of the apprenticeships will be able to tie in with Year of Food & Drink.

Katy Best

WHAT WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR BELFAST CITY IN 2016?

In 2016, we will introduce a Brussels route in response to customer demand, and would urge the business community to support it and get behind it.

In addition to that, we’re working with British Airways and Aer Lingus, as they come together under the IAG umbrella. We’re the only Northern Ireland airport flying into Heathrow, and believe it can offer us increased synergies and opportunities to go from strength to strength.

HOW WAS 2015 FOR BELFAST CITY? We’ve had an excellent year. It’s really been about new airlines and new routes, and a story of growth. The daily KLM Amsterdam Schiphol route has had fantastic uptake, not just with business and leisure visitors out of Amsterdam but we’ve had really good feedback about people travelling onwards. It opens up the complementary route network we already have for passengers travelling through Heathrow.

Working with Tourism Ireland to promote Belfast has been paying dividends, and we’ve had significant numbers of inbound passengers.

Our new service with Vueling Airlines, the biggest airline operating in Barcelona, has seen really good inbound passengers. It would be half and half in- and outbound, which would be much higher than other Spanish services.

Flybe Liverpool is another important service for us. Much as it’s great to get the new European routes, it always reverts back to volume. London City in particular has been really well received, with big corporate clients 68 • HRNI YEARBOOK

like PwC, Citibank and Allen & Overy using the service regularly.

We have been very candid about our strategy, we have a strong domestic network and expanding European service. The airport is really important as a gateway to Northern Ireland, and is a great first impression of Belfast to give people.

HOW ARE PASSENGER NUMBERS EXPECTED TO LOOK IN 2015?

We’re expecting by the end of the year passenger numbers will be slightly up on 2014.

We did have Flybe Gatwick in 2014 so, in some ways, the other new services will be offsetting the loss of that.

WAS THERE ANY INVESTMENT IN THE AIRPORT IN 2015?

We would have spent over £1m on work around the airport, a lot on the airfield that passengers wouldn’t necessarily notice, and it’s a story of continuation.

WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH YOUR EFFORTS TO REMOVE THE TWO MILLION ANNUAL SEATS FOR SALE CAP? The Public Inquiry was held in May and we were told there would be a decision by the end of the year but there hasn’t been one as yet, and we are awaiting it in the first quarter.

We’re confident the planning agreement will be amended as requested.

IS ANY DEVELOPMENT PLANNED FOR THE AIRPORT THIS YEAR? We have investment plans for the next five years, including development this year which will be much more passenger-facing.

HAVE YOU ANY ACTIVITIES PLANNED AROUND NORTHERN IRELAND YEAR OF FOOD & DRINK 2016?

We have a whole programme of events and promotions around Year of Food & Drink, with Food NI and Tourism NI. Our plans, to be announced, will be integrated into the Food NI programme and will reflect the theme of each month.

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airportprofile

Supporting local producers and building more growth in 2016 While Belfast International Airport is on track for further growth, says Managing Director Graham Keddie, obstacles include Air Passenger Duty, poor roads around the Airport and direct flights from Canada and Germany.

Belfast International Airport MD Graham Keddie with Canice Mallaghan of Moorefield Contracts at the announcement of a £2.5m retail and forecourt development at the airport, creating 35 full-time jobs.

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t’s early days, but already it’s clear that 2016 is shaping up to be a year of very significant growth.

We will see hundreds of thousands of passengers added to our 2015 total with airlines catching the wave of increased consumer confidence, low fuel costs and an emphatic return to a more expansive outlook.

But what does this type of growth actually mean to the Northern Ireland economy? Well, in the first instance, it means the equivalent of a sizeable inward investment. If we were to grow by, say, 500,000 passengers, that would translate into close to 500 new jobs... and most of it without a penny from the public purse. That would make it a double bonus for the region.

Airports and aviation have long been recognised as engines for economic growth.

We’ve seen that throughout the world where governments have used the sector as the catalyst to generate new business, create employment and boost in-bound tourism.

Nowadays, Belfast International Airport serves more than 80 or so scheduled and chartered destinations but, sadly, there are big gaps on our destination screens in Check-in. www.hospitalityreviewni.com

Toronto sticks out like a sore thumb. So does Germany. Neither important market is served directly from Belfast and despite statements of intent and positive sounding words from ministers, nothing has happened.

Dublin, on the other hand, has several services to Toronto, and literally scores to the lucrative German market. The imbalance is glaring. For Northern Ireland, our inability to attract German and Canadian tourists on direct services to our airport translates into a colossal loss to the local economy which, conversely, is a real benefit for Dublin and the Republic of Ireland.

We continue to fight the good fight on the regressive Air Passenger Duty (APD) but there’s an inexplicable inability on the part of our locally devolved administration to confront the challenge. In early January, we will have the opportunity to set out our position before the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee at Westminster in our on-going campaign.

APD is a barrier to growth. It denies us thousands of new jobs in aviation and in our tourism and hospitality sectors and, whist it would come at a price, it is our firm belief that

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getting the tax devolved from London and then doing away with it would be in the best interests of Northern Ireland.

Last year, the surge in passenger numbers saw us achieving monthly double-digit growth over the corresponding period in 2014.

As we head inexorably towards five million passengers in 2016, our thoughts again turn to the poor state of our surface access to and from the airport.

Both the A26 and A57 need substantial investment. Back to the infrastructure argument; if you want to re-balance and grow the economy, the infrastructure has to be modern and fit-for-purpose. In short, the seven miles from the M2 to the airport needs to be dualled.

If Northern Ireland is serious about presenting to the world a progressive, outward-looking, can-do attitude, then ministers in the Executive should fast-track strategic road-building projects. The roads that are there are past their sell-by and are crying out for investment. If there is no intervention, passenger and freight traffic will increase substantially, resulting in further pressure on an antiquated road network.

Towards the latter part of 2015, we took steps to lend solid and tangible support to local food and drink producers under the umbrella of Ulster Artisans. More than 20 producers literally set out their stalls in some space in our airside facility. They were delighted to have the opportunity to sell directly to passengers as they made their way to departure gates.

Business was brisk, and the venture proved hugely rewarding. We, too, were chuffed with the initiative. The quality of what was on sale was astonishing. Being able to give micro and small producers a ‘showcase’ not only underlined our support for Northern Ireland products, but it gave a practical helping hand to them to spread the word… and achieve impressive sales.

Hopefully, 2016 will see new routes and new carriers on our apron. We have the capacity to deal with eight million passengers and reaching that goal will be tough and demanding. That said, there’s no doubting the commitment of this airport to go for growth not only for South Antrim but Northern Ireland as a whole. We wish others would join us on this journey.

YEARBOOK HRNI • 69

q&a

A Day in the

Life…

Stephen Bryden, route on-board services manager Irish Sea North, Stena Line

WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND? I’ve been in the travel industry for around 30 years now of which 23 years have been with Stena Line. I started off on the Stranraer-Larne route in 1985 with Sealink British Ferries, and then Stena Line took over the business in 1992 and everything changed! Up to that point, the route was a very traditional sea ferry type organisation and most of the decision making was made on shore. When Stena Line took over it brought with it its experience of a hospitality-based structure, focusing on a ‘real hotel’ approach. They introduced food and beverage and retail managers onto the ships whereas, in the past, we would have had a purser and catering officer. It was a radical change with a real focus on hospitality and a more commercially-focused structure. Following the takeover, I progressed to hotel manager and then I was promoted to a senior hotel manager.

I was transferred to the New Haven-Dieppe route for almost a year which was a great learning experience for me personally. In 1993, I was invited to move to the Holyhead-Dublin route where Stena Line was to introduce its first ever fast craft service.

WHAT IS YOU CURRENT ROLE? I’m responsible for hospitality and services on board for all the passenger vessels on Stena Line’s Irish Sea North routes, namely, Belfast to Cairnryan and Belfast to Liverpool. It’s a busy role and my duties vary from day to day and include operational responsibility through to financial profitability as well ensuring our staff provide our passengers with an excellent customer experience, day in day out.

OUTLINE A TYPICAL DAY Not surprisingly, every day is different! It is my responsibility to oversee the day-to-day on board running of the ships. I'm also responsible for projects relating to ship refurbishment and upgrades and looking at strategic projects

70 • HRNI YEARBOOK

to help keep Stena Line ahead of the competition.

WHAT ARE THE BEST/WORST PARTS OF YOUR JOB? I enjoy working for an international company and am lucky to have the opportunity to travel frequently. Across Stena Line, we have an ambition to be the best at everything we do so we’re constantly benchmarking and ensuring we stay ahead of the competition, and when it comes to our on board retail offerings, we even try to compete against the High Street!

When people come on our ships and try our fish and chips, for example, they don’t just benchmark us against P&O, they benchmark us against Harry Ramsden’s so we have to be on top our game at all times.

BEST THING ABOUT BEING INVOLVED IN THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR? In hospitality it’s so varied that the old cliché no two days are the same certainly holds true. One day you could be recruiting new members of staff, meeting with our sales and marketing team to discuss new promotions or discussing new additions to the menus with our chefs. It can be stressful at times as you would expect catering for over 1.4 million passengers per year, but it is very rewarding compared to other jobs out there in the sector where people perhaps have a narrow scope of work.

WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST CHALLENGING ABOUT WORKING IN HOSPITALITY? Trying to provide the best possible level of hospitality in a very intense environment is always a challenge. We rely heavily on a temporary workforce as passenger volumes increase and fluctuate, so staff are constantly moving on and off the ship so it’s a challenge to get the right communication in place and also making sure costs are kept under control.

Trying to provide the best possible level of hospitality in a very intense environment is always a challenge."

Another challenge of course is catering for all our customers’ needs within the confines of the tight space constraints we operate in. We used to operate vessels with multiple restaurants but now, from an efficiency perspective, we have just one main restaurant on our ships and the challenge is how we create a menu that appeals to a broad spectrum of people continually throughout the year.

PROUDEST MOMENT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE I was responsible for helping to introduce the first High Speed Sea service - HSS, the world’s largest catamaran, and that has been the highlight of my career to date by some distance. The impact of the HSS on the ferry industry has been likened to Concorde in the airline industry because of the technology and the whole set up was just something that had never been seen before; it was before its time and a joy to work with and experience.

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF NOT MANY PEOPLE MAY KNOW I’m a bit of a Rabbie Burns fan so I recite Burns poetry although now I don’t live in Scotland, there are not so many opportunities to do so. I know quite a few off by heart and have recited them publicly at Burns Suppers over the years. It’s just a wee quirky thing I do.

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tourismprofile

An epic year for Belfast As the engine room to Northern Ireland’s tourism economy, Belfast has got its ‘roar’ back, says Visit Belfast Chief Executive Gerry Lennon.

Gerry Lennon

W

hat a year 2015 has been for Belfast.

The city continues to travel in the right direction in terms of tourism investment, development, delivery and performance.

Belfast has certainly got its ‘roar’ back and in many ways is the engine room to Northern Ireland’s tourism economy. Accommodation demand has never been higher with hotel occupancy levels sitting at 80% at the time of writing and room sales up 4% on last year. If we look back a decade, we sold more rooms in the first eight months of 2015 than we did over the whole 12 months of 2005 – now that’s progress.

In 2015, the city successfully hosted the Guinness PRO12 rugby final, the Gran Fondo legacy events, the Tall Ships Race, and we welcomed the top four collegiate teams from Boston for the Friendship Four ice hockey tournament. Then, to round off a fantastic year, Belfast hosted the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year beamed to 10 million viewers. www.hospitalityreviewni.com

For music lovers, there was Van Morrison’s 70th birthday celebration on the very street he made famous, Cyprus Avenue. 2016 will see Elton John and Adele grace the stage of the SSE Arena, representing the tip of the iceberg when it comes to arts and cultural events in the city.

Working with our ambassadors and partners within the conference and meetings industry, Visit Belfast brought 56 conferences, allowing the city to welcome over 52,000 conference delegates and generating much needed weekday business. With a near 200% increase on 2014, we expect that growth to continue with the opening of the much anticipated new extension of the Belfast Waterfront in May 2016.

Meanwhile, the rise of cruise tourism meant that Belfast matched the number of cruise visitors that arrived in 2014. Next year will see a tidal surge (excuse the pun) that will create a new high water mark (and that one) for Cruise Belfast as Visit Belfast and Belfast Harbour expect to welcome many more ships full of cruise

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passengers.

This year, our marketing campaigns extended into Europe, supporting new routes with KLM from Amsterdam, Jet2 from Rome and Vueling from Barcelona. We look forward to welcoming visitors from Belgium and further afield as Brussels Airlines arrives into Belfast City Airport from March 2016 – and I’m confident that we’ll see further news of new flights connecting the rest of the world to Belfast in the not-too-distant future.

All these factors are increasing consumer interest in visiting Belfast - enquiries handled by the Welcome Centre team are up 31% whilst on-line interest has seen visits to the Visit Belfast website up 42% on 2014.

The city also saw its share of accolades in 2015. Belfast was named the trendiest city in Europe, and was included at seventh place in Tripadvisor’s annual list of the UK’s top 10 destinations. Titanic Belfast was named Europe’s best visitor attraction for groups, and the Merchant Hotel was granted five red stars from the AA. We also welcomed the news that two Belfast restaurants – Ox and Michael Deane’s EIPIC were given Michelin stars for their outstanding quality. In December, three Belfast restaurants were named on ‘La Liste’ – a list of the best 1,000 restaurants worldwide, demonstrating the strength of the gastronomic offering here in the city.

So what will 2016 bring for Belfast?

The extension to our world-class conference centre, the Belfast Waterfront, will see us bid for bigger and more complex events and the opening of HMS Caroline will be a welcome addition to the growing number of reasons to visit the city.

Epic landscapes, time-honoured traditions, people and producers make our food heritage wonderfully unique and, as many of you will already know, 2016 has been designated Northern Ireland’s Year of Food & Drink. Belfast’s vibrant restaurant scene offers everything; from Michelin star fine-dining and exciting good value restaurants to the classic Ulster fry breakfast. Restaurant critics have been plating up praise for Belfast’s great food scene for some time, so I’ve no doubt that we’ve a great year to look forward to.

I think you can say it’s been another epic year for Belfast - with much more to come.

These achievements aren’t down to one person or one organisation. It’s down to partnerships across the whole sector. A great many people work very hard to make Belfast a fantastic place to live and visit, so let’s raise a toast to what will hopefully be a great 2016.

YEARBOOK HRNI • 71

tourismprofile

Is strategy on the menu: Making the most of our Year of Food & Drink 2016

By Dr Peter Bolan, director of Travel & Tourism Management at Ulster University and tourism commentator for HRNI. Peter Bolan

F

ood and drink is a key element of any visitor experience; with eating out a primary activity. Indeed, food can be seen as one of the essential elements of the tourist experience.

This can therefore bring a significant economic dividend to a country or region that can provide the mix of good quality food and drink that today’s tourist seeks. In fact, food and beverage expenditures can amount to as much as onethird of overall tourist expenditure in terms of global tourism turnover. Trends in tourism show that tourists are increasingly seeking a stronger connection to the places and communities they visit. It’s not just about taking in the scenery and visiting the key tourist attractions. Our visitors want to be immersed in the local communities they visit, eat local cuisine, drink local beer, taste local whiskey and indeed meet the artisans making the products they are tasting and purchasing.

With 2016 declared as the Year of Food & Drink in Northern Ireland, we have an enormous opportunity to showcase this aspect to a vast audience. The quality of our Northern Ireland produce is incredibly high. The range, depth and quality of food dishes on offer in our restaurants has developed tremendously 72 • HRNI YEARBOOK

in recent times (with many great accolades, reviews and awards received to highlight such success). The sheer creativity, variety and success of our artisan food and drink producers are also something to celebrate and to be proud of. In short, we have the ‘product’ and a great story to tell. That should all ‘feed’ the Year of Food & Drink very well indeed. However, this mustn’t be a one-off. We need to use this to truly put this aspect on the map, particularly from a tourism and economic perspective. In short we need a highly detailed, thorough and in-depth food and drink tourism strategy going forward and this Year of Food & Drink can provide an ideal platform and impetus and be used as a catalyst to drive this forward with a much higher level of prominence.

It has already been happening with great attention, effort and high level profile elsewhere, including places quite close to home. Scotland was there before us with this initiative. Their Year of Food & Drink was 2015 and has now recently come to a close (following a previous Year of Food & Drink in 2010). Such ‘themed’ years have been utilised to good effect to market Scotland as a tourist destination for some years now. 2014 was their Year of

Homecoming. 2016 is their Year of Innovation, Architecture & Design. Type ’food tourism strategy’ into google and the first page displays a number results for Wales and England as well as Australia and the Caribbean, and interestingly for the Republic of Ireland in relation to Failte Ireland initiatives. Nothing for Northern Ireland though, nor is there through page two, page three and so on. Others such as Scotland appear prominently, as well as the likes of Canada, South Africa and so on. Nothing on food and drink tourism strategy here though.

Why isn’t there? There should be. There needs to be.

Another aspect that warrants attention is the drinks sector. It often gets overshadowed by the food side and yet think how much we have to offer that way. We have the oldest licensed whiskey in the world and one of the very best in Bushmills. The distillery itself is a prominent tourist attraction already. Think about the explosion of new craft beers we have produced in recent years, the likes of Lacada on the north coast being one of the most recent additions.

Similarly in relation to gin and cider we now have some great local producers achieving great success with excellent products in that regard (eg Shortcross Gin and Long Meadow Cider). If we think about Ireland overall, the most successful visitor attraction in terms of visitor numbers is the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin (which gets twice as many tourists as Titanic Belfast for example). So clearly, let’s not underestimate the power of what our locally produced drinks can do for tourism and the economy and therefore give them their fair share of attention in terms of marketing and strategy.

This can all be seen as part of what has become known as the ‘experience economy’.

Our artisan food and drink producers are now ideally positioned to be a very important part of this experience economy and a key asset in our overall tourism product. Visitors want authenticity. They want products that are genuine with an identifiable link to the area.

That very much adds value to the overall tourism experience. When it comes to food and drink, we can provide that. We are in many respects already there, but let’s get the balance right and above all, let’s get the message right. We need a coherent, detailed and achievable strategy for food tourism and we can use the 2016 Year of Food & Drink to help achieve that. There are a lot of great aspects about tourism in Northern Ireland these days but let’s make sure that food and drink have their rightful place on the tourism menu.

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hospitalitypropertyprofile

There’s light at the end of the tunnel –

finally

By Mark Carron, Osborne King Commercial Property Consultants

York Hotel

Spirit Store in Trillick.

Previously we saw the closure of weaker outlets; however this trend is now slowing down. Overall, £8m worth of pub sales have completed during the past year.

One of the most controversial issues heading into the start of 2015 was the rating revaluation which left approximately 50% of outlets with an increased rates bill. As preferred service providers to Hospitality Ulster, Osborne King has undertaken a number of successful appeals on behalf of clients. Whilst publicans and hoteliers may be still dealing with an increase in their rating outlay, most have had to accept the inevitable. Land & Property Services have been surprised at the reduced levels of appeal; therefore it is worth along with the expansion of the ooking back to my last end-ofchecking with a rating expert to make sure that The King's Head Belfast Waterfront, should lead year article for this magazine you are not paying too much. to inward investment from and its heading, ‘Glass half Going into 2016, the general economy GB and beyond. full going into 2015’, will continue to grow and I expect to see the Approximately 20 thankfully the licensed licensed and leisure market continuing to thrive. pubs were sold last and leisure market has At the time of writing I am aware of eight pubs year. Sales included continued to improve. that are agreed for sale in the local market, We have seen The Clarendon Bar which will equate to approximately £10m of significant activity with (currently under sales, should all complete. This includes The many public houses refurbishment), Granny Botanic Inn and The King’s Head. changing hands; Annie’s (formerly Bound The value of liquor licences has continued to however the hotel market for Boston) and Beckett’s improve, rising by 10% in the last 12 months has been more prevalent in Bar, all in Derry city. Belfast currently standing at £80,000 for a valid the headlines during the last 12 sales included The House, and subsisting licence. Most significantly, we months. At least nine hotels have Stranmillis, The Bar with No should continue to see a decline in bank/ been sold either with vacant possession Name, The Longfellow and Village Inn. administration led sales with the return of or as investment opportunities totalling over In addition, The Botanic Inn, Madison’s and ‘willing’ sellers and buyers supported by £62m worth of sales. These sales included The King’s Head are likely to complete and transfer more favourable finance terms. 2016 will Clayton, The Fitzwilliam, Ten Square, Crescent ownership in early 2016. I understand, at the see the introduction of national minimum Townhouse, all in Belfast, as well as two north time of writing, that two of these three outlets wage although this will undoubtedly have coast hotels, The Ramada and The York Inn, and have been sold to two separate parties at strong a substantial impact on the hospitality Lough Erne in Co Fermanagh. sale prices setting new tones in the sector, which is likely to be passed We expect to see a further flurry of activity market. Madison’s is going to onto the consumer. With staff in the near future with proposed developments a second round of offers overheads for most outlets in Belfast; the Hastings Group’s Grand Central in order to stimulate a equating to around oneHotel, which will provide 200 bedrooms, sale. The Northern third of turnover, this new Beannchor Group’s 58-bedroom Bullitt Hotel, Whig will remain measure will do little to McAleer and Rushe’s Black Staff Square Hotel under the ownership improve profitability, and the Harbour Commissioners’ City Quays of the Horatio and in some cases may hotel development. This plethora of new build Group. Beyond lead to pub closures. developments and planned refurbishments Belfast, a number On a positive note, elsewhere will see an additional 2,200 new of pub sales have however, after a difficult or refurbished hotel bedrooms come to the occurred including few years, we are now market. Clearly all of these developments will The Horseshoe Bar, generally seeing light provide much needed employment throughout Newtownhamilton, Mallard at the end of a long and The Bot the construction sector and wider economy, and Bar, Ballinamallard and The unforgettable tunnel.

Ten Square

L

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YEARBOOK HRNI • 73

hospitalitytrainingprofile

Elevating training and skills in hospitality

By People 1st Director Roisin McKee

example, areas such as allergen awareness, use of social media, mixology and food provenance. This will help to ensure that resulting qualifications and training reflect current industry changes and those entering the industry have the most up-to-date skills and knowledge.

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t People 1st, we are passionate about skills and improving the productivity and professionalism of our sector’s workforce.

We play a leading role in: • working with employers to identify future skills needs • developing skills and training solutions • influencing and shaping the future development of qualifications • encouraging greater investment in training • providing labour market information that helps businesses with their long-term plans Ultimately, we want to maximise the future growth, competitiveness and job creation benefits of an important sector of Northern Ireland’s economy, through the performance of its people.

Setting standards for performance During 2015, People 1st reviewed the national occupational standards (NOS) for hospitality, arguably one of the most important reference points for qualifications and staff development.

NOS are industry benchmarks of good practice. They describe what a member of staff in our industry needs to know and demonstrate to be deemed competent at their job. The standards form the basis of vocational qualifications and are used to benchmark staff development and progression.

The review aims to reflect changes in hospitality job roles over the last seven years and to ensure the standards reflect current and emerging practices and remain fit for purpose.

As part of this process, over 200 NOS for hospitality functions were reviewed across occupational areas including food and beverage service, food production, professional cookery, front of house and accommodation and hospitality supervision and leadership.

From the excellent feedback received, we have revised and restructured the standards to reflect changing industry practices to include, for 74 • HRNI YEARBOOK

Looking to the 21st century chef Robust research underpins everything that we do at People 1st - from informing our strategy to providing insight and leadership to government and industry.

With chefs continuing to be a critical recruitment challenge for many hospitality businesses, we have conducted fresh research with chefs themselves, hospitality businesses, industry commentators, recruitment agencies and suppliers to get a better understanding of the types of skills the industry will need in the next five to 10 years.

Currently, 42% of chef vacancies are considered hard to fill, with People 1st research indicating that, by 2022, the industry will need to recruit an additional 11,000 chefs. The growth in more informal, casual dining has seen the UK branded pub and restaurant market attracting an extra 47 million visits each year compared to five years ago.

This, allied to a refocus on locality, seasonality and authenticity, has arguably fragmented the chef job description and increased the number of people who work under the job title of ‘chef’ but carry out wildly varying tasks, using different skills.

This industry sea change begs a number of questions for kitchens of the future: namely, how will we come to properly define the role of a 21st century chef? What skills will people looking to join the brigade of the future; require?

And how best to recruit, develop and most importantly, retain, the best candidates?

If you care about the future of this fantastic industry and would like to contribute your views to this research, which will report its findings in early 2016, we want to hear from you.

Informing the future of apprenticeships – what employers want The hospitality sector offers very real employment opportunities with strong career paths. Attracting people to the sector, and challenging perceptions of the industry as lowskilled and lacking in career prospects, remain a priority.

Apprenticeships offer a valuable route for attracting new recruits and equipping tomorrow’s workforce with the skills that businesses need.

With over 20,000 workers required in our sector by 2020, along with reforms to the vocational training system, we believe that apprenticeships will become even more important to growing a talent pipeline for the future.

During 2014 and 2015, the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) published the Northern Ireland Strategy on Apprenticeships and Youth Training which sets out a blueprint for the future of vocational education and training.

The reforms, which come into effect in 2016, aspire to build a new high quality system of apprenticeships and youth training that will be as highly regarded as traditional academic qualifications. It will be driven by strategic partnership; putting employers at its very heart to design high-quality programmes that reflect sector needs; better match supply with demand and develop new and exciting career progression opportunities in the industry.

The Minister also established a strategic advisory forum to provide advice and guidance on key elements of the reformed system, and People 1st represents the interests of the sector on this forum alongside other key stakeholders.

As part of this process, DEL is seeking employers’ views on the importance of financial and non-financial incentives and wider support that would encourage them to engage with the new training models.

Our research repeatedly shows us that employing apprentices has such a positive impact on businesses. It’s a fantastic way to develop skilled and committed staff and there’s evidence that hospitality apprentices improve the bottom line by an impressive £5,200.

However, we know that a large proportion of hospitality businesses, including SMEs which represent 96% of industry employers, are not benefiting from apprenticeships.

As an employer, this is your chance to have your say on any barriers to employing an apprentice and influence the incentives offered through the new system. You can complete the survey at: www.surveymonkey.com/r/QSJ85WN At People 1st, we will continue to work with industry and key partners to position the sector as a great employer and help businesses access the skilled employees and high-quality training programmes they need.

For further information on our work, and the training and talent management solutions we offer, visit www.people1st.co.uk

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Thank you all and I look forward to working with you all in 2016!

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Bacardi BrownForman Brands N.Ireland Contacts Customer Development Manager Richard McCluskey 07971508682 Customer Development Executives Ryan Brown Tel: 07971508739 Carla McGreevy Tel: 07971508732 Tel: 01962762100 Website: www.bacardi-martini.co.uk Website: www.bacardi.com Products: Rum BACARDI Superior Rum BACARDI Gold Rum BACARDI 8 Year Old Rum BACARDI Oakheart Bacardi Razz

Tennessee Whiskey Jack Daniel’s Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Gentleman Jack Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey

Vodka Grey Goose Original Grey Goose La Poire Grey Goose L’Orange Grey Goose Le Citron Finlandia Classic Vodka Finlandia Cranberry Finlandia Lime Finlandia Mango Finlandia Grapefruit Eristoff Eristoff Black

Bourbon Woodford Reserve

Gin Bombay Sapphire Oxley Vermouth Martini Extra Dry Martini Rosso Martini Bianco Martini Rosato Noilly Prat Dry Tequila Patron Silver Patron Reposado Patron Anejo Patron XO Cafe

Speciality Southern Comfort Southern Comfort Black Cherry Tuaca Chambord St Germain Elderflower Sparkling Martini Asti Martini Prosecco Martini Rose Rtd Breezer: Orange Spritzer Mixed Berry Ready to Drink Cocktails BACARDI Mojito BACARDI Cuba Libre Bacardi & Cola Premix cans Jack Daniel’s Premix cans Southern Comfort Premix cans

Available From All Good Wholesalers 78 • HRNI YEARBOOK

Bunzl Rafferty Hospitality Products 1 Shepherd’s Drive, Carnbane Industrial Estate, Newry, Co Down, BT35 6JQ Tel No: 0283025 2205 Email: rafsales@bunzl.ie Web: www.RaffertyHospitality.com Facebook Page: BunzlRafferty Twitter: @BunzlRafferty LinkedIn: Bunzl Rafferty Hospitality Type of Business: Hospitality Product Provider Managing Director: Alan Blaney Sales Manager: Damian Caldwell Email: damian.caldwell@bunzl.ie Sales Executives: Siobhan Rushe Email: siobhan.rushe@bunzl.ie Tel No: 07866 770043

Calor Gas Northern Ireland Limited Airport Road West Sydenham Belfast BT3 9EE Tel: 028 9045 5588 Fax: 028 9045 8072 E-mail: info@calorgas.ie Website: www.calorgas.ie Out of Hours Emergency Tel No: 0845 075 5588 Sales Manager: Mark McClements (Bulk) Alan Simms (Cylinder) Type of Business: Supplier of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in both bulk tank and cylinder options. Delivering efficient and economical energy solutions to the catering industry. Full design service and 24-hour emergency call out.

Iain Speers Email: iain.speers@bunzl.ie Tel No: 07920 274642 Company Information: Bunzl Rafferty Hospitality Products are the leading supplier of innovative and modern hospitality products throughout the whole of Ireland.

With their proven commitment to quality and service, they remain the ONE STOP SHOP for hotel, bar and restaurant supplies.

With an unrivalled range of leading brands including Lily O’Brien’s, Corby, Rubbermaid and Brabantia, Bunzl Rafferty Hospitality Products will ensure that all your hospitality needs are catered for. In addition, Bunzl Rafferty offers an exceptional level of customer service through their dedicated Sales Team complete with Sourcing Department and In House Design Team.

Products/Services: Commercial Catering, Water Heating, Space Heating, Air Handling, Alfresco Catering, Outdoor Heating Solutions, Tumble Drying

Key Products: Guest Amenities Menu Covers and Cases Napkins Chocolates Table Decorations Bedding Slippers Ironing Centres Badges Pens Array of Personalised Products plus much more twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

www.hospitalityreviewni.com

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Counterpoint Wholesale Ireland

Coca-Cola Hellenic Northern Ireland Knockmore Hill 12 Lissue Road Lisburn BT28 2SZ Tel: 0845 60 88889 Email: customer.service@cchellenic.com Web: www.coca-colahellenicireland.com Type of Business: Soft Drinks Manufacturer and Supplier Products and services: CSD: Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, CocaCola Life, Cherry Coke, Fanta Orange, Fanta Lemon, Fanta Exotic, Sprite, Sprite Zero, Lilt, Dr Pepper, Tanora Stills: Oasis, Nestea Juice: Fruice Orange, Fruice Apple, Fruice Cranberry, Fruice Juicy Kids Waters Still and Sparkling: Deep RiverRock Energy & Sports: Relentless, Monster, BPM Energy, Powerade Mixers: Schweppes, Kia Ora Dilutes

14 Kilbegs Road, Antrim, Northern Ireland.

BT41 4NN Tel: 0808 1011 610 Email: info@counterpointireland.com Web: www.counterpointireland.com Type of Business: Manufacturer and distributor of soft drinks. Multi franchise distributor of all packaged beer, spirits, wines and snacks.

Names and Positions of Personnel: Head of Field Sales: Fergal Ryan Regional Manager: Cathy Fox Key Accounts Manager: Brenda McGale Company Information: Area: Belfast Denise Stone (Account Development Executive) Tel: 0044 7801753552 Email: Denise.Stone@counterpointireland.com Area: Co Down Brendan Kearney (Account Development Executive) Tel: 0044 77958 17279 Email: Brendan.Kearney@counterpointireland.com Area: Armagh, Tyrone and Fermanagh Marie Mcintosh (Account Development Executive) Tel: 0044 77203 48111 Email: Marie.McIntosh@counterpointireland.com Area: Derry, Antrim and North West Tyrone Emma Nugent (Account Development Executive) Tel: 0044 78017 53590 Email: Emma.Nugent@counterpointireland.com Products and services: Soft Drinks/Mineral Waters: Soft Drinks: 7Up, 7Up Free, Britvic Juices, Britvic 55, Club Soft Drinks, Club Mixers, Energise Energy, Edge, Pepsi, Mi Wadi, Fruit Shoot, J2O, C&C. Mineral Waters: Ballygowan.

Super Premium Mixers: Thomas Henry World Beers: Super Bock Wine: Australian: Lindemans. Jack Rabbit, Smith & Wolf Chilean: Cono Sur, Tocornal.

Spanish: Torres.

Snacks: Walkers, Smiths, Nobby Nuts, Doritos

www.hospitalityreviewni.com

twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

Crossgar Pallas Down Business Park 46 Belfast Road Downpatrick Co. Down BT30 9UP Tel: 028 4481 1500 E-mail: sales@crossgar.ie Website: www.pallasfoods.com Positions of Personnel: Sales Managers: Conleth McCarthy 07710 660634 Eric Jackson 07796 947939 Type or Business: Foodservice Products/Services: We procure, market, sell & distribute food and non-food products throughout the island of Ireland, to anywhere where people eat food outside the home.

Crossgar Pallas is proud to support a great group of chefs throughout Ireland to provide excellent quality product and services to their customers.

Our team of over 800 foodies includes chefs & product specialists who carefully select the best of ingredients and products throughout Ireland and around the world.

This team is further supported by our warehouse and distribution team to deliver the best and freshest food and non-food products to your kitchen or deli counter.

Our Distribution Centre currently stocks over 10,000 ambient, chilled and frozen product lines, including meat, poultry, grocery, produce, dairy, seafood, bakery, beverages, chemicals, disposables and tableware.

Next day delivery available, through a modern fleet, to ensure that the product arrives as expected by you.

YEARBOOK HRNI • 79

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Diageo 3rd floor, Capital House, 3 Upper Queen Street, Belfast, BT1 6FB Country Director, Diageo Northern Ireland: Jorge Lopes

Customer Contact: 0845 601 4649 Type of Business: Drinks manufacturer and distributor

Products: Draught Beer and Cider: Guinness, Guinness Mid Strength, Budweiser, Carlsberg, Harp, Smithwick’s, Smithwick’s Pale Ale, Warsteiner, Strongbow, Magners, Hop House 13, Guinness Dublin Porter, Smithwick’s Blonde

Packed Beers: Carlsberg, Guinness, Guinness Extra Stout, Harp, Satzenbrau, Smithwick’s, Smithwick’s Pale Ale, Smithwick’s Blonde, Hop House 13, Guinness West Indies Porter, Seasonal Brews Vodka: Smirnoff Red, Smirnoff Blue, Smirnoff Black, Green Apple Smirnoff, Lime Smirnoff, Smirnoff Gold, Ciroc, Ketel One, Ketel One Citroen

RTD’s & Pre Mix Cans: Smirnoff Ice, Smirnoff Double Black Ice, Smirnoff Pre-Mix Cans, Captain Morgan Pre-Mix Cans, Gordon’s Pre-Mix Cans, Smirnoff Pouches, Parrot Bay Pouches Other Spirits: Archers Peach Schnapps, Pimm’s No1, Sambuca Romano, Goldschlager, Jose Cuervo Gin: Gordon’s, Tanqueray, Tanqueray No.Ten Cream Liqueur: Bailey’s, Bailey’s Chocolate Luxe Rum: Captain Morgan, Ron Zacapa Whiskies: Bells, Johnnie Walker Red Label, Johnnie Walker Black Label, Johnnie Walker Blue Label, Talisker, Bulleit Bourbon, Bulleit Rye, Cardhu, Singleton

80 • HRNI YEARBOOK

Dillon Bass Ltd Hawthorne Office Park, 41 A Stockman’s Way, Belfast. BT9 7ET Tel: (028) 90382233 Customer Care Email: dblcustomercare@pernod-ricard.com Website: www.dillonbass.co.uk Business Unit Director: Greg Hughes Retail Sales Manager: Liam McBride On Trade Field Sales Manager: Greg Elliott Type of Business: Wines and Spirits Distributor Northern Ireland.

Agencies/ Distributorships: Irish Whiskey: Jameson Powers Coleraine Paddy Midleton Redbreast Scotch Whisky: Cream of the Barley Chivas Regal Ballentine’s Aberlour Cognac: Hennessy Vodka: Absolut Belvedere Wyborowa Huzzar Nordoff Gin: Beefeater Plymouth Cork Dry Gin

Tequila: Olmeca Other Spirits: Pernod Ricard Kahlúa Ramazzotti De Kuyper Coolers: West Coast Cooler Wines: Jacob’s Creek Wyndham Estate Brancott Estate Stoneleigh Concha y Toro Sutter Home Graffigna Etchart Campo Viejo Rothschild Champagne: Möet & Chandon Veuve Clicquot Krug Dom Perignon

Rum: Havana Club Malibu

twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

www.hospitalityreviewni.com

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Drinks Inc. Ltd 4 Falcon Road Belfast BT12 6SJ Tel: 028 9066 7744 Fax: 028 9066 2244 Email: orders@drinksinc.com Website: www.drinksinc.com Type of Business: Drinks wholesaler and distributor

Liqueurs & Speciality Drinks: Agwa Coca, Cola Cubed, Kräuter Herbal Schnapps, Mickey Finn Liquor, Monin Liqueurs, Nutron, Piranha Schnapps Port & Sherry: Churchill’s Reserve, Quinta do Noval, Gonzalez Byass Sherries Beer: Budvar, Budvar NA, Estrella Damm, Daura Damm, Duvel, Vedette, Hilden Brewery, Hillstown Brewery, Yardsman

Area Sales Representatives: Gabriel Lupari: 07812 597431 Gerry McGrath: 07793 979889 Heather McCracken: 07436 288489 Karen O’Hare: 07703 718800 Kevin McGuinness: 07436 288490 Shauna Parkes: 07966 202046

Cider: Mac Ivors RTD’s: Fat Frog, Hooper’s, Hooch Soft Drinks & Water: Boost Energy, Funkin, Fentiman’s, Frobishers, Monin Syrups, Voss Water Wine Argentina:

Stephen Jackson: 07703 718799 Rory MacNally (Wines): 07810 122247

Beef Steak, Bodegas Septima, Trivento Australia: Angus the Bull, Auction House, Chocolate Box, The Gourmet, The Little

Agencies & Distributorships

Penguin, Rugger Hill

Vodka:

Bodegas Centenarias, Isla Negra, Misiones, Santiano, Tarapaca, Terra

Russian Standard, Dingle, Two Trees

Andina, Tolva, Vina Carmen, Vina Maipo

Chile:

France: Gin:

Batisse, Bavarder, Belle Jardin, Coccinelles, Joseph Drouhin, JP Chenet,

Daffy’s, Dingle, London No.1, Monkey 47, Two Trees

La Petit Courret, Ogier

Rum:

Badia di Morona, Bolla, Botter, Flavorelli, La Deliziosa, Solstice

Italy: Appleton, Ron de Jeremy

New Zealand: 2 Luc, Brightwater, The Horologist, The Long White, Whistling Track

Whiskies:

Spain:

Drombeg, Glenfarclas, Jack Ryan, Kennedy, Teeling, The Pogues, The

Anciano, Beronia, Gran Familia, Legaris, Leiras, Raimat, Vina Pomal Rioja

Quiet Man

USA: Bonterra, Blossom Hill, Whispering Hills

Bourbon:

Rest of the World:

Four Roses

Frocks & Thrills, Kissing Tree, Road Trip

Cognac:

Champagne:

Hine

Armand de Brignac, Georges Cartier, Louis Dornier, Pol Roger, Pommery Sparkling:

www.hospitalityreviewni.com

Brandy:

Bartolomiol, Botter, Bottega, Calogera, Codorniu, Prosecco d’Maria,

Soberano

Yellowglen Pink

twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

YEARBOOK HRNI • 81

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Drinksology® 155-157 Donegall Pass Belfast BT7 1DT Tel: 02890339955 Email: hello@drinksology.com Website: www.drinksology.com Type of Business: The Wine, Spirit and Craft Beer Specialist Agencies & Distributorships

Italy: Villa dei Fiori, Il Banchetto, Operetto, Conto Vecchio, Campomaggio, Villa Lucia, Castellani, Alois Lageder, Riff, Vietti, Villa Sant’Anna, Fratelli, Rufina, Terre Forti, Fondo Antico, Jvbilvm, I Fiori, Villa Belvedere, Castellare, Marotti Campi, Morgassi, Nicolis, Paolo Conterno, Suavia.

New Zealand: Tokomaru, Soho Wine, Spy Valley, Prophet’s Rock, Left Field, Te Awa.

Agencies & Distributorships Spirits & Liqueurs: DRINKSOLOGY® is Ireland’s largest stockist of premium spirits and liqueurs, with a current range of over 5,000 products. Please contact our team or visit www.drinksology. com to gain access to our extensive range.

Craft Beer & Cider: McGrath’s (N. Ireland), SailorTown (N.Ireland), Tempted Cider (N. Ireland), Clever Man (Ireland) Wine: Argentina: Tarquino, Vinos de la Posada

Portugal: Conde Villar, Vallado, Quinto do Vallado Reserva South Africa: Kudu Plains, Nyala, Wandering Bear, Gable View, Graham Beck, Journey’s End, De Trafford, Kloovenburg, Springfield Estate, Kleine Rust, Stellenrust.

Spain: El Muro, Pez de Rio, Monte Clavijo, Castillo Viento, Castillo Clavijo, Tomas Cusine, Acustic Cellars, A Coroa, Bobal de Sanjuan, Cuatro Rayas, Casa de la Ermita, Espelt Old Vines, Londono, Damana 5, Solerana.

Australia: The Old Press, Circa, Calder Grove, The Spee’wah, Little Eden, Bests Great Western, Battle of Bosworth, Josef Chromy, Chateau Tanunda.

USA: The Bulletin, Gnarly Head, Charles Smith, A to Z, Calera, Clay Station, Loredona, Dry Creek, Morgan, Rex Hill.

Chile: Alto Bajo, San Abello, Valdivieso, Garage Wine.

Fortified: Rodriguez La-Cave Sherry, Emilio Lustau Sherry, Henriques & Henriques Madeira, Wahres Port.

France: Jean Biecher, Gassman, Bouchard Aine & Fils, Jean Defaix, Domaine Roux, Denogent, Domaine Dupont, Cave de Fleurie, Georges Lignier, Latour Giraud, Marcel Lapierre, Agnes Dewe, Domaine Rijckaert, Domaine Trouillet, Les Hospices, Domaine Fouassier, Jacques Guindon, Eric Louis, Claude Michot, Henry Pelle, Le Pierres Domaine Thomas, La Picoutine, La Serre, I’Hospitalet, Domaine Lafage, Chateau Monestier, Chateau des Sarrins, St Cosme, Paul Jaboulet.

82 • HRNI YEARBOOK

Champagne & Sparkling: Palmer & Co, Besserat & Bellefon, De Castellane, Veuve Delaroy, De Nauroy, Mercier, Mumm Cordon Rouge, Bruno Paillard, Graham Beck, Valdobbiadene Prosecco, Vaporetto Prosecco, Chapel Down, Josef Chromy.

Non-Alcoholic: Monin Syrups, Monin Purees, Clark & Co. Essences & Bitters

Febvre & Company Limited Highfield House, Burton Hall Road, Sandyford Industrial Estate, Sandyford, Dublin 18.

Tel: 01 216 1400 Fax: 01 294 1278 (Orders) Email: info@febvre.ie Website: www.febvre.ie Management: CEO: Jim Bradley Sales Manager: David McDonnell Financial Controller: Liz Coogan Marketing Manager: Kerri Judge Sales Representatives Northern Ireland: Allison Farr Tel: +44 7968 409428 Roddy McBride Tel: +44 7834 337645 Type of Business: Wines, Champagnes & Sparkling, Ports, Wine by the Glass Equipment, Wine Equipment, Eurocave, Spiegelau Glassware, Foods.

Products/Services: Beer: Craft Beer: Williams Beer Ginger Beer: John Hollows Alcoholic Ginger Beer Soft drinks/waters: Soft Drinks: Fentiman’s Spirits/Liqueurs/Others: Gin: Hayman’s, Martin Millers Rum: Plantation Tequilla: Jose Cuervo Vodka: Crystal Head Armagnac: St-Vivant Wine American: Cakebread Cellars, Benziger, Joseph Phelps, Sequoia Grove, Devils Ridge Argentinian: Francois Lurton, Piedra Negra Australian: d’Arenberg, Thorn Clarke, De Bortoli, Babington Brook Austrian: Sepp Moser Chilean: De Martino, Paulita Reserva, Francois Lurton-Kawin

twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

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companyindex French: Alsace: Gustave Lorentz, Weinbach Burgundy: Maison Louis Latour, Domaine Dujac, Georges Duboeuf, Simonnet Febvre, Henry Fessy, Chateau Anotonin Guyon, Domaine Devillard, Alain Geoffroy, Domaine Roger Luquet.

Bordeaux: Andre Lurton, Jean Pierre Moueix, Chateau de Fieuzal, Chateau Langoa Barton and many other estates Beaujolais: George Duboeuf, Henry Fessy.

Chablis: Simonnet Febvre, Alain Geoffroy.

Languedoc/Roussillon: Francois Lurton-Duberny, Domaine Peiriere, Domaine Blomac, Triennes.

Loire: Domaine Vacheron, Chateau de Tracy Pouilly Fume; Alain Cailbourdin Pouilly Fume; Alain Gueneau, Domaine Chéreau Carré, Saint Peyre, Thierry Delauney Domaine de Chatenoy Menetou Salon.

Rhône: Delas Freres, Domaine VacheronPouizin, Domaine de Boissan.

South of France: Francois Lurton; Domaine Peirere Hungarian: Disznoko.

Italian: Castello Banfi, Ca Rugate, Garfoli, Geografico Chianti, La Vis, Monte del Fra, Vini Tonon, Barolo Veglio, Donantello Jasci, Orion Wines, Cantina Birgi, Giuliana.

New Zealand: Lawson’s Dry Hills, Three Wooly Sheep.

Romanian: Cramele Recas.

South African: Two Oceans, Fleur du Cap, Drostdy Hof, Jordan, Meerlust, Table Mountain, Hope Bay. Spanish: Bodegas Valdemar, Casa Roja, Finca del Marquesdo, Esperanza, Bodegas Agnus Dei, Bodegas Perez Pascuas.

Flogas Airport Road West, Belfast Harbour Estate, Belfast. BT3 9ED Tel: 028 9073 2611 Fax: 028 9073 2020 Email: info@flogasni.com Website: www.flogasni.com Sales Manager: Anthony Mulligan Type of Business: Suppliers of LPG & Commercial Natural Gas

Heineken Northern Ireland Murphy’s Brewery, Leitrim Street, Cork Tel: 0845 300 4302 Type of Business: Beer & Cider Distributor Key Contacts: Commercial Manager: Leza Nulty Products and Services:

Products/Services: Flogas, the energy solution for the hospitality industry.

Offering highly competitive rates, Flogas are in the unique position of being able to supply both LP Gas & Natural Gas to the hospitality industry in Northern Ireland.

Beer Heineken, Foster’s Lager, Tiger Beer, Desperados, Sol, Birra Moretti, Kronenbourg

Easy-to-control, clean & versatile, most chefs know that gas is a joy to cook with in commercial kitchens. However, it’s not just great for cooking. Flogas can also run space heating & air conditioning systems, water heaters & tumble drying/laundry facilities. As such, every aspect of a hospitality business can be powered using Flogas, whether creating a masterpiece in the kitchen, helping ensure fresh linen and uniforms or setting the right ambience, both indoors and outdoors.

Cider Strongbow, Bulmers Original, Woodpecker, Jacques Fruit Cider

Stout & Ale Beamish Stout, Murphy’s Stout, Newcastle Brown Ale

Other Wines Quarter Bottles: Paulita Reserva, Hope Bay, Giuliana, Drostdy Hof, Domaine Peiriere, Babington Brook, Willowglen, Three Wooly Sheep.

Champagne & Sparkling Wines Champagne: Champagne Taittinger, Champagne Deutz, Champagne Jean Pernet.

Sparkling Wine: Valdo Prosecco, Breganze Prosecco, Simonnet Febvre Cremant de Bourgogne.

www.hospitalityreviewni.com

twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

YEARBOOK HRNI • 83

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Type of Business: Beer, wines and spirits distributor

Names and Positions of Personnel: Company Chairman: Paul Hunt Managing Director: Robert Davis Sales Manager: Michael Millar Marketing Manager: Leonie Bond

James E McCabe Ltd James E McCabe Ltd, 4 Annagh Drive, Portadown, Craigavon, BT63 5WF. Tel: 028 38333102 Fax: 028 38335916 Web: www.jemccabe.com Product/Services: SCOTCH WHISKY The Famous Grouse Whyte & Mackay Teacher’s The Claymore MALT WHISKY Highland Park 12 Y-O Laphroaig 10 Y-O Isle of Jura 10 Y-O IRISH WHISKEY Kilbeggan Connemara Single Malt Tyrconnell Single Malt CANADIAN WHISKEY Canadian Club BOURBON Jim Beam Family Jim Beam Devil’s Cut Jim Beam Signature Craft Maker’s Mark RUM Brugal COGNAC Courvoisier BRANDY E & J Gallo De Lange Napoleon VODKA Stolichnaya New Amsterdam Vladivar Boru Skyy GIN Adnams Copperhouse London No. 3 Bulldog LIQUEURS AND SPECIALITY DRINKS Jägermeister Aftershock Sourz Drioli Sambuca Luxardo Sambuca Sauza Tequila 901 Tequila Drambuie 84 • HRNI YEARBOOK

Bols Liqueurs Glayva Galliano Luxardo Amaretto Irish Mist Honey Campari Midori Ouzo 12 PORT, SHERRY & MADEIRA Dow’s Warre’s Harveys Cinzano FORTIFIED WINE Buckfast Tonic Wine BEER / CRAFT BEER Finn Irish Craft Pilsner Foxes Rock Irish Pale Ale Adnams Kentucky Ales Metal Man CIDER Älska Swedish Cider Armagh Cider PREMIUM MIXERS Bottle Green NEW ZEALAND Villa Maria Estate Esk Valley Nobilo Mud House Leftfield AUSTRALIA Hardys Banrock Station McWilliams Hanwood Estate Evans & Tate CALIFORNIA Barefoot Gallo Family Vineyards Turning Leaf Dark Horse Apothic Geyser Peak Ravenswood Mondavi Woodbridge

Gato Negro 35 South Acon Cagua Montes La Palma Fresita ARGENTINA Nicholas Catena Argento La Celia SOUTH AFRICA Boschendal Tall Horse Douglas Green FRANCE Cordier Mestrezat Chateau La Chablisienne Jean Durup Chablis Cellier Des Samson Bougrier Guy Saget Louis Bernard Louis Jadot GERMANY Three Princes ITALY Orsola Prosecco Cinzano Prosecco Bolla Prosecco Canti Wines Villa Lanata Antinori Settesoli Gruppo Italiano Vini SPAIN Faustino Señorio De Labarta Pleyadas Freixenet Cava CHAMPAGNE Laurent Perrier Alfred Gratien Piper Heidsieck

CHILE Errazuriz Caliterra twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

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Johnson Brothers (Belfast) Limited 137 Hillsborough Old Road Lisburn Co Antrim BT27 5QR Tel: 028 92679121 Fax: 028 92668800 Email: coffee@johnsonbrothers.co.uk Website: www.johnsonscoffee.com Personnel: Joint Managing Director: M.A. Johnson Joint Managing Director: D.W.M. Johnson Group Sales Director: P. Mills Type of Business: Coffee Roasters Company Information: Roasting Coffee since 1913, providing filter and espresso coffees plus related products together with machinery, service, training and brand support.

Partner with the Fastest Growing Brewer in Northern Ireland* Molson Coors Unit 1, Hawthorne House, 6 Wildflower Way, Belfast, County Antrim, BT12 6TA Type of Business: Brewing Company Personnel/Contacts: Director NI: Ryan McFarland On Trade Controller NI: Paul Hanna Off Trade Controller NI: Gavin Bleakley Brand Director – IOI Brand Portfolio and Craft Beer (UK&I): Robert Blythe Marketing Manager: John Kelly Customer Marketing Controller: Jordana Busby Company Information: Molson Coors is the fastest growing brewer in Northern Ireland*. Globally, Molson Coors Brewing Company has 350 combined years of brewing heritage, with a respected product portfolio that includes almost 40 of the world’s most popular and distinct beer brands.

Products and services: In Northern Ireland, Molson Coors is responsible for the marketing and distribution of Coors Light, Carling, Cobra, Blue Moon, Grolsch, Franciscan Well, Staropramen, Sharp’s Doom Bar, Sharp’s Wolf Rock, Sharp’s Atlantic Pale Ale, Carling Cider, Molson Canadian and Worthington’s To find out more about our brands please contact your local sales representative or contact our customer service team on 0845 6000 888.

Musgrave MarketPlace NI Head Office 1-15 Dargan Crescent Duncrue Road Belfast BT3 9HJ Tel: 028 9078 4800 Email: marketplace@musgrave.co.uk Web: www.musgravemarketplace.co.uk Personnel: Wholesale Director: Trevor Magill Wholesale Sales Manager NI: Tom Kinnier Foodservice Sales Manager: Richard Mayne Commercial Manager: Neil Donnelly Type of Business: Musgrave Wholesale Partners is Northern Ireland’s largest wholesaler, providing both collect & delivered wholesale solutions for independent retailers and foodservice professionals.

Main Brands: Musgrave MarketPlace, and DayToday Product Ranges: Musgrave Excellence Musgrave Professional Smart Buy Butchers Select Simply Meat Today’s

*Reference – Nielsen MAT October 2015

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twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

YEARBOOK HRNI • 85

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Osborne King Address: The Metro Building, 6-9 Donegall Square South, Belfast, BT1 5JA Tel: 028 9027 0000 Fax: 028 9027 0011 Email: property@osborneking.com Web: www.osborneking.com Type of Business: Commercial Property Consultants Licensed and Leisure Team: Director: Mark Carron Tel: 028 9027 0016 E-Mail: mark.carron@osborneking.com Associate Director: Martin McGreevy T: 028 9027 0042 E-Mail: martin.mcgreevy@osborneking.com Senior Surveyor: Thomas Osborne T: 028 9027 0036 E-Mail: thomas.osborne@osborneking.com Company Information: Osborne King are the largest independent commercial property consultants in Northern Ireland with a specialist team dealing with the sale, acquisition and valuation of pubs, hotels, liquor licences and restaurants throughout the province. We act on behalf of a variety of clients and have a large database of potential buyers which has established our firm as the foremost licensed trade specialists. As a result Osborne King’s licensed and leisure team conducted a significant level of sales and acquisitions throughout 2015. With more opportunities to come to the market in 2016 we are happy to discuss any requirements you may have.

Products and services: Our dedicated Licensed & Leisure Team offers a comprehensive range of services to include sales, acquisitions, lettings, valuations and rating advice. We also provide the full range of services in relation to all aspects of commercial property, including consultancy, agency, investment, valuation, property management and regular auctions.

Rating Revaluation 2015: All commercial property rates in Northern Ireland have been re-assessed with the new values having come into effect as of 1st April 2015. Osborne King act on behalf of clients within the licensed trade providing rating advice and preparing and lodging appeals.

For all your commercial property requirements contact Osborne King

86 • HRNI YEARBOOK

Philip Russell Limited Proximo UK

Alanbrooke Road Castlereagh Ind Estate Belfast BT6 9PR

Patrick Morgan Regional Sales Manager

Freephone: 0800 7833215 Tel: 028 9079 0444 Fax: 028 9070 7750 Email: salesoffice@philiprussell.com

Tel: 077 341 280 48 Email: pmorgan@proximospirits.co.uk Web: www.proximospirits.co.uk Type of Business: Distributor of Premium Spirits

Company Chairman: Paul Hunt Managing Director: Robert Davis General Manager: Michael Barnes Type of Business: Beer, wines, spirits and soft drinks distributor Product: Spirits: High Commissioner Svenzka Glens Vodka Glens Gin Glens White Rum Rolov V-Kat Cactus Jack’s Messer Schmitt Angels Peach Schnapps Cococariba De Lange Napoleon Brandy

Product: Irish Whiskey: Bushmills Original, Black Bush, Bushmills 10 year old Malt Whiskey, Bushmills 16 year old Malt Whiskey, Bushmills 21 year old Malt Whiskey Tequila: Jose Cuervo Especial, Tradicional, 1800 Reposado, 1800 Anejo, 1800 Silver Rum: The Kraken Black Spiced Rum Gin: Boodle’s British Gin American Whiskey: Tin Cup

Port: Cockburns Port Beer: Bavaria San Miguel San Miguel Fresca Carlsberg Export Carlsberg Special Tuborg Holsten Pils RTDs and Ciders: WKD Brothers Cider Somersby Cider Frosty Jacks Cider Wines Australia: Oxford Landing California: Echo Falls, Paul Masson, Turner Road New Zealand: Oyster Bay Chile: Santa Helena France: Fat Bastard Spain: Marques Del Atrio Portugal: Mateus Rose Germany: Black Tower, B by Black Tower, Weight Watchers Multi Country: Stowells

twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

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Robert Roberts

Tennent’s NI Ltd

10 Flush Park, Lisburn, Co. Antrim, BT28 2DX Tel: 028 9267 3316 Fax: 028 9266 1131 Email: info@robt-roberts.com Web: www.robt-roberts.co.uk

Hawthorn House 15 Dargan Road Belfast BT3 9LS Customer Service: 0800 66 55 22 Email: customersupport@candcgroup.com Customer Service Fax: 028 95 95 2103 Head Office (Switchboard): 028 95 95 2100

Type of Business: Tea & Coffee Manufacturer & Distributor Personnel/Contacts: Managing Director: Gareth Bradley Foodservice Sales Manager: Mark Austin Products and Services: Robert Roberts have been hand roasting Coffee & blending tea in Ireland since 1905. Consistent winners of industry leading accolade The Great Taste Awards 2015 for the 7th year running for outstanding quality.

At Robert Roberts, we provide a wide range of tea, coffee and related beverage products along with an extensive range of machinery to suit individual customer requirements.

In addition, we provide all customers with specialist staff training along with technical and maintenance support service.

www.hospitalityreviewni.com

Type of Business: Drinks Manufacturer and Distributor Managing Director: Tom McCusker Marketing Director: Brian Beattie On Trade Sales Director: Jeff Tosh Off Trade Sales Director: Duncan Millar Head of Customer Service: Gary Clarke

twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

Brands supplied: Tennent’s Lager Clonmel 1650 Heverlee Roundstone Irish Ale Magners Original Cider Magners Light Magners Cloudy Lemon Magners Pear Magners Strawberry & Lime Corona Budweiser Stella Becks Brahma Bass Estrella Menabrea Montano Hoegaarden Franziskaner Leffe Lowenbrau Spaten Whitewater Craft Range O&G Wines Odessa Vodka Squires Gin Tipperary Natural Mineral Water Finches JWV+

Unilever Food Solutions Address: 20 Riverwalk, National Digital Park, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24 Postcode: 24 Tel: +353 (0) 1 291 4000 Email: escalationsukire@careline-mail.eu or mlatter@Careline-mail.eu Web: www.ufs.com Facebook: www.facebook.com// UnileverFoodSolutionsIRE Type of Business: Catering Suppliers Names and Positions of Personnel: Jim Reeves: Customer Director Fergus Scully: National Account Manager Vincent Reddy: National Account Manager Rachel Bollands: Sales Manager Company Information: Unilever Food Solutions supply quality ingredients and services to the catering industry. We help chefs all over the world serve tasty, wholesome meals that keep guests coming back for more.

We create ingredients that save precious prep time in the kitchen, without compromising on flavour or flair. We constantly provide ideas and inspiration that keep your menu fresh and exciting.

Products and services: Our trusted brands used by caterers all over the world include: KNORR, Hellmann’s, Colman’s, Flora, Stork, Summer County, Meadowland, Carte D’Or, Lyons tea and Lipton Tea.

YEARBOOK HRNI • 87

Draught: Heineken, Murphy’s, Beamish, Tiger, Symonds, Affligem

United Wine Merchants 70 Silverwood Road Craigavon BT66 6SY Tel: 028 3831 6555 Fax: 028 3831 6444 Email: sales@unitedwines.co.uk Website: www.unitedwines.co.uk Managing Director: Martin McAuley Commercial: Ciara King (non agency brands) /Ciaran Meyler (agency brands) Head of Finance: Siobhan McSorley Operations Manager: John Davis Sales Manager: Ross Blackburn Products: Still Wines: Australia: McGuigan Wines (Black label, The Semillon Blanc, Reserve, Cellar Select, Signature, Bin Series) Wolf Blass, Tempus Two, Coldridge Estate, Shy Pig New Zealand: Branken Hill, The Crossings, Waka Tua Argentina: Dona Paula, Beefsteak Club Malbec Chile: Santa Rita (Casa Real, Medalla Real, Reserv, 3 medals, 120), Indomita (Duette, Gran Reserva, Costa Vera, Polero), Chilano South Africa: Nederburg, Drostdy Hof, Cape Peak France: Chanson, Langlois Château, Mas Lourel, Ropiteau, Guigal Spain: Marqués de Cáceres, Gran Vandema, Marques de la Concordia Italy: Sartori, Villa Mura, Monteguelfo, Parlare America: Riptide Ginger Wine: Crabbie’s Green Ginger Wine Non Alcoholic Wine: Eisberg Champagne/Sparkling Wine: Champagne Bollinger, Champagne Ayala, Champagne Tsarine, Champagne Lanson, Marques de la Concordia, Riondo Prosecco, McGuigan Black Label Sparkling, McGuigan Frizzante, Dona Paula Sauvage Blanc Sparkling Perry: Lambrini, Chaumet Port/Madiera: Taylors, Fonseca, Croft, Henrique’s & Henrique’s Madeira Fortified Wines: Mundie’s Tonic Wines: El Dorado 88 • HRNI YEARBOOK

Packaged Beers: Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer, Crabbie’s Raspberry, Tsingtao, Heineken, Zwyiec, Sol, Desperados, Tiger Ales: Abbot Ale, Hen’s Tooth, Strong Suffolk, Old Speckled Hen, Yardbird, St Edmunds, Nobel, Double Hop Monster Cider: Savannah, Lazy Jack’s, Old Mout, Bulmers, Strongbow Vodka: Kulov Vodka, Red Square Vodka Whiskies: Scotch: MacArthur’s Malt: Old Pulteney, Speyburn, anCnoc, Balblair Gin: Caorunn, Coldstream, Whitley Neill

Woodford Bourne 10 Flush Park, Lisburn, Co.Antrim, BT28 2DX Tel: 028 9267 3316 Fax: 028 9266 1131 Email: info@woodfordbourne.com Web: www.woodfordbourneni.co.uk Type of Business: Sales & Marketing Wine Distributor Managing Director: Gareth Bradley Commercial Manager: Andrew Schnell Products: Spain Torres, Marques de Riscal Australia Penfolds, Deakin Estate, Wakefield, Lindeman’s

Brandy: Jules Clairon Rum: Lamb’s Spiced Rum, Sangsom Thai Rum, Thompson’s Demerara Rum Premium Fermented Alcohol: Volkova Liqueurs: Mekhong Thai Liqueur, Orchards Schnapps, Marie Brizard Liqueurs, Sidekick Range Cream liqueurs: O’Neill’s Irish Country Cream, Irish Meadow Tequila: Don Cruzado Tequila

New Zealand Matua, Saint Clair France Chapoutier, Moreau, Hugel Et Fils, Mommessin, Chateau de la Ligne, Barton & Guestier Chile Torres, Cono Sur Italy MASI, GIV, Ornellaia South Africa Graham Beck California Beringer, Jack Rabbit

Sambuca: Sambuca Di Cassini Premium Packaged Drinks: Red Square, VS Sorted, Caribbean Twist, Crabbie’s Fruits

Champagne & Sparkling Mumm, Perrier Jouet, Pannier, Segura Viudas Argentina Finca del Alta

Mineral Water: San Pellegrino, Acqua Panna

Port Churchill’s

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drinksdirectory Beers, Ales, Lagers & Stouts Abbot Ale Adnams Bavaria Beamish Stout Becks Birra Moretti Blue Moon Brahma Brown Ale Budvar Budvar NA Budweiser Budweiser Carling Carlsberg Carlsberg Citrus Carlsberg Export Carlsberg Special Clever Man Cobra Coors Coors Light Corona Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer Crabbie’s Raspberry Daura Damm Desperados Desperados Double Hop Monster Duvel Estrella Damm Finn Irish Craft Pilsner Foster’s Lager Foxes Rock Irish Pale Ale Franciscan Well Franziskaner Grolsch Guinness Guinness Dublin Porter Guinness Extra Stout Guinness Mid Strength Guinness West Indies Porter Harp Heineken Heineken Hen’s Tooth Hilden Brewery Hillstown Brewery Hoegaarden Hollandia Holsten Pils Hop House 13 John Hollows Alcoholic Ginger Beer Kentucky Ales Kronenbourg Leffe Lowenbrau Magners McGrath’s

UWM JMC PRL HKN TNI HKN MCO TNI HKN DNC DNC TNI DIA MCO DIA PRL PRL PRL DKY MCO MCO MCO TNI UWM UWM DNC HKN UWM UWM DNC DNC JMC HKN JMC MCO TNI MCO DIA DIA DIA DIA DIA DIA HKN UWM UWM DNC DNC TNI PRL PRL DIA FEB JMC HKN TNI TNI DIA DKY

Abbreviations...

Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands BBF Coca-Cola Hellenic CCH Counterpoint CTP Diageo DIA

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Menabrea Metal Man Molson Canadian Murphy’s Stout Newcastle Nobel Old Speckled Hen SailorTown San Miguel San Miguel Fresca Satzenbrau Sharp’s Atlantic Pale Ale Sharp’s Doom Bar Sharp’s Wolf Rock Smithwick’s Smithwick’s Blonde Smithwick’s Pale Ale Sol Sol Spaten St Edmunds Staropramen Stella Strong Suffolk Strongbow Super Bock Tennent’s Lager Tiger Tiger Beer Tsingtao Tuborg Vedette Warsteiner Whitewater Craft Range Williams Beer Worthington’s Yardbird Yardsman Zwyiec

TNI JMC MCO HKN HKN UWM UWM DKY PRL PRL DIA MCO MCO MCO DIA DIA DIA HKN UWM TNI UWM MCO TNI UWM DIA CTP TNI UWM HKN UWM PRL DNC DIA TNI FEB MCO UWM DNC UWM

Brandies, Cognacs & Armagnacs Clairon UWM Courvoisier JMC De Lange Napoleon JMC De Lange Napoleon Brandy PRL E & J Gallo JMC Hennessy DBS Hine DNC Soberano DNC St-Vivant FEB Champagnes & Sparkling Wines Alfred Gratien JMC Armand de Brignac DNC Bartolomiol DNC Besserat & Bellefon DKY Bottega DNC Botter DNC Breganze Prosecco FEB Bruno Paillard DKY Dillon Bass Drinks Inc Drinksology Febvre & Company Ltd Heineken James E McCabe

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DBS DNC DKY

FEB

HKN

JMC

Calogera Champagne Ayala Champagne Bollinger Champagne Deutz Champagne Jean Pernet.

Champagne Lanson Champagne Taittinger Champagne Tsarine Chapel Down Codorniu De Castellane De Nauroy Dom Perignon Dona Paula Sauvage Blanc Georges Cartier Graham Beck Josef Chromy Krug Laurent Perrier Louis Dornier Marques de la Concordia Martini Asti Martini Prosecco Martini Rose McGuigan Black Label Sparkling Mercier Moët & Chandon Mumm Mumm Cordon Rouge Palmer & Co Pannier Perrier Jouet Piper Heidsieck Pol Roger Pommery Prosecco d’Maria Riondo Prosecco Segura Viudas Simonnet Febvre Cremant de Bourgogne Valdo Prosecco Valdobbiadene Prosecco Vaporetto Prosecco Veuve Clicquot Veuve Delaroy Yellowglen Pink

DNC UWM UWM FEB FEB UWM FEB UWM DKY DNC DKY DKY DBS UWM DNC DKY DKY DBS JMC DNC UWM BBFB BBFB BBFB UWM DKY DBS WFB DKY DKY WFB WFB JMC DNC DNC DNC UWM WFB FEB FEB DKY DKY DBS DKY DNC

Ciders & Perries Älska Swedish Cider Armagh Cider Brothers Cider Bulmers Original Bulmers Original Carling Cider Chaumet Frosty Jacks Cider Jacques Fruit Cider Lambrini Lazy Jack’s Mac Ivors Magners Cloudy Lemon

JMC JMC PRL HKN UWM MCO UWM PRL HKN UWM UWM DNC TNI

Molson Coors Philip Russell Ltd Proximo UK Tennent’s NI United Wine Merchants Woodford Bourne

MCO

PRL

PXO TNI UWM WFB

YEARBOOK HRNI • 89

drinksdirectory Magners Draught Magners Light Magners Original Cider Magners Pear Magners Strawberry & Lime Montano Old Mout Savannah Somersby Cider Strongbow Strongbow Draught Tempted Cider Woodpecker

DIA TNI TNI TNI TNI TNI UWM UWM PRL HKN DIA DKY HKN

Draught Affligem Bass Beamish Becks Blue Moon Budweiser Carling Carling Cider Carlsberg Clonmel 1650 Coors Coors Light Estrella Franziskaner Grolsch Guinness Guinness Dublin Porter Guinness Mid Strength Harp Heineken Heverlee Hoegaarden Hop House 13 Leffe Lowenbrau Magners Magners Original Cider Menabrea Murphy’s Roundstone Irish Ale Smithwick’s Smithwick’s Blonde Smithwick’s Pale Ale Spaten Stella Strongbow Strongbow Symonds Tennent’s Lager Tiger Warsteiner Whitewater Craft Range

UWM TNI UWM TNI MCO DIA MCO MCO DIA TNI MCO MCO TNI TNI MCO DIA DIA DIA DIA UWM TNI TNI DIA TNI TNI DIA TNI TNI UWM TNI DIA DIA DIA TNI TNI DIA UWM UWM TNI UWM DIA TNI

Energy Drinks Boost Energy

DNC

Abbreviations...

Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands BBF Coca-Cola Hellenic CCH Counterpoint CTP Diageo

DIA

90 • HRNI YEARBOOK

BPM Energy Edge Energise Energy Monster Powerade Relentless

CCH CTP CTP CCH CCH CCH

Gins Adnams Copperhouse Beefeater Bombay Sapphire Gin Boodle’s British Gin Bulldog Caorunn Coldstream Cork Dry Gin Dingle Glens Gin Gordon’s Hayman’s London No. 3 London No.1 Martin Millers Monkey 47 Oxley Plymouth Squires Star of Bomaby Gin Tanqueray Tanqueray No. Ten Two Trees Whitley Neill

JMC DBS BBF PXO JMC UWM UWM DBS DNC PRL DIA FEB JMC DNC FEB DNC BBF DBS TNI BBF DIA DIA DNC UWM

Liqueurs, Shooters & Specialities 901 Tequila Aftershock Agwa Coca Angels Peach Schnapps Archers Peach Schnapps Bailey’s Bailey’s Chocolate Luxe Bols Liqueurs Cactus Jack’s Campari Carthy’s Country Cream Chambord Cococariba Cola Cubed De Kuyper Drambuie Drioli Sambuca Galliano Glayva Goldschlager Irish Meadow Irish Mist Honey Jägermeister Kahlúa Kräuter Herbal Schnapps Luxardo Amaretto

JMC JMC DNC PRL DIA DIA DIA JMC PRL JMC PRL BBF PRL DNC DBS JMC JMC JMC JMC DIA UWM JMC JMC DBS DNC JMC

Dillon Bass Drinks Inc Drinksology Febvre & Company Ltd Heineken James E McCabe

DBS DNC DKY FEB HKN JMC

Luxardo Sambuca Marie Brizard Liqueurs Mekhong Thai Liqueur Messer Schmitt Mickey Finn Liquor Midori Monin Liqueurs Nutron O’Neill’s Irish Country Cream Orchards Schnapps Ouzo 12 Pernod Pimm’s No1 Piranha Schnapps Ramazzotti Ricard Sambuca Di Cassini Sambuca Romano Sauza Tequila Sidekick Range Sourz Southern Comfort St Germain Elderflower Tuaca Veroni Amaretto Xambuxo

JMC UWM UWM PRL DNC JMC DNC DNC UWM UWM JMC DBS DIA DNC DBS DBS UWM DIA JMC UWM JMC BBF BBF BBF PRL PRL

Packed Beers & Ciders Becks Brahma Budweiser Carlsberg Corona Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer Crabbie’s Raspberry Desperados Franziskaner Guinness Guinness Extra Stout Guinness West Indies Porter Harp Heineken Hoegaarden Hop House 13 Leffe Lowenbrau Magners Cloudy Lemon Magners Light Magners Original Cider Magners Pear Magners Strawberry & Lime Menabrea Montano Satzenbrau Smithwick’s Smithwick’s Blonde Smithwick’s Pale Ale Sol Spaten Stella

TNI TNI TNI DIA TNI UWM UWM UWM TNI DIA DIA DIA DIA UWM TNI DIA TNI TNI TNI TNI TNI TNI TNI TNI TNI DIA DIA DIA DIA UWM TNI TNI

Molson Coors Philip Russell Ltd Proximo UK Tennent’s NI United Wine Merchants Woodford Bourne

twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

MCO

PRL

PXO TNI UWM WFB

www.hospitalityreviewni.com

drinksdirectory Tennent’s Lager Tiger Tsingtao Whitewater Craft Range Zwyiec

TNI UWM UWM TNI UWM

Ports, Sherries & Madeira Churchill’s Churchill’s Reserve Cockburns Port Croft Dow’s Emilio Lustau Sherry Fonseca Gonzalez Byass Sherries Harveys Henrique’s Henrique’s Henriques Madeira Henrique’s Madeira Quinta do Noval Rodriguez La-Cave Sherry Taylors Warre’s Port Warre’s Port

WFB DNC PRL UWM JMC DKY UWM DNC JMC UWM DKY DKY UWM DNC DKY UWM DKY JMC

Premium Fermented Alcohol Volkova

UWM

RTDS & Premix cans Bacardi & Cola Breezer Orange Breezer Spritzer Mixed Berry Captain Morgan Pre-Mix Cans Carribean Twist Crabbie’s Fruits Fat Frog Gordon’s Pre-Mix Cans Hooch Hooper’s Jack Daniel’s & Cola Jack Daniel’s & Ginger Parrot Bay Pouches Red Square Smirnoff Double Black Ice Smirnoff Ice Smirnoff Pouches Smirnoff Pre-Mix Cans Southern Comfort & Lemonade VS Sorted West Coast Cooler WKD

BBF BBF BBF DIA UWM UWM DNC DIA DNC DNC BBF BBF DIA UWM DIA DIA DIA DIA BBF UWM DBS PRL

Rums Appleton Bacardi 8 Year Old Rum Bacardi Carta Blanca Rum Bacardi Carta Negra Rum Bacardi Carta Oro Rum Bacardi Fuego Rum

DNC BBF BBF BBF BBF BBF

Abbreviations...

Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands BBF Coca-Cola Hellenic CCH Counterpoint CTP Diageo

DIA

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Bacardi Oakheart Brugal Captain Morgan Glens White Rum Havana Club Lamb’s Spiced Rum Malibu Plantation Ron de Jeremy Ron Zacapa Sangsom Thai Rum The Kraken Black Spiced Rum Thompson’s Demerara Rum

BBF JMC DIA PRL DBS UWM DBS FEB DNC DIA UWM PXO UWM

Soft Drinks, Waters & Mixers 7Up 7Up Free Acqua Panna Ballygowan Bottle Green Britvic 55 Britvic Juices C&C Cherry Coke Clark & Co. Essences & Bitters Club Mixers Club Soft Drinks Coca-Cola Coca-Cola Life Coke Zero Deep RiverRock Diet Coke Dr Pepper Fanta Exotic Fanta Lemon Fanta Orange Fentiman’s Fentiman’s Finches Frobishers Fruice Apple Fruice Cranberry Fruice Juicy Kids Fruice Orange Fruit Shoot Funkin J2O JWV+ Kia Ora Dilutes Lilt Mi Wadi Monin Purees Monin Syrups Monin Syrups Nestea Oasis Pepsi San Pellegrino Schweppes Sprite

CTP CTP UWM CTP JMC CTP CTP CTP CCH DKY CTP CTP CCH CCH CCH CCH CCH CCH CCH CCH CCH DNC FEB TNI DNC CCH CCH CCH CCH CTP DNC CTP TNI CCH CCH CTP DKY DNC DKY CCH CCH CTP UWM CCH CCH

Dillon Bass Drinks Inc Drinksology Febvre & Company Ltd Heineken James E McCabe

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DBS DNC DKY FEB HKN JMC

Sprite Zero Tanora Thomas Henry Tipperary Natural Mineral water Voss Water

CCH CCH CTP TNI DNC

Tequilas 1800 Anejo 1800 Reposado 1800 Silver Don Cruzado Tequila Jose Cuervo Jose Cuervo Jose Cuervo Especial Jose Cuervo Tradicional Olmeca Patron Anejo Patron Reposado Patron Silver Patron XO Cale

PXO PXO PXO UWM DIA FEB PXO PXO DBS BBF BBF BBF BBF

Vermouths & Fortified Wines Buckfast Tonic Wine Cinzano El Dorado Martini Bianco Martini Extra Dry Martini Rosato Martini Rosso Mundie’s Noilly Prat Dry

JMC JMC UWM BBF BBF BBF BBF UWM BBF

Vodkas Absolut Belvedere Boru Ciroc Crystal Head Dingle Eristoff Vodka Finlandia Classic Vodka Finlandia Cranberry Finlandia Grapefruit Finlandia Lime Finlandia Mango Glens Platinum Vodka Glens Vodka Green Apple Smirnoff Grey Goose L’Orange Grey Goose La Poire Grey Goose Le Citron Grey Goose Original Huzzar Ketel One Ketel One Citroen Kulov Vodka Lime Smirnoff New Amsterdam Nordoff Odessa

DBS DBS JMC DIA FEB DNC BBF BBF BBF BBF BBF BBF PRL PRL DIA BBF BBF BBF BBF DBS DIA DIA UWM DIA JMC DBS TNI

Molson Coors Philip Russell Ltd Proximo UK Tennent’s NI United Wine Merchants Woodford Bourne

MCO PRL PXO TNI UWM WFB

YEARBOOK HRNI • 91

drinksdirectory Red Square Vodka Rolov Russian Standard Skyy Smirnoff Black Smirnoff Blue Smirnoff Gold Smirnoff Red Stolichnaya Svenzka Two Trees V-Kat Vladivar Wyborowa

UWM PRL DNC JMC DIA DIA DIA DIA JMC PRL DNC PRL JMC DBS

Whiskeys, Whiskies & Bourbons Aberlour anCnoc Balblair Ballentine’s Bells Black Bush Bulleit Bourbon Bulleit Rye Bushmills 10 year old Malt Whiskey Bushmills 16 year old Malt Whiskey Bushmills 21 year old Malt Whiskey Bushmills Original Canadian Club Cardhu Chivas Regal Coleraine Connemara Single Malt Cream of the Barley Drombeg Four Roses Gentleman Jack Glenfarclas High Commissioner Highland Park 12 Y-O Isle of Jura 10 Y-O Jack Daniel’s Old No.7 Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey Jack Ryan Jameson Jim Beam Devil’s Cut Jim Beam Family Jim Beam Signature Craft Johnnie Walker Black Label Johnnie Walker Blue Label Johnnie Walker Red Label Kennedy Kilbeggan Laphroaig 10 Y-O MacArthur’s Maker’s Mark Midleton Old Pulteney

DBS UWM UWM DBS DIA PXO DIA DIA PXO PXO PXO PXO JMC DIA DBS DBS JMC DBS DNC DNC BBF DNC PRL JMC JMC BBF BBF BBF BBF DNC DBS JMC JMC JMC DIA DIA DIA DNC JMC JMC UWM JMC DBS UWM

Abbreviations...

Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands BBF Coca-Cola Hellenic CCH Counterpoint CTP Diageo DIA

92 • HRNI YEARBOOK

Paddy Powers Redbreast Singleton Speyburn Talisker Teacher’s Teeling The Claymore The Famous Grouse The Pogues The Quiet Man Tin Cup Tyrconnell Single Malt Whyte & Mackay Woodford Reserve

DBS DBS DBS DIA UWM DIA JMC DNC JMC JMC DNC DNC PXO JMC JMC BBF

Wines (Alcohol Free) Eisberg

UWM

Wines (Light) B by Black Tower PRL Echo Falls Fruit Fusion PRL Wines (Argentina) Argento JMC Beef Steak DNC Beefsteak Club Malbac UWM Bodegas Septima DNC Dona Paula UWM Etchart DBS Finca del Alta WFB Francois Lurton FEB Graffigna DBS La Celia JMC Nicholas Catena JMC Piedra Negra FEB Tarquino DKY Trivento DNC Vinos de la Posada DKY Wines (Australia) Angus the Bull DNC Auction House DNC Babington Brook FEB Banrock Station JMC DKY Battle of Bosworth Bests Great Western DKY Calder Grove DKY Chateau Tanunda DKY Chocolate Box DNC Circa DKY Coldridge Estate UWM d’Arenberg FEB De Bortoli, FEB Deakin Estate WFB Evans & Tate JMC Hanwood Estate JMC Hardys JMC Jack Rabbit CTP Dillon Bass Drinks Inc Drinksology Febvre & Company Ltd Heineken James E McCabe

DBS DNC DKY

FEB

HKN

JMC

Jacob’s Creek Josef Chromy Lindeman’s Lindeman’s Little Eden McGuigan Bin Series McGuigan Black label McGuigan Cellar Select McGuigan Reserve McGuigan Signature McGuigan The Semillon Blanc McWilliams Oxford Landing Penfolds Rugger Hill Shy Pig Smith & Wolf Tempus Two The Four Growers The Gourmet The Little Penguin The Old Press The Spee’wah Thorn Clarke Wakefield Wolf Blass Wyndham Estate

DBS DKY CTP WFB DKY UWM UWM UWM UWM UWM UWM JMC PRL WFB DNC UWM CTP UWM PRL DNC DNC DKY DKY FEB WFB UWM DBS

Wines (Chile) 35 South JMC Acon Cagua JMC Alto Bajo DKY Bodegas Centenarias DNC Caliterra JMC Chilano UWM Concha y Toro DBS Cono Sur CTP Cono Sur WFB Errazuriz JMC Fresita JMC Garage Wine DKY Gato Negro JMC Indomita Costa Vera UWM Indomita Duette UWM Indomita Gran Reserva UWM Indomita Polero UWM Isla Negra DNC La Palma JMC Misiones DNC Montes JMC Raco PRL San Abello DKY Santa Helena PRL Santa Rita 120 UWM Santa Rita 3 medals UWM Santa Rita Casa Real UWM Santa Rita Medalla Real UWM Santa Rita Reserv UWM Santiano DNC Tarapaca DNC Molson Coors Philip Russell Ltd Proximo UK Tennent’s NI United Wine Merchants Woodford Bourne

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MCO PRL PXO TNI UWM WFB

www.hospitalityreviewni.com

drinksdirectory Terra Andina Tocornal Tolva Torres Valdivieso Vina Carmen Vina Maipo

DNC CTP DNC WFB DKY DNC DNC

Wines (France) Agnes Dewe DKY Alain Cailbourdin Pouilly Fume FEB Alain Geoffroy FEB Alain Geoffroy.

FEB Alain Gueneau FEB Andre Lurton FEB Barton & Guestier WFB Batisse DNC Bavarder DNC Belle Jardin DNC Bouchard Aine & Fils DKY Bougrier JMC Cave de Fleurie DKY Cellier Des Samson JMC Chanson UWM Chapoutier WFB Chateau Anotonin Guyon FEB Chateau de Fieuzal FEB Chateau de la Ligne WFB Chateau de Tracy Pouilly Fume FEB Chateau des Sarrins DKY Chateau Langoa Barton FEB Chateau Monestier DKY Claude Michot DKY Coccinelles, DNC Cordier JMC De Martino FEB Delas Freres FEB Denogent DKY Domaine Blomac FEB Domaine Chéreau Carré FEB Domaine de Boissan.

FEB Domaine Devillard FEB Domaine Dujac FEB Domaine Dupont DKY Domaine Fouassier DKY Domaine Lafage DKY Domaine Peirere FEB Domaine Peiriere FEB Domaine Rijckaert DKY Domaine Roger Luquet.

FEB Domaine Roux DKY Domaine Trouillet DKY Domaine Vacheron FEB Domaine Vacheron-Pouizin FEB Eric Louis DKY Fat Bastard PRL Francois Lurton FEB Francois Lurton-Duberny FEB Francois Lurton-Kawin FEB Abbreviations...

Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands BBF Coca-Cola Hellenic CCH Counterpoint CTP Diageo DIA

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Gassman DKY George Duboeuf FEB Georges Duboeuf FEB Georges Lignier DKY Guigal UWM Gustave Lorentz FEB Guy Saget JMC Henry Fessy FEB Henry Fessy FEB Henry Pelle DKY Hugel Et Fils WFB I’Hospitalet DKY Jacques Guindon DKY Jean Biecher DKY Jean Defaix DKY Jean Durup Chablis JMC Jean Pierre Moueix FEB Joseph Drouhin DNC JP Chenet DNC La Chablisienne JMC La Petit Courret DNC La Picoutine DKY La Serre DKY Langlois Château UWM Latour Giraud DKY Le Pierres Domaine Thomas DKY Les Hospices DKY Louis Bernard JMC Louis Jadot JMC Maison Louis Latour FEB Marcel Lapierre DKY Mas Lourel UWM Mestrezat Chateau JMC Mommessin WFB Moreau WFB Ogier DNC Paul Jaboulet DKY Paulita Reserva FEB Ropiteau UWM Rothschild DBS Saint Peyre FEB FEB Simonnet Febvre Simonnet Febvre FEB St Cosme DKY Thierry Delauney Domaine de Chatenoy Menetou Salon FEB Triennes FEB Weinbach FEB Wines (Germany) Black Tower PRL Three Princes JMC Weight Watchers PRL Wines (Italy) Alois Lageder DKY Antinori JMC Badia di Morona DNC Barolo Veglio FEB Dillon Bass Drinks Inc Drinksology Febvre & Company Ltd Heineken James E McCabe

twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

DBS DNC DKY

FEB

HKN

JMC

Bolla Bolla Prosecco Botter Ca Rugate Campomaggio Canti Wines Cantina Birgi Castellani Castellare Castello Banfi Cinzano Prosecco Conto Vecchio Donantello Jasci Flavorelli Fondo Antico Fratelli Garfoli Geografico Chianti Giuliana.

GIV Gruppo Italiano Vini I Fiori Il Banchetto Jvbilvm La Deliziosa La Vis, Monte del Fra Marotti Campi MASI Monteguelfo Morgassi Nicolis Operetto Orion Wines Ornellaia Orsola Prosecco Paolo Conterno Parlare Riff Rufina Sartori Settesoli Solstice Suavia Terre Forti Vietti Villa Belvedere Villa dei Fiori Villa Lanata Villa Lucia Villa Mura Villa Sant’Anna Vini Tonon

DNC JMC DNC FEB DKY JMC FEB DKY DKY FEB JMC DKY FEB DNC DKY DKY FEB FEB FEB WFB JMC DKY DKY DKY DNC FEB DKY WFB UWM DKY DKY DKY FEB WFB JMC DKY UWM DKY DKY UWM JMC DNC DKY DKY DKY DKY DKY JMC DKY UWM DKY FEB

Wines (New Zealand) 2 Luc DNC Brancott Estate DBS Branken Hill UWM Brightwater DNC Esk Valley JMC Lawson’s Dry Hills FEB Molson Coors Philip Russell Ltd Proximo UK Tennent’s NI United Wine Merchants Woodford Bourne

MCO PRL PXO TNI UWM WFB

YEARBOOK HRNI • 93

drinksdirectory Left Field Leftfield Matua Mud House Nobilo Oyster Bay Prophet’s Rock Saint Clair Soho Wine Spy Valley Stoneleigh Te Awa The Crossings The Horologist The Long White Three Wooly Sheep Tokomaru Villa Maria Estate Waka Tua Whistling Track

DKY JMC WFB JMC JMC PRL DKY WFB DKY DKY DBS DKY UWM DNC DNC FEB DKY JMC UWM DNC

Wines (Portugal) Conde Villar DKY Mateus Rose PRL Quinto do Vallado Reserva DKY Vallado DKY Wines (South Africa) Boschendal JMC Cape Peak UWM De Trafford DKY Douglas Green JMC Drostdy Hof UWM Drostdy Hof FEB Fleur du Cap FEB Gable View DKY Graham Beck DKY Graham Beck WFB Hope Bay FEB Jordan FEB Journey’s End DKY Kleine Rust DKY Kloovenburg DKY Kudu Plains DKY Meerlust FEB Nederburg UWM Nyala DKY Springfield Estate DKY Stellenrust.

DKY Table Mountain FEB Tall Horse JMC Two Oceans FEB Wandering Bear DKY Wines (Spain) A Coroa DKY Acustic Cellars DKY Anciano DNC Beronia DNC Abbreviations...

Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands BBF Coca-Cola Hellenic CCH Counterpoint CTP Diageo DIA

94 • HRNI YEARBOOK

Bobal de Sanjuan Bodegas Agnus Dei Bodegas Perez Pascuas Bodegas Valdemar Campo Viejo Casa de la Ermita Casa Roja Castillo Clavijo Castillo Viento Cuatro Rayas Damana 5 El Muro Espelt Old Vines Esperanza Faustino Finca del Marquesdo Freixenet Cava Gran Familia Gran Vandema Legaris Leiras Londono Marqués de Cáceres Marques de la Concordia Marques de Riscal Marques Del Atrio Monte Clavijo Pez de Rio Pleyadas Raimat Señorio De Labarta Solerana Tomas Cusine Torres Torres Vina Pomal Rioja

DKY FEB FEB FEB DBS DKY FEB DKY DKY DKY DKY DKY DKY FEB JMC FEB JMC DNC UWM DNC DNC DKY UWM UWM WFB PRL DKY DKY JMC DNC JMC DKY DKY CTP WFB DNC

Morgan O&G Wines Paul Masson Ravenswood Rex Hill Riptide Sequoia Grove Sutter Home The Bulletin Turner Road Turning Leaf Whispering Hills

DKY TNI PRL JMC DKY UWM FEB DBS DKY PRL JMC DNC

Wines (Rest of the World) Crabbie’s Green Ginger Wine UWM Cramele Recas FEB Disznoko FEB Frocks & Thrills DNC Kissing Tree DNC Road Trip DNC Sepp Moser FEB Stowells PR Snacks Doritos CTP Nobby Nuts CTP Smiths CTP Walkers CTP

Wines (USA) A to Z DKY Apothic JMC Barefoot JMC Benziger FEB Beringer WFB Blossom Hill DNC Bonterra DNC Cakebread Cellars FEB Calera DKY Charles Smith DKY Clay Station DKY Dark Horse JMC Devils Ridge FEB Dry Creek DKY Echo Falls PRL Gallo Family Vineyards JMC Geyser Peak JMC Gnarly Head DKY Jack Rabbit WFB Joseph Phelps FEB Loredona DKY Mondavi Woodbridge JMC Dillon Bass Drinks Inc Drinksology Febvre & Company Ltd Heineken James E McCabe

DBS DNC DKY

FEB

HKN

JMC

Molson Coors Philip Russell Ltd Proximo UK Tennent’s NI United Wine Merchants Woodford Bourne

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MCO

PRL

PXO TNI UWM WFB

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tradeorganisations

The Food Standards Agency Northern Ireland 10 A-C Clarendon Road Belfast BT1 3BG Tel: 028 9041 7700 Email: infofsani@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk Food Standards Agency Northern Ireland was launched on 3 April 2000 and is accountable both to Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly. Its commitment is to improve food safety and standards and protect the health of the population in Northern Ireland in relation to food.

Website: www.food.gov.uk/northernireland

LISBURN Co. Antrim BT28 1LA T: 028 9266 5230 Northern Ireland counties Kilpatrick House 38-54 High Street Ballymena Co. Antrim.

BT43 6DR T: 028 2563 3052

Excise & Customs Crownhill Court Tailyour Road Plymouth PL6 5BZ For enquiries relating to importing, exporting and Customs Relief and general excise matters, including the production and movement of alcohol and tobacco products, hydrocarbon oils, betting and gaming duties, and environmental taxes.

‘Your business is our business’ 91 University Street Belfast BT7 1HP. Tel: 028 9032 7578 Email: enquiries@hospitalityulster.org Web: www.hospitalityulster.org Twitter: @HospUlster Facebook: ‘Hospitality Ulster’ Chairperson: Olga Patterson Chief Executive: Colin Neill Hospitality Ulster is the voice of the retail licensed trade in Northern Ireland, representing pubs, bars, café-bars, hotels and restaurants.

HM Revenue and Customs Website: www.hmrc.gov.uk HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the business of the former Inland Revenue and HM Customs & Excise.

This includes collecting the bulk of tax revenue, as well as paying Tax Credits and Child Benefits.

Greater Belfast Office Beaufort House 31 Wellington Place BELFAST BT1 6BH T: 028 9053 2413 Lisburn Moira House 121 Hillsborough Road www.hospitalityreviewni.com

NIrCTO is part of HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), established in July 2007 to help promote corporate inward investment and local business expansion in Northern Ireland.

They aim to achieve this by working closely with companies and their financial advisors, local government and regional economic development bodies.

Head of NI Corporate Tax Office: David Stewart

Excise and Customs Helpline: 0845 010 9000 (Open 8.00 am to 8.00 pm Monday to Friday) Email enquiries: intenquiries@hmrc.gsi. gov.uk (Please include your VAT registration number if applicable and the name and postal address of your business.)

Postal enquiries: See address above.

(Please include your VAT registration number if applicable and the name and postal address of your business.)

National Registration Unit Portcullis House 21 India Street Glasgow G2 4PZ Applications for Excise registration, licensing or approval and notifications of cessation or change of business, should go to Portcullis House. Claims for drawback of Excise duty or alcoholic ingredients relief should go to the National Drawback Centre, also at Portcullis House as above.

Northern Ireland Corporate Tax Office (NIrCTO) Northern Ireland Corporate Tax Office Custom House Custom House Square Belfast BT1 3ET Tel: 03000 599 000

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Institute of Hospitality Trinity Court 34 West Street Sutton Surrey SM1 1SH Tel: 020 8661 4900 Email: info@instituteofhospitality.org The Institute of Hospitality (formerly HCIMA) is the internationally recognised professional body for managers and potential managers in the hospitality industry. For over 70 years, the Institute has been dedicated to promoting innovation, education, skills, and the highest professional management standards in the international hospitality, leisure and tourism industries. Institute members are individuals rather than companies.

Website: www.instituteofhospitality.org Northern Ireland Website: www.instituteofhospitalityni.co.uk Northern Ireland Branch Chairman: Michael Cafolla E: nibranch@hotmail.co.uk

Northern Ireland Federation of Clubs c/o Bob McGlone 1 Sultan Square Belfast BT12 4SU Tel: 028 9045 9864 The Northern Ireland Federation of Clubs (NIFC) exists to cater for the needs of private member non profit-making clubs in Northern Ireland, acting as a lobbying body in all matters related to legislation and regulations pertaining to clubs.

Website: www.nifederationofclubs.com Chairman: John Davidson Honorary Secretary: Bob McGlone YEARBOOK HRNI • 95

tradeorganisations

Northern Ireland Hotels Federation The McCune Building, 1 Shore Road, Belfast BT15 3PG Tel: 028 9077 6635 The Northern Ireland Hotels Federation is a not-for-profit limited company, part of a history of hotel industry representation going back to 1922. Representing the hospitality sector in Northern Ireland, its main roles are identifying and reviewing issues affecting the industry and lobbying governments and the Northern Ireland Assembly on the economic and employment opportunities of tourism. Membership is open to all NITB Registered Hotels and Guesthouses as well as suppliers to the wider industry.

Web: www.nihf.co.uk President: Ciaran O’Neill Chief Executive: Janice Gault E: janice@nihf.co.uk Twitter: twitter.com@nihf

Tourism Northern Ireland St Anne’s Court 59 North Street Belfast BT1 1NB Tel: 028 9023 1221 Web: www.tourismni.com Twitter: @nitouristboard Facebook: /discovernorthernireland Chief Executive Officer: John McGrillen Chief Operating Officer: Kathryn Thomson NITB’s mission is to build the value of tourism to the local economy with a vision to confidently and passionately champion the development and promotion of the Northern Ireland experience.

NITB is responsible for the development of tourism and the marketing of Northern Ireland as a tourist destination to domestic tourists, from within Northern Ireland, and to visitors from the Republic of Ireland. It is a non-departmental public body of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and works closely with other tourism bodies to help develop the Northern Ireland visitor economy and to market Northern Ireland to incoming visitors.

96 • HRNI YEARBOOK

People 1st Sector Skills Council for the hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism industries and the standards setting body for retail.

Hospitality House 11-59 High Road, London, N2 8AB Tel: 0203 074 1222 Email: info@people1st.co.uk Web: www.people1st.co.uk Director of NI: Roisin McKee NI Office: 028 9089 0313 Mobile: 07976 748678 Email: roisin.mckee@people1st.co.uk NI Office: Premier Business Centre 20 Adelaide Street, Belfast, BT2 8GB People 1st (www.people1st.co.uk) is the sector skills council for hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism and the standards setting body for retail. Its role is to raise the productivity and professionalism of the tourism and visitor economy sector by helping employers tackle skills and recruitment needs. People 1st works with employers to set industry standards, ensure that quality development pathways are articulated and in place, and supports employers to maximise their training investment.

Food NI Limited Belfast Mills 71-75 Percy Street Belfast BT13 2HW Tel: 028 90 249 449 Email: info@nigoodfood.com Web: www.nigoodfood.com Facebook FoodNI Twitter @Food_NI Taste of Ulster (ToU) is a distinguished benchmark that promotes organisations which supply quality local food and service across all sectors of the Northern Ireland hospitality market. ToU inspects and accredits all of its members and only then can successful establishments enjoy the benefits of becoming a Taste of Ulster Member.

Website: www.nigoodfood.com Chairman: John Best Chief Executive Food NI: Michele Shirlow

The Portman Group The Portman Group 20 Conduit Street London W1S 2XW Tel: 020 7290 1460 Email: info@portmangroup.org.uk

Tourism Ireland Limited

The Portman Group is supported by the UK’s leading drinks producers and is concerned solely with the social responsibility issues surrounding alcohol. Its role is to encourage and challenge drinks producers to promote their products responsibly, mainly through operating the Code of Practice on the Naming, Packaging and Promotion of Alcoholic Drinks; to show leadership on best practice in the area of alcohol social responsibility through the actions of member companies; and to speak on behalf of members on these issues to inform public opinion and policy.

Website: www.portmangroup.org.uk Chief Executive: David Poley Code Advisory Service: T: 020 7290 1460 E: advice@portmangroup.org.uk

Beresford House, 2 Beresford Road, Coleraine BT52 1GE T: 028 7035 9200 E-Mail: corporate.coleraine@tourismireland.com Web: www.tourismireland.com Chief Executive: Niall Gibbons Chairman: Brian Ambrose OBE Tourism Ireland is the organisation responsible for promoting Northern Ireland and the island of Ireland overseas as a leading holiday destination.

Tourism Ireland’s international website is www.discoverireland.com, which is rolling out in ten different language versions for 30+ markets around the world.

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tradeorganisations

Local Council offices in Northern Ireland Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, Antrim Civic Centre 50 Stiles Way Antrim BT41 2UB T: 028 9446 3113 Mossley Mill, Carnmoney Road North Newtownabbey BT36 5QA T: 028 9034 0000 W: www.antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk Ards and North Down Borough Council, Town Hall The Castle Bangor BT20 4BT T: 0300 013 3333 E: enquiries@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk W: www.ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, Craigavon Civic and Conference Centre PO Box 66 Lakeview Road Craigavon Co. Armagh BT64 1AL T: 0300 0300 900 E: info@armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk W: www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk Belfast City Council, Belfast City Hall Belfast BT1 5GS T: 028 9032 0202 E: generalenquiries@belfastcity.gov.uk W: www.belfastcity.gov.uk Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Civic Headquarters Cloonavin 66 Portstewart Road Coleraine BT52 1EY T: 028 7034 7034 E: info@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk W: www.causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk Derry City and Strabane District Council, Council offices 98 Strand Road Derry BT48 7NN

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Council offices, 47 Derry Road Strabane BT82 8DY T: 028 7125 3253 E: info@derrycityandstrabanedistrict.com W: www.derrystrabane.com

Monaghan Row Newry BT35 8DJ T: (Council) 0300 013 2233 (Planning) 0300 200 7830 E: info@nmandd.org W: www.newrymournedown.org

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, The Townhall 2 Townhall Street Enniskillen Co. Fermanagh BT74 7BA

Northern Ireland Court Service

The Grange Mountjoy Road Omagh Co. Tyrone BT79 7BL T: 0300 303 1777 E: info@fermanaghomagh.com W: www.fermanaghomagh.com Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, Island Civic Centre Lagan Valley Island The Island Lisburn BT27 4RL T: 028 9250 9250 E: enquiries@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk W: www.lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, The Braid 1-29 Bridge Street Ballymena BT43 5EJ T: 0300 124 5000 E: enquiries@midandeastantrim.gov.uk W: www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk Mid Ulster District Council, Dungannon Office Circular Road Dungannon BT71 6DT Magherafelt Office Ballyronan Road Magherafelt BT45 6EN Cookstown Office Burn Road Cookstown BT80 8DT T: 0300 013 2132 E: info@midulstercouncil.org W: www.midulstercouncil.org Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, District Council Offices O’Hagan House

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Antrim Court Office The Courthouse 30 Castle Way Antrim BT41 4AQ T: 030 0200 7812 F: 028 9448 3160 E: antrimcourthouse@courtsni.gov.uk Armagh Court Office The Courthouse The Mall Armagh BT61 9DJ T: 030 0200 7812 F: 028 3752 1876 E: armaghcourthouse@courtsni.gov.uk Ballymena Court Office The Courthouse Albert Place Ballymena BT43 6DY T: 030 0200 7812 F: 028 2566 7977 E: ballymenacourthouse@courtsni.gov.uk Belfast Combined Courts Laganside Courts Oxford Street Belfast BT1 3LL T: 030 0200 7812 F: 028 9041 2283 E: csmlaganside@courtsni.gov.uk Coleraine Court Office The Courthouse 46A Mountsandel Road Coleraine BT52 1NY T: 030 0200 7812 F: 028 7035 9376 E: colerainecourthouse@courtsni.gov.uk Craigavon Court Office The Courthouse Central Way Craigavon BT64 1AP T: 030 0200 7812 F: 028 3831 4341 E: craigavoncourthouse@courtsni.gov.uk Downpatrick Court Office The Courthouse English Street YEARBOOK HRNI • 97

tradeorganisations Downpatrick BT30 6AB T: 030 0200 7812 F: 028 4461 0678 E: downpatrickcourthouse@courtsni.gov.uk Dungannon Court Office The Courthouse 46 Killyman Road Dungannon BT71 6DE T: 030 0200 7812 F: 028 8772 8169 E: dungannoncourthouse@courtsni.gov.uk Enniskillen Court Office The Courthouse East Bridge Street Enniskillen BT74 7BW T: 030 0200 7812 F: 028 6634 3662 E: enniskillencourthouse@courtsni.gov.uk Limavady Court Office The Courthouse Main Street Limavady BT49 0EY T: 028 7772 2688 F: 028 7776 8794 E: limavadycourthouse@courtsni.gov.uk

Newtownards Court Office The Courthouse Regent Street Newtownards BT23 4LP T: 030 0200 7812 F: 028 9182 4633 E: newtownardscourthouse@courtsni.gov.uk Omagh Court Office The Courthouse High Street Omagh BT78 1DU T: 030 0200 7812 F: 028 8225 6275 E: omaghcourthouse@courtsni.gov.uk Strabane Court Office The Courthouse Derry Road Strabane BT82 8DT T: 030 0200 7812 F: 028 7138 4090 E: strabanecourthouse@courtsni.gov.uk

Lisburn Court Office The Courthouse Railway Street Lisburn BT28 1XR T: 030 0200 7812 F: 028 9262 5064 E: lisburncourthouse@courtsni.gov.uk Londonderry Court Office The Courthouse Bishop Street Londonderry BT48 6PQ T: 030 0200 7812 F: 028 7130 4753 E: londonderrycourthouse@courtsni.gov.uk Magherafelt Court Office The Courthouse Hospital Road Magherafelt BT45 5DG T: 028 7963 2121 F: 028 7963 4063 E: magherafeltcourthouse@courtsni.gov.uk Newry Court Office The Courthouse 23 New Street Newry BT35 6JD T: 030 0200 7812 F: 028 3025 4244 E: newrycourthouse@courtsni.gov.uk 98 • HRNI YEARBOOK

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classifiedsection

Classifieds A n easy r e f e r e n ce t o t h e B E S T f o r y o u r b u s i n e s s

AMUSEMENT & LEISURE

3RD FLOOR, CAPITAL HOUSE, 3 UPPER QUEEN STREET, BELFAST, BT1 6FB

DRINKS DISTRIBUTORS

Country Director, Diageo Northern Ireland: Jorge Lopes

N. Ireland Contacts Customer Development Manager Richard McCluskey 07971508682

TYPE OF BUSINESS: Drinks manufacturer and distributor

Customer Development Executives Ryan Brown Tel: 07971508739 Carla McGreevy Tel: 07971508732

CUSTOMER SERVICES:

084 5601 4649

Tel: 01962762100 Website: www.bacardi-martini.co.uk Website: www.bacardi.com Rum

Tequila

BACARDI Carta Blanca Rum BACARDI Carta Oro Rum BACARDI Carta Negra Rum BACARDI Fuego Rum BACARDI 8 Year Old Rum BACARDI Oakheart

Patron Silver Patron Reposado Patron Anejo Patron XO Cafe

Vodka Grey Goose Original Grey Goose La Poire Grey Goose L’Orange Grey Goose Le Citron Finlandia Classic Vodka Finlandia Cranberry Finlandia Lime Finlandia Mango Finlandia Grapefruit Eristoff Vodka

Gin Bombay Sapphire Gin Star of Bombay Gin Oxley

Vermouth Martini Extra Dry Martini Rosso Martini Bianco Martini Rosato Noilly Prat Dry

northern ireland’s leading pay to play supplier: • Poker Machines • fruit machines • big screen and led tv’s • Club & pub gaming machines • pool tables • digital juke boxes • quiz & skill games

Sparkling Wine Martini Asti Martini Prosecco Martini Rose

DRAUGHT BEER AND CIDER: Guinness, Guinness Mid Strength, Budweiser, Carlsberg, Harp, Hop House 13, Smithwick’s, Smithwick’s Pale Ale, Smithwick’s Blonde, Warsteiner, Strongbow, Magners

Tennessee Whiskey Jack Daniel’s Old No.7 Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Gentleman Jack Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire

Bourbon Woodford Reserve

PACKED BEERS AND CIDER: Carlsberg, Guinness, Guinness Original Extra Stout, Harp, Satzenbrau, Smithwick’s, Smithwick’s Pale Ale, Smithwick’s Blonde & Seasonal Brews

Speciality Southern Comfort Chambord St Germain Elderflower Tuaca Breezer Orange Spritzer Mixed Berry Ready to Drink Cans Bacardi & Cola Premix cans Jack Daniel’s & Cola Premix cans Jack Daniel’s & Ginger Premix cans Southern Comfort & Lemonade Premix cans

VODKA: Smirnoff Red, Smirnoff Blue, Smirnoff Black, Green Apple Smirnoff, Lime Smirnoff, Smirnoff Gold, Ciroc, Kettle One, Ketel One Citroen

AVAILABLE FROM ALL GOOD WHOLESALERS

www.bacardi-martini.co.uk www.bacardi.com 01962 762100

OASIS RETAIL SERVICES LTD OASIS HOUSE, MALLUSK DRIVE NEWTOWNABBEY, BT36 4GX EMAIL: sales@oasisRS.com WEB: WWW.OASISRS.COM TEL: 02890 845 845

WHISKIES: Bells, Johnnie Walker Classic Malts, Talisker, Bulliet, Bulliet Rye, Cardhu, The Singleton GIN: Gordon’s, Tanqueray, Tanqueray No.Ten

AUDIO VISUAL

CREAM LIQUER: Bailey’s, Bailey’s Chocolate Luxe RUM: Captain Morgan, Ron Zacapa OTHER SPIRITS: Archers Peach Shnapps, Pimm’s No1, Sambuca Romano, Goldschlager, Grand Marnier RTD’s & Pre Mix Cans: Smirnoff Ice, Smirnoff Double Black Ice, Smirnoff, Captain Morgan & Gordons Pre-Mix Cans, Smirnoff Pouches, Parrot Bay Pouches

100 • HRNI YEARBOOK

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YEARBOOK HRNI • 101

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CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTRE

0800 66 55 22 Email: customersupport@candcgroup.com Fax: 02895 95 2103

Tennent’s NI Ltd 15 Dargan Road Belfast BT3 9LS Head Office Tel: 02895 95 2100

Wine And So Much More United Wine Merchants, 70 Silverwood Road, Craigavon, BT66 6SY Tel: 028 3831 6555 Fax: 028 3831 6444 sales@unitedwines.co.uk www.unitedwines.co.uk

102 • HRNI YEARBOOK

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DRINKS DISTRIBUTORS

ENERGY SUPPLIERS

COFFEE SUPPLIERS

CATERING EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS

INDUSTRY ORGANISATIONS

r fo ne : li sue d a Is De xt Ne FEBRUARY

2016

Editorial: 22nd January 2016

Advertising: 22nd January 2016

DON’T MISS OUT! www.hospitalityreviewni.com

twitter.com/Hosp_ReviewNI

‘Your business is our business’ 91 University Street Belfast BT7 1HP. Tel: 028 9032 7578 Email: enquiries@hospitalityulster.org Web: www.hospitalityulster.org Twitter: @HospUlster Facebook: ‘Hospitality Ulster’

YEARBOOK HRNI • 103

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INDUSTRY ORGANISATIONS

FOODSERVICE

PRINTING SERVICES

Northern Ireland Hotels Federation The McCune Building, 1 Shore Road, Belfast BT15 3PG. Tel: 028 9077 6635 • Fax: 028 9077 1899 email: office@nihf.co.uk web: www.nihf.co.uk Chief Executive: Janice Gault President: Ciaran O’Neill MBE

Tourism Northern Ireland St Anne’s Court, 59 North Street, Belfast BT1 1NB Tel: +44 (0)28 9023 1221 Fax: +44 (0)28 9024 0960 Textphone: +44 (0)28 9044 1522

Always working with local producers Down Business Park, Downpatrick, BT30 9UP Tel: NI 028 4481 1500 ROI 01 80 30 555 Email: sales@crossgar.ie Web: www.crossgar.ie/www.pallasfoods.eu Twitter: @johncrossgar

web: www.tourismni.com web: www.discovernorthernireland.com

ine dl ext a De r N : fo sue FEBRUARY 2016 Is Editorial: 22nd January 2016 Advertising: 22nd January 2016

SEAFOOD

INTERIOR DESIGN & ARCHITECTURAL CONSULTANTS

FRESH & FROZEN SEAFOODS

Supplied from Local, UK & Worldwide Seas EXOTIC SEAFOODS A SPECIALITY REFRIGERATED DAILY DELIVERY TO THE CATERING & WHOLESALE INDUSTRY

Whatever your Needs in Seafood Call:

: 028 44 841196 (24 hr Answering Service)

F : 028 44 842228

7-11 Killard Drive, Ballyhornan, BT30 7PN EEC Operators No. 2V004FE

104 • HRNI YEARBOOK

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SEAFOOD

Y R A UE U R ISS B FE 16 FEBRUARY 20

2016

Supplier of seafood to Ulster’s Leading Restaurants

Famous for Smoked Salmon ‘Market Kitchen’s Northern Ireland Local Food Hero’

6 Kendal Street, Belfast, BT13 2JR Tel: 028 9032 5534 Fax: 028 9024 1707

DON’T MISS OUT! To Advertise: Please contact Mark Glover on e: markglover@greerpublications.com t: 028 9078 3234

review NI •

•

Market leader in the Northern Ireland Hospitality trade publication sector the ONLY trade publication in Northern Ireland with a named controlled circulation

Thank you from Team Hospitality Review NI www.hospitalityreviewni.com

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YEARBOOK HRNI • 105

thelastword

The Last Word

NAME : IAIN SPEERS • JOB TITLE : SALES EXECUTIVE • COMPANY : BUNZL RAFFERTY HOSPITALITY PRODUCTS HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THIS ROLE? 10 weeks DESCRIBE A TYPICAL DAY I’m relatively new to the role so I’m still in the honeymoon period, getting out and about to all the nice places; no day is the same however.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB? Donaghys & Shoefair Sports in Banbridge.

ENTERTAINMENT:

FAVOURITE TV SHOW: The Apprentice FAVOURITE FILM: Saving Private Ryan ALBUM CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: Years & Years FAVOURITE BAND: Snow Patrol LAST BOOK READ: Brian O’Driscoll autobiography FAVOURITE CELEBRITY: Alan Sugar

SOCIAL:

FAVOURITE FOOD: Italian FAVOURITE RESTAURANT: Villa Scalini (University Road) LAST HOTEL YOU STAYED AT: The Gleneagle in Killarney for the IHF awards dinner LAST BAR/NIGHTCLUB YOU VISITED: The Dirty Onion FAVOURITE PLACE IN WORLD: Iceland INDOOR CONCERT OR FESTIVAL: Indoor concert LAST HOLIDAY: In October, I went to Reykjavik - amazing place, highly recommended

DRINKS:

FAVOURITE HOT DRINK: Coffee (addicted to the stuff) FAVOURITE SOFT DRINK: Water BEER OR CIDER: Beer WHITE OR RED WINE: Red (Shiraz)

What’s meant for you… will never go past you” 106 • HRNI YEARBOOK

WHISKEY OR BRANDY: Whiskey GIN OR VODKA: Oh definitely gin COCKTAILS OR BUBBLY: Bubbly

because no matter where you go in the world, you can never escape our unique accents.

WHAT FOUR PEOPLE WOULD YOU INVITE TO A DINNER PARTY? Dara O Briain obviously, my two best mates Sam and Nathan and Nicola (marketing within Bunzl Rafferty, for making me do this).

ONE ITEM YOU COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT? My phone WHO WOULD PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE OF YOUR LIFE? Liam Neeson… simply

WHAT IS YOUR IDEAL JOB? I always wanted to teach…I guess I still think about it often.

FAVOURITE QUOTE: What’s meant for you… will never go past you INSPIRATION IN YOUR LIFE? My parents THE MOST IMPORTANT LIFE LESSON YOU’VE LEARNT? Never be afraid to take a plunge into something you may feel is out of your depth… it just may be the best decision you ever made.

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