Ulster Grocer

Grocer

NO.1 MAGAZINE FOR THE LOCAL GROCERY SECTOR

™

40 years at the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry

Year of Food & Drink 2016

DECEMBER 2015

ULSTER

NE W To celebrate the Minions Movie DVD launch, we are launching brand NEW banana flavoured Honey Monster Cereal Bars.

5x20g / Case Size 12 Available from November!

To place an order call us on: 028 9267 3316

CONTENTS

email: info@ulstergrocer.com Volume 50, Number 10 December 2015

www.ulstergrocer.com

18-20

14-15

Editor: Alyson Magee E: alysonmagee@greerpublications.com Sales Manager: Mark Beckett E: markbeckett@greerpublications.com Senior Accounts Manager: Michelle Kearney E: michellekearney@greerpublications.com Contributors: Seamus McCaffrey, Karen Blair

Ulster Grocer is published by Greer Publications 5B Edgewater Business Park, Belfast Harbour Estate, BELFAST BT3 9JQ Tel: 028 9078 3200 Fax: 028 9078 3210 Web: www.ulstergrocer.com @ulstergrocer www.facebook.com/ulstergrocer Subscription: £27.50 per annum

£37.50 outside UK

Designed & Produced by: Greer Publications Design Tel: 028 9078 3200 Printed by: W&G Baird, Antrim Tel: 028 9446 3911

Greer Publications © 2015. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of Greer Publications.

8 • Ulster Grocer | JANUARY 2011

28-31

22-23

14-15 KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY: is the secret for success at Today’s Extra Fivemiletown, says proprietor Robert McDowell, with the store having recently undergone a full renovation and added a new hot food and deli counter.

Contents

Publishers: James and Gladys Greer

17 FRESH INVESTMENT: IFEX 2016 will be held in the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast over March 8-10 with its organiser, Fresh Montgomery having played an integral role in bringing the new Titanic Exhibition Centre to fruition.

18-20 CHRISTMAS CHEER: What are the latest new product launches targeting the holiday market? Find out in the Ulster Grocer festive food & drink preview, which also features a competition to win a Valeo Foods hamper before Christmas.

22-23 A VINTAGE YEAR: Northern Ireland Year of Food & Drink 2016 represents a huge opportunity to build the reputation of local fare, boosting our tourism proposition as well as domestic sales and exports. Find out what’s happening and how to get involved.

28-31 PROTEIN PLEASE: Local producers and manufacturers of meat, poultry and fish are netting numerous awards and investing in the future, while the Livestock & Meat Commission NI is educating younger consumers about a balanced diet.

35 BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: Yes, it’s that time again with the launch of the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards 2016. Record entries came in last year, and expectations are high for 2016, with Year of Food & Drink likely to boost competition in the artisan category.

ULSTER GROCER

Art Editor: Karen Donnelly Production Manager: Stuart Gray Accounts: Gerardine Carson

5

NEWS

Making the most of Year of Food & Drink 2016 T

he stars are aligning for Year of Food & Drink, with a calendar of events shaping up including an exciting announcement to come soon.

The Year will be a major focus for Tourism NI, which will be supporting participants with its marketing support, resources and potentially funding for events.

The onus is very much on the agri-food industry, however, from producers through to retailers, the hospitality sector and event organisers to lay down their own plans, apply for funding and ensure Tourism NI have full details to assist with promotions through social media and other marketing outlets.

The additional support available in 2016 will offer industry an opportunity to really get events off the ground, and inspire greater collaboration, with the hope of creating a sustainable legacy for years to come.

It’s your year, your opportunity – make the most of it.

Alyson Magee

Traders geared up for Small Business Saturday T

he Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA) urged consumers to make this year’s Small Business Saturday, which took place on December 5, the best yet by supporting local traders.

Small Business Saturday is already the UK’s most successful small business campaign. Last year, 16.5 million adults went out to support a small business on the day, with 64% of the UK aware of the campaign.

The UK’s small businesses between them provide 60% of private sector jobs and nearly 50% of private sector turnover.

Last year, the campaign was featured by all major media, trended at number one on Twitter on the day (above One Direction)

and received around 3.5 million views on its Facebook page. This year Small Business Saturday carries the theme ‘5 million small businesses, one big day’.

“While Small Business Saturday is all about showcasing our fantastic local small businesses, it is also crucial that consumers go the extra mile by shopping with local independent retailers on 5th December, throughout the Christmas period and beyond,” said Glyn Roberts, chief executive of NIIRTA. “Independent retailers are making a serious comeback in Northern Ireland and offer something different to multiple retailers, making our town centres that bit

Pictured at the UK launch of Small Business Saturday 2015 are, from left, FSB National Chairman John Allan, Minister for Small Businesses Anna Soubry and NIIRTA CEO Glyn Roberts.

more diverse. Up to 70p in every pound that is spent with local independent retailers benefits the local economy by supporting local producers and suppliers.”

Key challenges face agriculture, say farm leaders

Pictured at the welcome reception held for delegates attending the North America – EU Congress in Northern Ireland are, from left, Wesley Aston (UFU), Arlene Foster (Finance Minister), Ivor Ferguson (UFU), Barclay Bell (UFU), and Ian Marshall (UFU president).

T

he North American-EU (NAEU) Agricultural Congress, meeting in Ireland for the first time, brought together key agricultural organisations from the EU, Canada, Mexico, and USA. It was hosted by the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), and focused on the challenges agriculture faces and how they could be jointly tackled.

Speaking in Belfast, new Copa President Martin Merrild, a Danish farmer, told journalists a big challenge facing farmers and agricultural cooperatives is the difficult market situation caused by the Russian import ban.

8 366• •Ulster UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

“Many lost their main export market worth €5bn overnight,” he said. “Milk prices were down by as much as 35% in some regions and I know Northern Ireland has been particularly hard hit by falling milk prices. Pork prices are also 20% down on previous levels.”

Merrild said the aid package agreed by the EU would help, but warned it was not enough to have a significant impact. “We need additional measures and a strong export strategy,” he said.

Copa and Cogeca, which represent European farmers and cooperatives, support the current TTIP (Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership) talks as long as key conditions are met.

“We need to tackle red tape and non-tariff barriers to trade,” he said. “We also need a better deal on market access, especially on beef. Beyond trade we need to cut CAP red tape, which stifles innovation.”

He added that one of the biggest challenges facing agriculture was food production for a world population growing at a rate of 140,000 people every day. “We are also part of the fight against climate change which threatens food production. Green growth and producing more with less are key here.”

Cogeca President Christian Pees said combating unfair and abusive practices in the food chain and ensuring farmers get a better return was a priority; particularly with farmers receiving less support under the new CAP. He added that Cogeca wanted to see an EU legal framework that could facilitate voluntary agreements, backed up by legislation.

NEWS

NIFDA calls for local agri-food sector to up its game D

r David Dobbin CBE, chairman of the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association (NIFDA), has called for the local agri-food industry to up its game right along the supply chain to take on the competition and seek out the best opportunities for increased value from the market. He said industry faced major challenges in the form of intense price competition and falling returns, and could not afford to sit out prevailing difficult markets and wait for things to get better.

Dobbin was speaking at the 19th NIFDA Annual Dinner, attended by over 200 leading figures in the local agri-food industry. He said, while a number of factors are causing marketplace volatility and turmoil, food manufacturers and processors must focus on pro-actively pursuing opportunities rather than simply adopting a defensive position.

“A general fall in commodity prices,

adverse exchange rates, a price war on the high street and the ending of EU milk quotas have all impacted upon the local food and drink industry,” he said. “Intense price competition in falling markets has resulted in lower returns and deflation with the impact being felt right along the supply chain including farmers, processors and retailers none of whom has been making any money.

However, we must focus on the opportunities rather than the problems.”

He said the Northern Ireland agri-food industry must exploit its strengths, including its island status allowing creation of a food fortress with one of the highest integrity supply chains in the world. He also welcomed the recent political agreement including a reduction in the rate of corporation tax to 12.5% by 2018, and the continuation of the industrial rate relief for manufacturing.

NIFDA will issue its manifesto in early

Pictured are, from left, NIFDA Chairman Dr David Dobbin CBE; Tesco Chief Product Officer Jason Tarry; and HSBC Head of Food and Agriculture UK Allan Wilkinson.

2016, outlining its main priorities for removing barriers to trade and improving the competitiveness of the sector. Themes will include reducing the cost and tax base; increasing market support activity; increasing product and process innovation activity; and improving the skills base and attracting talent in the sector.

Corporation tax element of Fresh Start deal welcomed I

ndustry representatives including the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA) and NI Chamber have welcomed the Fresh Start Stormont Agreement and, in particular, movement on corporation tax.

“Political stability is the bottom line for sustainable economic development and so we welcome this agreement as a roadmap in moving forward both the institutions and our economy,” said Glyn Roberts, chief executive at NIIRTA. “At long last we have the date and rate for Corporation Tax of April 2018. It is crucial that this timetable is maintained.”

Stephen McCully, president of Northern Ireland Chamber

of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber), said: “NI Chamber welcomes the fact that the political deadlock has been broken.

Political stability and a Northern Ireland Executive pulling together on the economy is vital for business growth in Northern Ireland.

“The agreement will pave the way for the devolution of Corporation Tax powers by April 2018. Although it is disappointing that this will be a year later than first anticipated, the rate has now been firmly set at 12.5%. It means that with a rate and date now in place, businesses can plan for growth and Invest NI can start selling the proposition to potential inward investors across the world.”

Invest NI hosts celebration of NI food awards T

rade Minister Jonathan Bell congratulated Northern Ireland’s food and drink industry on yet another highly successful year, during a recent celebratory showcase event hosted by Invest NI in the Stormont Hotel.

In this year’s Great Taste Awards, 69 companies were awarded 191 gold stars. In the Irish Quality Food Awards, 13 products from Northern Ireland companies gained category awards; 16 were highly commended and six were commended and, in the recent Blas Na hÉireann, Irish Food Awards, Northern Ireland companies won a total of 45 awards.

Winners from the three sets of awards exhibited at the showcase, which was attended by key industry stakeholders, media and retail and foodservice buyers from GB and Ireland.

“It is only fitting that we celebrate the 8 36• •Ulster UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

Pictured are, from left, Lara Newton - Irish Quality Food Awards; Trade Investment Minister Jonathan Bell; Ellie Stuart, Barronscourt Estate, winner of the Great Taste ‘Golden Fork for Northern Ireland’ award; and Artie Clifford - Blas Na hƒireann Food Awards.

outstanding achievements of local companies in this year’s UK Great Taste Awards, the Irish Quality Food Awards and the Blas na hÉireann Awards,” said Bell. “Northern Ireland’s food and drink industry is going from strength to strength and this is evidenced here, at this event, by another string of food awards which showcase the pure, natural

quality of our food and drink.

“I would like to offer special congratulations to Baronscourt Estate of Newtownstewart who won the 2015 ‘Golden Fork for Northern Ireland’ award for its Wild Sika Venison French Rack. This is a tremendous endorsement of their work to ensure only the most highly selected quality meat.

“In addition, we have some of the best food and the best restaurants in the world with two of our restaurants recently receiving Michelin stars and just last weekend the exciting announcement that the Boat House in Bangor was number 50 in this year’s list of the Sunday Times Top 100 restaurants. The industry exports £1.3bn of products around the world and the 2016 Year of Food & Drink will enable us to continue to raise our profile nationally and to promote food tourism here on the international stage.”

7

NEWS

Grocers’ Ball star prize winners enjoy a VIP experience M

ackle Petfood’s Karen Douglas and Claire McCann travelled to Florida last month for a 10-day holiday, after winning the Kerry Foods-sponsored star prize at the Grocers’ Ball back in May. With all proceeds from the raffle at the Ball going to GroceryAid, Kerry Foods donated its prize of a trip to the World BBQ Championships in Kissimee with return flights and hotel accommodation for two to celebrate its new Fire & Smoke range, which took inspiration from the pitmaster craft of the American Deep South.

“The World Food Championships were a great experience and we were delighted to receive the ‘VIP’ treatment during our visit to the event,” said Douglas. “The Radisson Resort, Orlando was a lovely hotel, very

friendly staff – oh, and a variety of pools to enjoy the lovely weather in Orlando at the time.

“We were very grateful to receive the

top prize at the Grocers’ Ball, and would like to express our thanks yet again for the opportunity.”

Industry turns out for Ruby Curry Night Table Quiz F ood Force Ireland Trading Controller Debra Johnson recently hosted a Curry Night Table Quiz in memory of her mother Ruby, in support of Cancer Research UK. The event was held in the Ramada Plaza, Shaws Bridge, with teams of six competing

in the quiz and a range of great prizes on offer, alongside a fabulous curry with Indian beer.

The Ramada Plaza generously sponsored much of the evening.

Debra Johnson

8 368• •Ulster UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

RETAIL NEWS - INDEPENDENTS

Fruitfield Reids invests £5m, creates 40 new jobs F

Pictured are, from left, Joanne Gourley, joint owner of Fruitfield Reids Farm Foodhall; Tony McConnell, senior business manager, Danske Bank; Eric Reid, joint owner of Fruitfield Reids Farm Foodhall; Oonagh Murtagh, head of Finance Centre at Danske Bank; and Gary Reid, joint owner of Fruitfield Reids Farm Foodhall.

ruitfield Reids Farm Foodhall has invested £5m in new premises and created 40 new posts in Richhill, between Portadown and Armagh, with Danske Bank part funding the expansion.

The family business was opened in 1998 by the Reid family and, since relocating to a bigger site, is servicing around 15,000 customers per week.

The business is owned by brother and sister, Gary Reid and Joanne Gourley, and their father, Eric Reid, and currently employs 70 staff.

“Our business has expanded into more than just a petrol station, with people wanting a complete shopping experience,” said Gary Reid. “The site now boasts an off-licence, butcher’s, home cooked meals, deli counter and restaurant. We also operate a 24-hour pay at the pump (cash and card) Texaco forecourt.

“We have a strong belief in supporting local producers so where possible our food is sourced locally. Our new premise is double the size of our old store, spanning 13,000 square foot, with 150 enlarged spaces for ease of car parking.”

Direct Wine short-listed in prestigious IWSC awards D

irect Wine Shipments has been selected as one of the Best UK Independent Wine Retailers at The International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC), progressing to the final awards to be held in London at the end of November.

“There have been a string of success stories in Northern Ireland in recent months from restaurants, chefs, tourism, boxing and who could forget our football team,” said Peter McAlindon, director of the family-owned company. “It’s great to see how hard work, passion and creativity in Northern Ireland are paying off on a national stage. Being considered one of the best in the UK is a real boost to the Direct Wine Shipments team and customers.”

Direct Wine Shipments has developed a number of key initiatives over the last 24 months, launching a Wine Academy to offer Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 1, 2 and 3 courses to members of the hospitality sector and keen wine enthusiasts.

Twelve months ago, the business released a highly successful Ballybosch wine range in conjunction with international rugby stars Robbie Diack and Ruan Pienaar.

“It is equally gratifying and humbling to be judged amongst the best by your peers,” said Neal McAlindon. “We are thrilled to reach the final and have our fingers crossed we can come home with the trophy for the second time.”

Family business JC Stewart sold to DSP Supermarkets M

agherafelt store JC Stewart, a fourth generation family business most recently operated by well known industry figure Paul Stewart, has been sold to DSP Supermarkets.

The shop is to retain its name but the Kelly family, owner of DSP, is changing its retail partnership from Nisa to EUROSPAR. “It is sad news that Paul Stewart has decided to sell his business and move on,” said Glyn Roberts, chief executive of NIIRTA. “JC Stewart is an independent retailer of the first division in terms of choice, quality and customer service.

“As president of NIIRTA over the past 15 years, Paul has made a huge contribution to our growth as a business organisation and indeed the entire independent retail sector in Northern Ireland.

“It is welcome that the new owner is both keeping the JC Stewart name and the existing staff. We wish them well in maintaining the high standard set by Paul.”

8 • Ulster Grocer | JANUARY 2011

Co. Down newsagent named top of the shops Timothy Walsh (centre) is pictured at the awards ceremony.

T

imothy Walsh of Walsh’s Newsagent in Banbridge was crowned Magazine Retailer of the Year at the prestigious NFRN Awards, which took place recently at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel in London.

According to the judges, the shop has one of the most extensive magazine displays for miles. They were also impressed with Walsh’s commitment and enthusiasm for this important product category, his support for new launches and the efforts he will make to acquire specialist titles to satisfy his customers’ demands.

The NFRN Awards are awarded annually by the National Federation of Retail Newsagents, and recognise excellence in news and convenience retailing, rewarding those who have made an outstanding contribution to the sector.

The Federation represents 15,000 independent convenience stores in the UK and RoI. 9

RETAIL NEWS – SYMBOLS

Victoria steps into SPAR Star spotlight S

inging sensation Victoria McClements from Antrim has been crowned the 2015 SPAR Star, with a starring role in Peter Corry’s festive production, The Music Box, which will run at the Belfast Waterfront over December 17-19.

This is the second year SPAR Northern Ireland, title sponsor of The Music Box, has run the SPAR Star competition in conjunction with PC Productions and Q Radio. Following two rounds of auditions, the teenager sang her way to victory after a unanimous decision from the judges. She sang Somewhere over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz in her video audition, making it through to the final nine live auditions.

The panel included Bronagh Luke, head of Corporate Marketing at the Henderson Group, owners of the SPAR franchise in Northern Ireland, alongside PC Productions’ Peter Corry, Fleur Mellor and Ashley Fulton, and Cate Conway from the Q Radio Breakfast Show, which hosted part of the competition on-air.

“This is the second successful SPAR Star competition we have held, and the talent we have found is just incredible,” said Luke. “I have no doubt that we will see big things from Victoria. Last year’s winner Carlie Rosbotham has gone on to perform in many more productions and is now pursuing a degree and career in Musical Theatre. We wish Victoria every success in The Music Box and her future.”

Presented by Peter Corry and supported by SPAR Northern Ireland, the show will feature internationally renowned West End Leading Lady,

Pictured with SPAR Star for 2015, Victoria McClements, are Bronagh Luke from the Henderson Group, title sponsor of The Music Box, and singer Peter Corry who will direct, produce and star in the festive show.

Joanna Ampil, star of Miss Saigon, Les Miserable and Cats.

Also back by popular demand is Game of Thrones star, Ian McElhinney, alongside guest choirs, ballet girls and choirboys. Tickets for The Music Box are available from Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall box offices.

COSTCUTTER LAUNCHES NATIONAL INITIATIVE FOR CHARITIES

C

ostcutter Supermarkets Group is launching a new national initiative to help its 2,600 independent store owners support local charities in their community.

Unveiled at its annual conference, Local Pride will see every Group store owner given the opportunity to receive vital tools and support to fundraise and give back to their chosen local good causes.

“Our store owners take great pride in

being part of their local communities and have a tremendous track record in terms of supporting causes which are important to their customers and raising vital funds for local charities,” said Heather de Groot, charity brand manager for Costcutter Supermarkets Group.

“We wanted to support their efforts by making the process as simple as possible and optimising every penny raised. Local Pride is the result of consultation with all our members

who wanted to unite their teams, shoppers and community behind worthwhile local causes and give meaningful and regular donations.”

Retailers who sign up to Local Pride will be given a store fundraising page and paying in card, provided by the programme administrator Charities Trust. Monthly BACs payments will then be made to the chosen charities based on funds raised.

Portadown Costcutter scoops national award C

Pictured are, from left, Chris Lappin, Tom Fraser and Feargal Sherry and, back row from left, Andrea Donaldson, Sarah Power, Craig Crossey-Truesdale and Teresa Moore.

10

halet Costcutter, Portadown, has scooped a Best Customer Service Award at the inaugural Costcutter Supermarket Group Awards held in Liverpool, winning out against UK and NI stores.

The store won the award when its customers scored it ‘outstanding’ in a customer satisfaction programme – a scheme designed to recognise stores providing first class customer service and going the extra mile for their shoppers.

The store, opened in July 2014 by local entrepreneur Diarmuid McKeown, is built on the site of the historic Shamrock Chalet owned by the McKeown family since 1963 and employs 18 people across its grocery, hot food, off sales and deli divisions.

“We were surprised and delighted to hear our store named as the winner for the Best for Customer Service, against significant competition,” said Craig Crossey-Truesdale, manager of the Chalet Costcutter. “I’d like to praise our staff for their efforts – they are at the forefront of customer relations daily and it’s a real credit to the whole Chalet Stores team.”

Daniel Quest, retail director for Costcutter Supermarkets Group, said: “The store has completely embraced our ‘Your Local Shop’ customer satisfaction programme. It is this focus that has seen 82% of their shoppers rate them as ‘outstanding’ for staff friendliness.”

RETAIL NEWS – MULTIPLES

Tesco adds new local producers to its listings A

number of local food and drink producers have gained listings with Tesco, including Portaferry-based Pizzado and Lisburn-based RubyBlue Premium Craft Vodka.

Pizzado is a do-it-yourself frozen pizza kit featuring dough balls, sauce and mozzarella, now available in 24 Tesco Northern Ireland stores, in a £250,000 deal for Karen Boyd and her son Josh, who run the business.

“Pizza was what I knew and, like most small businesses, Pizzado was created in 2011 around a coffee table with friends,” said Karen Boyd. “The idea was sparked from experience; my son was always making pizzas at home with his friends. Now he’s 18, we have been able to pair up and bring this idea to fruition and to consumers through in-store sampling opportunities with Tesco before securing the deal.”

Steven Murphy, buyer at Tesco Northern Ireland, said: “This is a fantastic example of a local artisan producer who was able to introduce their products to consumers through Tesco’s sampling option. This was specifically introduced to help those not-yetlisted small producers bring their product to market by offering them free space in-store.”

Meanwhile, award-winning RubyBlue Premium Craft Vodka, made from Irish potatoes, is the brainchild of Barbara and Stuart Hughes of Hughes Craft Distillery.

It will be sold in 25 local stores alongside

Local ‘mumtrepreneur’ Karen Boyd shows off her family-friendly pizza-making kit to four-year old ‘chef’ Joshua King and Steven Murphy, buyer at Tesco Northern Ireland.

already established fruit liqueurs in four flavours – Blackcurrant, Wild Blueberry, Cranberry and Chilli Pepper – signifying a £100,000 deal for Hughes Craft Distillery.

“RubyBlue is the first Irish vodka to be made from our humble potato – giving it an ultra smooth pure finish,” said Barbara Hughes of Hughes Craft Distillery. “We started our business about five years ago and this latest deal with Tesco Northern Ireland

USDAW AND NIIRTA EXPRESS DISMAY OVER DUNNES CLOSURE

O

fficials from the shopworkers’ trade union Usdaw visited with staff last month following Dunnes’ proposal to close the food hall in its West Belfast store.

Usdaw has been running a recruitment campaign in every Dunnes store across the UK to sign-up staff to the union, and take the company through the statutory recognition procedure.

“This has been a truly dreadful week for job losses in Northern Ireland,” said Glyn Roberts, chief executive of NIIRTA. “Our thoughts are with the 50 Park Centre Dunnes staff and their families at this difficult time so close to Christmas.”

Last month, one of Banbridge’s largest retailers and NIIRTA member Frank McPolin announced his two grocery stores were in administration, citing the impact of the new out-of-town Tesco hypermarket and a 30% increase in his rates bill after the recent revaluation as contributing factors.

will truly take it to the next level.”

Murphy said: “The potato is synonymous with Northern Ireland, and for the Hughes to have the ingenuity to use something so familiar to us to create a unique Northern Irish spirit, is impressive. We love uncovering hidden gems of local products and RubyBlue Vodka will create a real point of difference on our shelves and reinforce our support for local produce.”

McCool’s SuperValu M

cCool’s SuperValu Ballymoney has picked up Best Independent Retailer and the Training Development category at the Causeway Coast & Glens Business Awards 2015.

The two accolades, voted for by the public, Aidan Young of Autoline Insurance Group presents the award to SV follow a number Ballymoney supervisors Kate McAleese and Shirley Patton and store owner Peter McCool. of other recent awards including Best Supermarket in Northern Ireland for Hygiene and Food Safety at the National Q Mark Awards and the Investor in People Gold standard.

“These awards are testament to the hard work that has been done by all our staff,” said Peter McCool, owner of the business. “It is great to get both local and national recognition of the standards we now have in store. We provide customers with a best in class retail experience and great value price but we will not be sitting on our laurels; we will now push forward looking to set even higher standards for the future.”

11

My Life in the Grocery Trade Trevor Mounstephen, commercial account manager, Karro Food Group What is your current role?

I currently work for Karro Food Group Cookstown as a commercial account manager looking after a number of key multiple customers, which involves both own label management and of course, our famous Cookstown brand.

Briefly outline your employment history to date?

I have spent all my career in the grocery sector.

During my university summers, I had worked at Cantrell & Cochrane, and it was there I took my first step into sales after college as a store merchandiser. Progressing within C&C as a sales rep and then account manager, I was there for almost ten years. Moving from there, to the then British Bakeries, with Hovis, Mothers Pride, Ormo brands, I spent five years looking after the convenience channel customers. From there it was onto Breeo Foods with brands such as Shaws, Galtee, and Dairygold before moving to Kerry Foods as part of its acquisition of Breeo.

What does your role involve?

It’s working with our customers to build ongoing business growth. It’s ensuring we have the right plans that continually put top quality products from Cookstown on the shelves that consumers want. Obviously delivering on that plan is key, and as anyone who works in the grocery trade knows, there is a lot of work across all areas of both the supply and retail sides to get those products on the shelves.

When did you take up this post?

It seems like yesterday but it’s almost six years

since I started this job with Cookstown, and so far I have enjoyed every minute of it.

What are the best/worst parts of your job?

I could say the best part is sampling new products, there are always some tasty sausages or bacon to be tasted. It’s great to know that I’m playing a part in helping to keep a work force of over 850 people employed at our factory, along with the local farmers who supply the pigs. The worst part has to be never getting to the end of my ‘to do’ list or getting all my emails opened.

Briefly outline a typical day I don’t think anyone in the grocery sector would say there is such a thing as a typical day. Whether I’m at the factory or travelling to a customer meeting, I look at the customer orders and review the previous days sales and closing stock levels at stores. Also planning new launches, updating forecasts, internal meetings, answering emails and the odd visit to stores could be part of a Cookstown day.

What has been the proudest moment of your career to date?

There are always milestones such as achieving a certain turnover or the number of listings with a retailer, or passing a profit figure.

However having received supplier awards from both Tesco and Asda within the last few years these would be the proudest moments. When we received these, it was an acknowledgement of the work of the wider team at Cookstown in terms of delivering consistent service levels, quality, NPD and retail support which allows for strong retailer partnerships to develop.

What is the best thing about being involved with local retail industry?

8 • •Ulster 3612 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

Our factory plays a large role in supporting the local farming industry with over 22,000 pigs being processed weekly. This ensures there is a lot of pig meat to be sold. It is important that we have strong trading relationships with our retail customers, for both our Cookstown brand and those delivering regional own label.

The local retail industry continue to work hard to ensure the Northern Irish consumers are able to enjoy their local brands.

What do you like to do to unwind away from work?

Not sure you can say it’s always relaxing but I have followed Ulster Rugby and Northern Ireland football for years, although nothing beats a weekend at the north coast with my wife Alison, and children James, Anna and Rebecca. It’s so easy to relax there, whether out for walks, cycling, body boarding and plenty of great restaurants.

Tell us something about yourself that not many people may know I’m not a very good swimmer, and on a visit to the Lisburn Leisure pool was persuaded by my children to go down the ‘toilet flush’ slide.

Much to the amusement of them and everyone else watching, the attendant had to put a grab pole into pool for me to be pulled out.

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STORE FOCUS

Today’s Extra Fivemiletown Keeping it in the family is the secret for success at Today’s Extra Fivemiletown, proprietor Robert McDowell tells Brian McCalden.

R

obert McDowell, proprietor of the new Today’s Extra store Fivemiletown, says he owes his work ethic and determination to succeed in business to his dad, Cecil.

“He was a time-served plasterer and worked hard for the family and that gave me the incentive to do likewise, and for my son Stuart to follow,” says Robert.

His first commercial venture was when he went self-employed and opened a traditional garage repair shop along with the farming family background.

“I am always on the lookout for new opportunities though,” he says. When a shop and petrol forecourt opportunity came up in his home village of Clabby, Co Fermanagh, Robert grasped the opportunity and entered the world of grocery retailing for the first time.

In 2000, he needed to expand and he purchased a new store a half mile away and moved onwards. In 2010, Robert converted the store to Today’s Extra.

Then just last year, along with his son Stuart, he decided to expand further and took over a former 2,0000-square-foot Mace site, which was re-branded as Today’s Extra in April 2015. He pays tribute to the team

8 • •Ulster 3614 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

Robert McDowell (right) and his son Stuart.

from Today’s (S&W Wholesale) for all their invaluable assistance.

The store has undergone a full renovation and has been fully refitted with new refrigeration, lighting and shelving; this was developed with energy efficient running costs as a main priority.

Stuart told UG: “All the lighting and refrigeration is also highly efficient, with the latest technology such as LED lighting installed from the start.

“Coupled with our new refrigeration and

the new Chilled, Fresh & Frozen product range offered by S&W Wholesale, we have noticed an increase in footfall and sales in these areas. This new service covers a full range of products from all the local major suppliers, and its great being able to place your order online and receive it in one delivery.”

A new hot food and deli counter was launched recently, is exceeding all expectations, and has been a great footfall driver.

Of course, between the farming and the

STORE FOCUS

two shops, family remains at the heart of the business and, while Robert’s dad Cecil is not able to physically assist anymore, Robert’s wife Julie is key to the successful administration of all the businesses.

Under Stuart’s guidance, the new Today’s Extra Fivemiletown store has of course developed at a pace with, not just the hot food taking off, but also locally-produced bakery products coming straight from the in-store facility.

This includes home-produced scones, buns, tray bakes and fresh cream cakes, all of which have proved very popular to the mainly walkin trade from several housing developments nearby.

“The original store was closed for almost four years and it seemed like a near impossible task to win back business that had been ‘lost’, but with a mixture of quality and value for money – supported strongly by the Today’s Group offers – this has proved hugely successful, exceeding business expectations months ahead of schedule,” says Robert.

“I put in long hours, but that’s thanks to the work ethic my dad had and my son Stuart has inherited; it is hard work but satisfying, and I’m determined to support local produce as much as possible, while still offering quality and value for money to customers.

“There is a large commercial yard that needs development too and retail units are a distinct possibility, so it is a matter of ‘watch this space’ for the future, as I’m not for stopping here.”

Stuart is looking to the future too and has engineered a significant presence for the business on Facebook, with store promotions and competitions getting a wide audience.

Speaking on behalf of the Today’s team from S&W Wholesale, Michael Skelton, sales director, told UG: “We are delighted with the new look Today’s Extra store and how it has been received in Fivemiletown. This store represents the way forward for the Today’s Group with a new look store and improved customer offer.

“We are pleased that the McDowell family are committed to the Today’s brand with two successful stores and keen to grow their family business in partnership with Today’s.”

8 36• •Ulster UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

15

Q&a

Focus on Fresh – featuring Jonny Stinson, managing director of Daily Bake HAS THE CONTRACT OPENED UP YOUR BUSINESS TO NEW MARKETS? Yes! It has opened up our ability to develop sales in the UK and Ireland. The SPAR contract has helped to launch our products in Northern Ireland and we feel that these export markets offer huge potential for a similar range. Our sales have continued to increase year on year.

Jonny Stinson

TELL US ABOUT DAILY BAKE? Based in Armagh, we are a small family business started in 1988 from our kitchen at home. At that stage, we employed just two people with the added help from my sister and I, who peeled apples after school.

Our ethos has remained the same since the day we opened... take fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and prepare using (mum’s) traditional recipes for the convenience of our loyal customers. Daily Bake has developed considerably over the years and we now have 40 employees.

WHEN DID YOU BEGIN SUPPLYING TO THE HENDERSON GROUP? We first started supplying the Henderson Group in 2005. By this point, our business had already experienced fantastic growth through our range of ready-to-eat dinners and desserts in the local Armagh area.

However, we needed support to move products further afield and reach a wider market.

Since then, our products have been taken into the Henderson Group warehouses and distributed to over 400 stores operating under the SPAR, EUROSPAR, VIVO, VIVOXTRA and VIVO Essentials brands. This muchneeded platform has allowed the business to grow significantly and for us to expand our product offering, reaching hundreds of households in Northern Ireland.

16

WHICH PRODUCTS ARE PERFORMING BEST? Simple... products that fit the convenience sector and provide meal solutions for busy families.

There are two particular products that stand out.

We specialise in creating solutions for tonight’s tea. Daily Bake has lots of tasty dishes for this purpose... including Irish Beef in Peppercorn Sauce, a dish which is tender with a melt-in-the-mouth taste due to the slow cooking processes our beef goes through. Our Chicken and Chorizo Pasta with a selection of chargrilled vegetables is also a firm family favourite.

The Henderson Group was instrumental in developing these lines in partnership with Daily Bake, and provided market insight and guidance on development.

HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT DECIDING WHICH PRODUCTS TO SUPPLY? We have a great New Product Development department that constantly creates lots of new and exciting ideas for the Trading Team at the Henderson Group.

Consumer research is also vital. We look at market trends and are always researching through recipe books to find products that suit the NI palates. Our family are often inspired by dishes we have enjoyed, and this is transferred back to our NPD team. By working closely with the Henderson Group, we have been able to grow our business and bring new concepts to the marketplace.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS TO INTRODUCE MORE NEW LINES THIS YEAR? Yes, we are putting the finishing touches to our Christmas range with lots of work happening in our New Product Development department. We are also looking forward to launching new products in early 2016.

The expansion of our fantastic cheesecake range has been something we have been working tirelessly on lately. In addition to the Raspberry and White Chocolate Cheesecake, we are currently developing the Salted Caramel Cheesecake, which is sure to be a big hit this Christmas.

ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH SUPPLYING THE WIDER RETAIL SECTOR? Quality has always been our biggest objective, regardless of the size of the customer order.

Of course the challenge becomes greater as the market grows but we strive to achieve the highest quality in every sense and that’s something that will never change.

Our partnership with the Henderson Group has meant that we face challenges that come in conjunction with this level of growth. We thrive on these challenges and we have a great team which is dedicated and committed. With the help and guidance provided by the Henderson Group, we have laid some solid foundations for further growth.

HAS THE HENDERSON GROUP CONTRACT GIVEN YOU ANY INSIGHT INTO THE RETAIL MARKET? Yes. Since launching the range, we have become more aware of what the market wants and that’s how new ideas for products are generated. After all, we wouldn’t be here if the customers didn’t like our products. We simply strive to deliver the best products for the best value each and every time.

IFEX 2016

IFEX 2016 underway after ‘Fresh’ investment IFEX 2016 will be held in the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast over March 8-10

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t the launch of IFEX 2016 – Northern Ireland’s largest food, hospitality and retail event – it was revealed that Fresh Montgomery, one of the UK’s largest event organisers and owners of IFEX, has invested significantly in the future of IFEX. The company played an integral role in working with the NIEO (Northern Ireland Event Organisers) and Titanic Quarter to bring the new Titanic Exhibition Centre to fruition, and from March 8-10, 2016, the 5,000-square-metre Titanic Exhibition Centre will be home to IFEX 2016.

“IFEX is firmly-rooted in NI’s hospitality industry and it’s a fantastic event, however, having a venue that remained in the heart of Belfast was key to its future success due to the nature of our exhibitors and visitors,” said Toby Wand, managing director of Fresh Montgomery.

“We joined forces with our fellow event organisers in the NIEO to help to establish the Titanic Exhibition Centre, and through our involvement, Fresh Montgomery has given a long-term commitment to ensuring IFEX remains the market-leading food, drink, retail and hospitality trade expo in Northern Ireland.”

As one of the Province’s longest running trade exhibitions, IFEX attracts approximately 5,000 visitors from the food, retail and hospitality sectors over three days. It’s the event where many of Northern Ireland’s most notable chefs – including Michael Deane, Chris Bell and Roisin Gavin – were first recognised and ‘ChefSkills’, which hosts approximately 250 industry and student chefs, remains the heart of the show.

“With 2016 being Northern Ireland’s Year of Food & Drink, there’s a huge appetite for

Pictured are Kimberly Anderson, Tori Gourley and Nicolas O’Kane, VRQ Level 3 Advanced Professional Chef Diploma students from Belfast Met with Toby Wand, managing director, Fresh Montgomery.

IFEX 2016,” said Caroline McCusker, event manager of IFEX. “Almost 80% of available floor space is now secured and we’re working with the Guild of Fine Food to introduce the first-ever Great Taste Market to IFEX, which will feature around 20 ‘great taste’ winning producers from the Province.”

Confirmed exhibitors include show stalwarts – Stephen’s Catering, Henderson Foodservice, Masseys for Catering Equipment, Lynas Foodservice, Matthew Algie, Golden Glen Catering, BD Foods, Nestlé Ireland, Suki Tea and Frylite – with many new names also committed to the event including First Choice Catering (full list of exhibitors available at www.IFEXexhibition.co.uk).

Once again, the show is retaining its

Sean Owens, Salon Culinaire Director, IFEX is pictured with Caroline McCusker, IFEX event manager, Fresh Montgomery and Kimberly Anderson, Belfast Met culinary student.

excellent relationships with industry associations in the Province and will be working hard to ensure cross-industry support.

As the trade event for the food, retail and hospitality industry, IFEX, has a history of being the stomping ground for talented young culinarians. Skills are high on the agenda and the Salon Culinaire, which raises the bar in terms of culinary skills in Northern Ireland, includes La Parade des Chefs, the ChefSkills Theatre and Cold Display/Edible Art. The ChefSkills Theatre recognises some of the industry’s most promising chefs from both colleges and industry. Running over the three days, there’s a series of exciting backto-back live hot competitions, including the hotly contended Northern Ireland Chef of the Year and Northern Ireland Junior Chef of the Year accolades.

Long-standing Salon Culinaire Director Sean Owens concludes: “ChefSkills at IFEX is one of the most-respected culinary competitions in the UK. Over the years, judges from both the UK and Ireland have witnessed the quality of our culinary students and it’s fitting that in NI’s Year of Food & Drink, we’ll be awarding both student and industry chefs for their talent in working with the finest Northern Ireland produce.”

IFEX 2016 is taking place over March 8-10, 2016 at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, which is situated opposite Titanic Studios. For further information, see www.IFEXexhibition.co.uk @IFEX_NI. 17

FESTIVE FOOD & DRINK

SuperValu and Centra launch local craft spirits across Northern Ireland S

uperValu and Centra have expanded their premium spirits range, becoming the first off-licence chain in Northern Ireland to make three popular local craft spirits widely available across the Province.

Shortcross Gin, Ruby Blue Vodka and Dunville’s Whiskey have gained increasing popularity since they were launched by their local distillers in recent years. However, until now, the award-winning local premium spirits have not been easily obtainable throughout the Province.

With 50 off-licences across Northern Ireland, providing customers with an extensive range of beers, wines and spirits, SuperValu and Centra are meeting the demand for local craft products as well as enhancing their premium spirits offering.

Northern Ireland’s first craft gin, Shortcross is produced at Rademon Estate Distillery, Crossgar, Co Down and was awarded a silver medal at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2015.

Ruby Blue Vodka is a small batch potato vodka distilled and bottled

by Hughes Craft Distillery in Lisburn, Co Antrim. The spirit was awarded Gold in the 2015 Global Vodka Masters and took Silver at the 2015 New York World Wine and Spirits Club Awards.

The Echlinville Distillery in Newtownards produces Dunville’s 10 year old PX Cask whiskey. Once produced by the biggest distillery in Belfast, Echlinville now produces the whiskey, which was named Best Irish Single Malt 12 years old and under at the recent 2015 World Whiskies Awards.

“I’m delighted to be adding Shortcross Gin, Ruby Blue Vodka

18

Helping SuperValu/Centra Trading Manager James McLornan (second right) launch the new additions to the premium spirits offering are, from left, Jarlath Watson of The Echlinville Distillery in Newtownards, Stuart Hughes of Hughes Craft Distillery in Lisburn and David Boyd-Armstrong of Rademon Estate Distillery in Downpatrick.

and Dunville’s 10 year old PX Cask Whiskey to our premium spirits range. They are fantastic local craft spirits which are gaining a lot of international awards,” said James McLornan, trading manager at SuperValu/Centra.

“These local award winners will form part of our extended premium spirit range which now includes Dingle Gin made from uniquely Irish botanicals, the gluten free Tito’s Handmade Vodka from Texas and Jameson Caskmates – an Irish Whiskey finished in oak barrels used to age Irish Stout.”

FESTIVE FOOD & DRINK

NI folk sure love their pickles E

dwards is available on the shelves of Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Henderson’s Spar, Musgrave Retail Partners, Nisa, Dunnes and independents. With over 100 years of brand heritage and a unique Northern Irish range at a competitive price, it has become the preferred pickle, according to supplier Valeo Foods.

Edwards is pickled to Northern Irish tastes with a unique vinegar, and range suited to satisfy local taste buds. With Christmas season festivities not too far around the corner, Valeo Foods recommends retailers stock up with the full Edwards range now, including Silverskin Onions, Mixed Pickles, Picked Cauliflower and Sliced Beetroot. Silverskin Cocktail Onions, meanwhile, are ideal on cocktail sticks accompanied with cheese for evening party snacks.

Visit the website for warming winter dishes recipes or, for more information, contact Valeo Foods on 028 9267 3316.

For the chance to win a fabulous Christmas hamper from Valeo Foods, please answer the following question:

PLEASE NAME AT LEAST FOUR BRANDS SUPPLIED BY VALEO FOODS IN NORTHERN IRELAND Entries can be sent by email to competitions@greerpublications.com or by post to Valeo Foods/Robert Roberts Hamper Competition, Ulster Grocer, 5B Edgewater Business Park, Belfast BT3 9JQ by Wednesday 16th December 2015.

Prize is as stated with no cash alternative, and may differ from image shown. Winners will be selected at random from all entries received by the closing date. Usual Ulster Grocer competition rules apply.

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FESTIVE FOOD & DRINK

Free’ist scoops gold at Irish Food Awards I

nnovative Sugar Free/No Added Sugar brand Free’ist picked up a gold award for its Sugar Free Caramel Crunch Popcorn at the prestigious Blas na hEireann Irish Food Awards 2015.

The Belfast-based company entered the awards for the first time this year, and won the gold award in the snacks category.

The awards are the biggest competition for quality Irish produce on the island of Ireland, with over 2,500 products competing for Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards in over 90 food and drink categories this year.

Free’ist launched four popcorn Free’ist Managing Director Gerard McAdorey is pictured with Free’ist flavours earlier this year to tap into Caramel Crunch Popcorn and the gold accolade awarded to the product at the Blas na hEireann 2015 awards. the booming popcorn market. Along with their award winning Caramel Crunch, lines include Sweet & Salty, Lightly Sea Salted and Nacho Cheese popcorn available; as well as being sugar free or no added sugar, they are all gluten-free, low in calories, suitable for vegetarians and come in 60g-130g bags.

In the summer, Free’ist gained listings in healthy products retailer Holland and Barrett for four cookies – hazelnut, choc chip, choc striped peanut cookies and coconut cookies; four chocolate bars – smooth milk choc, hazelnut choc, rich dark choc, and white choc with strawberries; chocolate wafer bars and chocolate wafer sticks; and sugar-free jams.

Ormo targets the Christmas market with Luxury Fruit Loaf

O

rmo has launched a new Luxury Fruit Loaf aimed at the Christmas season. The loaf is packed with cherries, raisins and sultanas and topped with sweet snow dusting, to give it a truly seasonal feel. To be enjoyed as a snack, sliced fresh from the pack, or toasted, this loaf will form a perfect part of any Christmas tea.

Innovation Voucher boosts prospects for manufacturer

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errylinbased business Crust and Crumb has grown its workforce by five and turnover by £500,000 following product development Jeremy Fitch, Invest NI’s executive director of Business undertaken Solutions, is pictured with Mark McCaffrey, sales executive at Crust and Crumb. with help from Invest Northern Ireland’s Innovation Vouchers.

Crust and Crumb used an Innovation Voucher to access the expertise of technologists at The Food Technology Centre, St Angela’s College in Sligo to develop a range of award-winning stuffing. The business now produces stuffing for chicken products supplied to customers such as Tesco, Dunnes and Lidl.

The company’s continued focus on innovation has also resulted in the development of its gluten free pizzas that are high in protein and low in fat. It has successfully taken this product range to market and now supplies pizzas to online business MuscleFood for its UK customer base.

The company manufactures fresh pizzas for the retail sector and part baked frozen pizza bases for the food service industry.

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FOOD AND DRINK NEWS

General principles, requirements and responsibilities around food labelling In the first of a series of expert opinion pieces, Cleaver Fulton Rankin Managing Director Karen Blair looks at food labelling.

WHAT INFORMATION MUST I PROVIDE TO MY CUSTOMERS ABOUT THE FOOD THAT I SELL IN MY CATERING BUSINESS? The labelling of most food in Northern Ireland is governed by the provisions of the Food Safety (NI) Order 1991 (as amended) and the Food Information Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014.

The 2014 Regulations establish general principles, requirements and responsibilities governing food information and in particular food labelling. They apply to any food business operator supplying food to the public or mass caterers such as restaurants, canteens, schools and catering enterprises.

Food labelling: Five key issues 1. Name of the food must not be misleading: The name of the food shall not be misleading and shall be its legal name or in the absence of such a name, the name of the food shall be its customary name (for example, ‘Irish Coffee’). If there is no customary name, a descriptive name of the food shall be provided which is precise enough to indicate the true nature of the product (for example, ‘macaroni in a cheese sauce’).

2. Allergens: Information on whether foods contain allergens must be provided to consumers.

3. Ingredients: The list of ingredients, including the quantity and category of ingredients, must be provided. Fresh fruit and vegetables are excluded from this requirement (non-exhaustive list).

4. Nutrition: A nutrition declaration must be provided on most pre-packed food from December 13, 2016.

5. Country of origin: Country of origin rules already exist in specific EU legislation for products such as beef, honey, fish etc; however information on the place of rearing and place of slaughter for fresh, chilled or frozen meat from swine, sheep, goats and poultry must now be provided.

An Improvement Notice may be served by a district council on a food business operator found to have contravened the Food Safety (NI) Order 1991 (as amended). Failure to comply with an Improvement Notice is a criminal offence.

Please note that the content of this article is for information purposes only and advice should be sought from a professional adviser.

Creating awareness from ‘field to fork’

BY MICHELE SHIRLOW, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, FOOD NI

H

ow much food and drink from local producers do you include on your shelves?

How much do you actively search out the expanding range of new products from local suppliers?

How much do you know about what’s being produced here? Are your shoppers interested in buying local? Do you ever visit local farmers’ markets in search of new food and drink ideas?

These are interesting questions to consider as we approach our first ever Year of Food & Drink in 2016. A key objective of this year-long celebration of locally produced food and drink is to boost sales of our food and drink and thereby assist the growth of those that grow the ingredients and process their output.

What we aim to do is to increase awareness among retailers, foodservice and, of course, shoppers of the outstanding taste and premium quality of what is being produced here. We now have a dynamic and increasingly innovative food and drink industry including artisan enterprises that have won international awards for taste and wholesomeness.

There is an immensely encouraging trend in the local market towards products with heritage and provenance and a desire among shoppers to get to know more about those producing the food and drink they purchase. This is clear from the remarkable growth in markets across Northern Ireland.

We now have a network of such markets, the best-known and most popular being the weekend events at St George’s Market in Belfast, the most successful indoor market in Britain. They recently held a twilight market which was a sell-out success.

Shopping in the historic market to the background music of a local band or singers is a real experience. It’s great fun and a tremendous opportunity to meet the producers of everything from home-baked breads and cakes to fruit, vegetables, confectionery and tea and coffee. Belfast City Council has a real treasure here and should consider making it easier for newcomers with bright ideas in food and drink to gain access. Over the past year, we’ve also seen new farmers’ markets being launched successfully such as Folkstown, Newtownbreda and Comber and further afield.

There’s a message in this for conventional traders. Shoppers are becoming more interested in local food and drink and are especially keen to know about those making the products.

We hope that Year of Food & Drink, the schedule of events for which is being developed, will support the work currently underway to reshape the supply chain here. Bringing the supply chain closer together and improving understanding from ‘field to fork’ makes sense. It will enhance knowledge and understanding of the problems and requirements of each link in the chain.

Perhaps the biggest benefit would be to build trust between producers and retailers. It is my personal hope that Year of Food & Drink will help to promote greater trust throughout the supply chain.

Please contact Cleaver Fulton Rankin on 028 90 243 141 or alternatively visit www.cfrlaw.co.uk 8 36• •Ulster UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

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Opportunity to make 2016 a great vintage for local food & drink Leading Northern Ireland Year of Food & Drink 2016, Tourism NI has a £2.75m budget to support participating producers and events but it’s up to industry itself to embrace the initiative and make the most of it, Chief Executive John McGrillen tells Alyson Magee.

John McGrillen

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year-long celebration of Northern Ireland food and drink, aimed at elevating its reputation and export prospects while boosting the local tourism offer, begins next month.

Producers, suppliers, retailers, caterers, venues and event organisers are invited to get involved in Year of Food & Drink 2016, which is led by Tourism NI in partnership with Food NI, Invest NI, local authorities and government departments.

In addition to setting a target to increase food-related visitor satisfaction by 5%, Tourism NI hopes the initiative will generate £10m of positive PR in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain and boost export sales of local food and drink.

Locals, visitors from across the world and global markets for Northern Ireland food and drink will be targeted through a series of branding, marketing and promotional activities. Each month has been allocated a particular agri-food focus, beginning with Breakfast Month in January, and the Year will celebrate businesses of all sizes from small artisan producers to long-established

8 • •Ulster 3622 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

businesses such as Tayto which celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2016.

With no other major events on the tourism calendar for 2016 as yet, Year of Food & Drink has become a focus and fortunate recipient of significant funding from Tourism NI. “Our focus this year is not on one big event but on a series of events that will take place over the course of the year,” says John McGrillen, chief executive of Tourism NI. “Some of it will be based around existing festivals but what we would like to see is an uplift in what those festivals might offer.”

From St George’s Market in Belfast to regional food and drink festivals and the Balmoral Show, “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,” he says. “We’ve got a really interesting calendar that is starting to develop.”

While Tourism NI has received around eight applications to its events fund to date to expand existing festivals, “I think there

JANUARY - Breakfast Month FEBRUARY - Love Local MARCH - Heritage & Traditions APRIL - Brewing & Distilling MAY - Landscape & Places JUNE - Love Dairy JULY - Seas, Rivers & Loughs AUGUST - Love NI Meat SEPTEMBER - Bread & Baking OCTOBER - Harvest NOVEMBER - Legacy & Learn to...

DECEMBER - Christmas & Premium Foods

will be a couple of large scale events that will emerge during the course of the year that will be new and will potentially be sustained into the future,” says McGrillen. An announcement of a major coup for Belfast is expected to come next month.

FOOD & DRINK SECTOR GROWTH Development of Northern Ireland Year of Food & Drink 2016 follows the success of a similar initiative in Scotland this year, as well as significant growth in the local sector.

Food and drink is Northern Ireland’s biggest manufacturer, contributing almost £5bn to the economy in 2014 and providing employment for around 100,000 people across the supply chain.

Exports account for almost 75% of production, valued at over £4bn. Local produce, from salmon, oysters, langoustines, beef, lamb and poultry to dairy, cereals, baked goods, potatoes and vegetables, is exported to more than 60 countries worldwide. Northern Ireland is a major supplier to Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland while also exporting to the Continent, Middle East, Asia and the US. While Northern Ireland was already renowned for its hospitality, recent years have seen its reputation as a supplier of safe, high quality food and drink grow with the Institute of Global Food Security at Queen’s University Belfast - and in particular its director Professor Chris Elliott - becoming an international authority on related issues.

An explosion in the number of artisan producers has emerged, in parallel with the Province outperforming the other regions of the UK and Republic of Ireland in the prestigious Great Taste awards.

Three local products boast EU Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, a mark of quality and authenticity

commanding a premium in the marketplace, including Comber Early Potatoes, Lough Neagh Eels and Armagh Bramley Apples.

Local artisan and craft beer, cider and spirit manufacturers represent another burgeoning sector, with suppliers such as Shortcross Gin and Hughes Craft Distillery picking up accolades at the San Francisco World Spirits and New York World Wine and Spirits competitions.

At the same time, Northern Ireland’s catering sector has seen a proliferation of new, quality eateries across the Province with two Belfast restaurants, OX and Deane’s Eipic, picking up a coveted Michelin star this year and a number of other venues keeping or gaining a Michelin Bib Gourmand.

Innovative restaurants like OX are forging ahead with creative food preparation techniques and distinctive dishes using the very best of what is produced locally, and gaining considerable praise from some of the top international food and restaurant critics.

High Life, the in-flight magazine of British Airways, recently named Belfast as one of the best cities in the world for good food, while Northern Ireland gained more awards in the Irish Restaurant Awards than other parts of the island.

Food and drink experiences have become increasingly important to tourism as they offer destinations an opportunity to differentiate and celebrate indigenous foods and educate visitors about heritage, landscape and culture, according to Tourism NI. It accounts for a significant proportion of visitor spend, with overnight visitors from all markets estimated to have spent a third of their £751m spend in 2014 on food, while 40% of the estimated £282m spent

by NI residents on tourism day trips was attributed to eating out.

While there are many more attractions beyond local produce to attract visitors to Northern Ireland, “it certainly adds to the proposition,” says McGrillen. “It’s further encouragement for people to come. We see it having the potential to draw in visitors.”

MARKETING PLANS FOR THE YEAR As lead partner on the Year of Food & Drink 2016, Tourism NI is planning a

rounded programme of PR activity, press trips, advertising, website and social media coverage, content creation and asset management, and support for relevant trade and consumer shows.

With a focus on telling stories about local food and drink, media events and consumer competitions will be held across the year around each monthly theme and other seasonal opportunities such as Shrove Tuesday, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, as well as further tourism opportunities around, for example, Game of Thrones.

With Year of Food & Drink a central part of the Northern Ireland marketing destination sell, local activity will be mirrored in the Republic of Ireland and supported in international markets by Tourism Ireland and Invest NI. Specific plans in the Republic of Ireland include press trips, consumer shows, trade events, shopping centre promotions, branded EcoCabs and BugBikes in key Dublin locations in the summer and marketing at Connolly Station.

Tourism NI boasts an audience of 300,000 across its consumer website Discovernorthernireland.com and social media, and will target its database of 80,000 people across the island of Ireland with a monthly e-zine promoting Year of Food & Drink events.

“As and when the events come on stream, we will market those through our usual channels,” says McGrillen. “That’s part of our agenda here, to make as many people aware as we can about what’s going on right across the Province over the course of the Year, and hopefully encourage them to come and visit.”

Another aim of the Year will be to establish a template for future development and co-operation across the food and drink sector.

“We want to encourage those events to prosper,” says McGrillen. “We certainly see a legacy coming out of what is essentially a £2.75m investment from Government in the initiative.

“It’s looking like it could be an exciting year, and we’ve got off to a good start with the Bib Gourmands and two Michelinstarred restaurants. Northern Ireland is now starting to get a real reputation as a place of excellence for food and drink.”

What’s happening in 2016

The Year of Food & Drink 2016 calendar will be based around both existing and new events, and will evolve on an ongoing basis. If you are planning to hold an event, make sure Tourism NI know about it.

MAY Apple Blossom Festival, Co Armagh JUNE • Open Farm Weekend, various locations around NI • Comber Potato Festival, Co Down • Irish Game Fair & Fine Food Festival, Shane’s Castle, Co Antrim JULY • Flavours of the Foyle Seafood Festival, Derry~Londonderry • Dalriada Festival, Glenarm Castle, Co Antrim AUGUST • Auld Lammas Fair, Ballycastle, Co Antrim • Hilden Beer Festival, Lisburn, Co Antrim • The Festival of Fish, Co Down • Clandeboye Food & Craft Festival, Clandeboye Estate, Bangor, Co Down • River to Lough Festival, Toomebridge, Co Antrim SEPTEMBER • Hillsborough International Oyster Festival, Co Down • The Hans Sloane Chocolate and Fine Food Festival, Killyleagh, Co Down • Autumn Fair, Botanic Gardens, Belfast • Larne Loves Food, Larne, Co Antrim • Tesco Taste Festival, Belfast • The Bushmills Salmon & Whiskey Festival, Bushmills, Co Antrim OCTOBER • Autumn Festival, Crawfordsburn Country Park, Co Down • Food & Drink Show Northern Ireland, Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast NOVEMBER • Belfast Beer & Festival, Belfast • Continental Market, Belfast City Hall DECEMBER • St George’s Christmas Market Light Switch-on, Belfast

What Tourism NI can do for you Tourism NI will be supporting Year of Food & Drink 2016 through a new dedicated events fund, industry toolkits, brand guidelines and an integrated marketing and communications plan.

Tourism NI will also be running a weeklong series of workshops across Northern

8 36• •Ulster UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

Ireland in January and again in April.

Tourism NI’s annual Tourism Conference in 2016 will explore the importance of food and drink at events, and across attractions and accommodation.

For more information on its plans, on

how to get involved in the Year of Food & Drink 2016, and to stay up to date with related events, visit the website www. tourismni.com or contact the Tourism NI Events Unit on 028 90441579 or at eventsunit@tourismni.com.

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STORE FOCUS Top chef Neven Maguire launches SuperValu Fintona’s new-look store along with (l-r) store manager Jenny Wilson, Laura Hegarty, store owners Garvan and Karen Hegarty and SuperValu Customer Manager, Geoff Johnston.

Leading the way...

A recent renovation project has revitalised SuperValu Fintona, owners Karen and Garvan Hegarty tell UG.

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usband and wife team Karen and Garvan Hegarty have been running a supermarket in Fintona, Co Tyrone for nine years. They recently launched their revitalised SuperValu store and Ulster Grocer found out more about their life in retail and the newlook store.

Following a period spent in Melbourne, Australia, the couple returned to Northern Ireland in 1997. With a background in retail, Karen’s father owned a supermarket and butchery in Co Down, while Garvan worked in retail both in Northern Ireland and Australia. They were keen to one day have their own shop.

Garvan and Karen purchased the store in 2006 and, with only a limited budget to revamp the layout and design, they knew their traditional rural store had potential to be so much more.

The couple were drawn to the big Continental-style food markets discovered on their travels, filled with a variety of fresh produce, beautifully displayed in packed 8 • •Ulster 3624 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

crates and felt a similar set up in Fintona, when the market was ready for it, would give their customers the wow factor.

When SuperValu approached Karen and Garvan earlier this year with its new concept and ranges, including a significant focus on fresh, they were genuinely enthusiastic and felt it came at the right time for them and for the market.

You can definitely see Karen and Garvan’s store is bigger and brighter than before with a substantial fresh range.

Garvan said: “Musgrave did a lot of consumer and market research and came up with a new format and ranges that fit the way people shop today. The new store design brings a lot more light into the store, while the new colour schemes and in-store communications make everything clearer and easier to shop. Working with the Musgrave design team, we opened up the whole shop by removing the bulkheads around the sides and tore down an under-used stock room in the front; this gave us the room to create

the impactful first aisle. The work was done relatively quickly and painlessly using local trades people and firms and it has made a huge difference to the store.

“In the first aisle, we laid new wooden flooring to highlight to customers they were in the fresh foods area. We brought in new LED-lit refrigeration units throughout the store to display all the fresh foods at their best whilst also saving on energy. Musgrave were great at helping us to use the new space in the most efficient way so as to increase sales.

We introduced a new bespoke ‘walk-around’ fruit and veg display, new spider fridges and wooden display tables for bakery; all to showcase the produce. We also brought in a free standing self-service hot chicken cabinet that has resulted in a three-fold increase in chicken sales to date.”

A COMMITMENT TO FRESH Garvan said: “Fresh is really important to us and it’s the way the market is going. As a previous winner of UK Independent Fruit and Veg Retailer of the Year, fresh plays a big part in this store. We always stock a lot of fresh produce but shoppers didn’t see the full extent of what we had to offer. Now, with the new format, everything is highlighted and

STORE FOCUS nothing is hidden. Musgrave helped us bring all of the fresh produce to the fore and, like most independent retailers these days, we try to source as much of our fruit and veg locally when we can.

“Musgrave has a strong track record in this area, with an on-going commitment to source all fruit and vegetables from local suppliers when in season. This helps us not only provide the best local produce but to build a relationship with local suppliers.”

So apart from fresh, what other areas have changed during the refit?

Karen said: “Every part of the store has been upgraded in some way but the Musgrave research identified three areas of opportunity: coffee, bakery and food to go. Food to go is a big driver of footfall and sales so it was important we got it right. We expanded the hot and cold deli areas and introduced a new range of gourmet sandwiches.

“These have proved very popular with customers – sandwich sales increased by 50% in the first week and have stayed there. Our hot deli now includes choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner with options including full Ulster fry, beef/veg stroganoff, curry and lasagne.

“Bakery is also performing exceptionally well, with our new in-store bakery proving a big attraction with breads baked fresh throughout the day, every day. We now have three times the display space with three bays filled three or four times a day. Musgrave advised us to bake small amounts regularly, so there is a constant supply of fresh bread for customers.

“This and the new display tables have helped us increase bakery sales substantially.

For example, one of our local suppliers, >>>

8 36• •Ulster UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

Food to go is a big driver of footfall and sales so it was important we got it right.

We expanded the hot and cold deli areas and introduced a new range of gourmet sandwiches.”

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STORE perspective FOCUS H&H bakeries has seen sales increase by over 50% since their produce has been displayed on the new tables.

“Coffee is another area where we focused our attention. We had a new coffee dock installed with a new machine and improved beans; the machine offers a wide selection of drinks and optional syrups to add variety. Because of the smart way the dock is designed, we now have areas on both sides of the coffee machine for displays of confectionery and bakery. We use combination deals to help up-selling these areas.”

Garvan added: “With Musgrave, we added a number of new ranges to cater for changing customer requirements such as a new ‘free from’ range for customers with special dietary requirements which has been a great success.

We also stock the new locally-produced Ready to Cook and Ready to Heat meal solutions in the new Fresh for You brand which is exclusive to SuperValu and Centra. This range has proved a big hit with our customers and we have also introduced new meat ranges that are selling particularly well.”

Despite all the fresh produce, you still have a wide selection of ambient and frozen: how did you fit it all in?

Garvan said: “We made the space work better for us. We replaced the old coffin freezers and installed a new wall and well freezer in aisle four which gave us a lot more space.”

8 • •Ulster 3626 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

The store also boasts an extensive offlicence with exposed red brick, and a large selection of wines and craft beers.

Karen said: “The off-licence and Post Office are both big drivers of footfall and sales. The Post Office was newly installed in March and we expanded the off-licence significantly.

We have stocked the off-licence with a large selection of wines from around the world and

craft beers from Northern Ireland and further afield. This has proven very popular and has helped us to attract new customers.

So is there a secret to the success of the business? Garvan said: “Yes. Work hard and know how to look after your customers. This is a true family business at the heart of the community with Karen, Connor, Laura and I all as interested as each other in making it successful.

“All of the staff understands our values and commitments – what it is we are trying to achieve every day; we ultimately have a terrific team.”

So when all is said and done, are you happy with the results? Garvan said: “Yes, absolutely. We have a store we are proud of, with an offer that is second to none. We are attracting shoppers from a much wider radius than ever before with people coming from Fermanagh and further afield – people who would normally drive into Omagh are now driving 10 miles in the other direction to come here. That is testament enough.”

Nigel Maxwell, SuperValu sales director said: “We’re delighted with the new SuperValu proposition and how it’s been delivered in Garvan and Karen’s store. It now showcases the best of SuperValu and represents a truly different and better offer than what we had previously. Whilst it’s still early days, the results to date have exceeded all expectations.

“Feedback from customers and other retailers has been extremely positive and the Musgrave team are really excited about the potential of the new SuperValu proposition as it’s rolled out to other stores over the next 12 to 18 months.

“My thanks go to Garvan, Karen and their team for all their hard work in implementing the new offer in Fintona.”

SuperValu is interested in speaking to prospective retail partners who are open to developing their business, with a change to a progressive wholesale partner. If you have a passion and desire to drive your business forward with the support of one of Northern Ireland’s strongest supermarket brands, call us today!

Committed to local:

Partnership:

Support:

New Ranges:

New Store Design:

Value:

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Join SuperValu Today: For more information please contact: Nigel Maxwell, SuperValu Sales Director, Tel: 028 9078 7100

Trade Advert A4.indd 1

16/11/2015 15:59

MEAT, POULTRY & FISH

Gold for Hannan Dunbia’s Jack Dobson wins E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year Meats at World Steak Challenge J

Peter Hannan in his salt chamber.

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annan Meats has won a gold medal in the inaugural World Steak Challenge for its Glenarm Shorthorn beef dry-aged in the world’s biggest Himalayan salt chamber.

The World Steak Challenge medal is the latest in a series of major awards for the Northern Ireland company’s steak and other cuts, including a cluster of UK Great Taste Awards from the Guild of Fine Food.

“This is a marvellous endorsement from an expert judging panel of the outstanding taste and texture of our Glenarm estate shorthorn steak,” said Peter Hannan, managing director of Hannan Meats. “We are indebted to all our suppliers who have maintained consistently high quality products for dryaging in our Himalayan salt chambers. It means that our steak is now recognised as being among the world’s very best in terms of taste and texture.”

Fourteen of the top beef-producing nations from around the world took part in the first ever World Steak Challenge, entering over 70 steaks from 12 different breeds.

All entrants had to submit a sirloin to be cooked and judged by a panel assembled from around the globe comprising of industry experts, butchers, chefs and food critics.

The challenge provides a platform for countries and steak producers to benchmark their steak production against international competitors and use the publicity and recognition that it generates to promote their exports on the world stage, as well as driving sales in home markets.

The Meat Trades Journal-organised event awarded gold and silver standard medals to individual products as a recognisable stamp of quality. The overall winner was supplied

by Albers GMBH of Germany, and was produced from a Wagyu Cross reared in Australia by Jack’s Creek.

8 • •Ulster 3628 UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

ack Dobson, Dunbia’s co-founder and owner, has won a coveted Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 Award.

Jack, who founded Dunbia with his brother Jim in 1976, scooped the top prize in the industry category at a glittering ceremony in Dublin attended by ministers, business leaders and key influencers from across Ireland.

“I am absolutely shocked but hugely honoured to receive this award which I am accepting on behalf of my brother Jim and all our employees in Dunbia who work tirelessly to make our company the success it is today,” he said. “I also really want to acknowledge the farmers who supply us and our customers whose long-term relationships and loyalty have allowed us to grow the company over the years.”

Dunbia is one of the largest meat processing companies in the UK, employing over 4,000 people across 11 sites in the UK and Ireland with an annual turnover of £830m. The company processes beef, pork and lamb for

Jack Dobson

some of Europe’s largest retailers, food service, commercial and manufacturing companies and is now trading in over 36 countries world-wide.

Judges praised Jack Dobson’s vision in turning a small, family butcher shop into a major meat processing company supplied by almost 25,000 farmers.

Award-winning butcher caters for prestigious charity event F ollowing its success at the Butcher’s Shop of the Year 2015 awards, in which it lifted the Northern Ireland category, Enniskillenbased O’Doherty’s supplied its speciality beef to the Hope for Youth charity event in London last month.

The Speedo House of Lords v House of Commons Swim in aid of the charity featured the Duchess of Gloucester, chief patron of the charity, Ian Paisley Jr, Sport Minister Tracey Crouch MP, and a number of world-class UK

swimmers.

Following the swim and presentations, guests at the star-studded event were treated to a top-notch menu featuring a unique slowcooked beef dish supplied by O’Doherty’s.

“Our beef represents the very best of locallyfarmed Northern Irish meat, grass-fed on Ivan Morrison’s Farm, Maguiresbridge, and this high-profile dinner acts as a great platform to show off our unique product,” said Pat O’Doherty, owner, O’Doherty’s.

Hope for Youth supports crosscommunity groups in Northern Ireland, enhancing the lives of young people aged 1118. Projects supported

by Hope for Youth NI have included: Lisnaskea Playground, Music Theatre for Youth NI, The Youth Lyric, Sport Changes Life – E Hoops, and the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children, amongst others.

O’Doherty’s picked up Butcher’s Shop of the Year Northern Ireland at an awards ceremony in Leeds last month.

MEAT, POULTRY & FISH

New online resource helps put home economics on the menu

UFU backs need for genetic improvement in livestock farming

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new website is putting home economics on the menu by offering key educational support to teachers and pupils learning about red meat in schools across Northern Ireland.

The Livestock & Meat Commission (LMC) for Northern Ireland has re-launched the Food4Life website, which supports the HE syllabus for students in key stages three, four and A level.

The new and improved website www.food4life.org.uk has been redesigned and updated to make Students Ethan Millar and Hannah Millar from Friends’ School Lisburn with Liz Brown, LMC demonstrator. it more accessible and easier to navigate. young people about the merits of NIFQA beef “We’re delighted to be launching a new and and lamb in a healthy, balanced diet. improved website which is a vital educational Cherrie Kenny, education manager at LMC, resource for both teachers and students across said: “The cookery demonstration programme Northern Ireland, helping them to learn more has grown year on year and demos for this about beef and lamb as part of a healthy year were booked up in just two weeks. balanced diet,” said Colin Smith, industry From September 2016, the demonstrations development manager at the LMC. can be booked online through the new site.

“The website has new learning areas and The demonstrations are extremely popular resources for teachers and students, short and help educate young people about the recipe videos, information on booking importance of NIFQA beef and lamb and cookery demonstrations plus a plethora of the nutritional benefits surrounding the quick and simple recipes using Northern consumption of red meat.

Ireland Farm Quality Assured (NIFQA) beef “The programme is a shop window for and lamb. our farmers and processors - helping relay “We have worked closely with the British the message about the farm element of the Nutrition Foundation and Council for the production chain and the three pillars of Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment Farm Quality Assurance – food safety, animal (CCEA) to ensure that the content on our welfare and care for the environment.” new Food4Life website is in synergy with LMC’s teams of demonstrators carry out the Home Economics’ curriculum and that it over 300 beef and lamb cookery sessions in works effectively as a tool to help reinforce post-primary schools across Northern Ireland classroom activities and learning.” every year.

LMC cookery demonstrations may also be For further information about the cookery booked by teachers via the new website. The demonstration programme or for some quick cookery demonstration programme has been and simple recipes using NIFQA beef and running since 1999 and is aimed at educating lamb please visit www.food4life.org.uk.

lster Farmers’ Union (UFU) Deputy President Ivor Ferguson has said industry and government must get behind the Agri-Food Strategy Board’s genomics initiative to bring more science to livestock breeding in Northern Ireland.

“We welcome the findings of its report which assessed options to deliver continued genetic improvement for beef, sheep and dairy farming,” he said. “Northern Ireland is renowned for our excellent livestock producers but science and technology continue to develop.

“As an industry we have to do what we can to improve producer profitability and it is now time to look at how we can best use these technological advancements to give farmers more tools to help with management decisions.

“A central hub for Northern Ireland must now be developed to collect all this data and identify the genetics that are performing the best in the commercial world. This information can then be made available to farmers to help with decision making.”

Supply Chain Forum must tackle £30m price gap

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armers in Northern will lose £30m this year on the price differential between what they and their counterparts elsewhere in the UK receive for pork, beef and lamb, according to the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU).

“This is something the Agri-Food Strategy Board and the DARD Minister Michelle O’Neill must take seriously,” said Ivor Ferguson, deputy president of UFU. “If they do not do so this new forum will not win the support of farmers.

“We need explanations as to why this is still happening.

UFU discusses red meat exports with DEFRA Minister T

he Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has urged DEFRA Minister Liz Truss to do more to encourage beef, lamb and pig meat exports. At a meeting arranged by South Down MP Margaret Ritchie, the UFU pressed for quicker progress on access to new markets. It also asked the Minister to ensure that sufficient resources are made available to deliver the export targets set by the industry in Northern Ireland.

“As a region focused on exports it is vital we have access to as many markets as possible,” said Ivor Ferguson, deputy president of UFU. “The UK is our best paying market, but we need to be in a position where the local agri-food sector can react quickly to export opportunities, no matter where they arise.

“There was recognition from Liz Truss of the importance of exports to Northern Ireland.

We were encouraged that she is prepared to focus on finding solutions to the industry’s concerns.”

8 36• •Ulster UlsterGrocer Grocer| JANUARY | JANUARY2011 2011

Pictured are, from left, UFU beef and lamb Chairman Crosby Cleland, UFU Deputy President Ivor Ferguson, DEFRA Minister Liz Truss MP, Margaret Ritchie MP, UFU hill farming Chairman Ian Buchanan and David Simpson MP.

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MEAT, FISH & POULTRY

Moy Park triumphs in UK Food Excellence Awards M

oy Park was named overall company of the year at the UK Food Manufacture Excellence Awards last month at a ceremony in London, after picking up the meat and poultry manufacturing company of the year award earlier in the evening.

The awards are organised by Food Manufacture magazine, with the independent judging panel praising Moy Park’s strong category leadership and development, together with its focus on training, sustainability and assessing environmental impacts.

Moy Park’s safety initiative, the ‘Meerkat Way’ was described as ‘an inspired way of promoting best health and safety practices in busy working environments’.

“To win this top UK award against a quality field of finalists is an outstanding achievement,” said Gary Leslie, director of agri fresh operations at Moy Park. “This award recognises the great teamwork at the heart of Moy Park and I warmly congratulate and thank all our team members for their continued commitment to achieving and maintaining such high standards.”

Trade Minister Jonathan Bell congratulated

Pictured receiving the award are, from left, Gary Leslie, director of agri fresh operations and Mike Mullan, executive HR director Europe at Moy Park.

the business. “Moy Park is Northern Ireland’s biggest food manufacturer, employing over 6,000 people at its three sites in Ballymena, Dungannon and Craigavon,” he said. “The company has consistently demonstrated manufacturing excellence with an emphasis on strong leadership and development, which has resulted in them becoming a global

East Coast Seafood nets investment from growth loan fund D

ownpatrick-based seafood distributor East Coast Seafood is to create seven new jobs after securing a £125,000 loan from the Growth Loan Fund to purchase new equipment and develop new products.

Finance for the £50m Growth Loan Fund – which provides loans to established Northern Ireland SMEs seeking to access growth finance – has been provided by Invest Northern Ireland and Martin Johnston, director of East Coast Seafood, is pictured with Mark Canning, senior investment manager at WhiteRock Capital Partners. private investor, Northern Ireland Local Government Officers’ Superannuation Committee (NILGOSC).

Established in 1988 by Martin and Eileen Johnston, East Coast Seafood currently employs 10 people with a further seven positions to be filled over the next 18 months. Its product range includes whole fish, shellfish, fillets, steaks, battered and smoked fish products. The firm also processes, fillets and packs its products.

“When we first set up the company we were a small fish distribution business working from a 600-square-foot premise,” said Martin Johnston. “Today we operate out of a 14,000-squarefoot building which includes five processing units and an on-site shop.

“We have a wide clientele including some of Ireland’s top restaurants and hotels, with our products also being exported to the UK and Europe.”

Eileen Johnston said: “The loan received will help us to purchase new machinery and help support our new product development with Chef Nick Price.”

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market leader in their industry.”

In recent months, Moy Park has also been recognised with an IoD UK director of the year award for Mike Mullan, the company’s executive HR director Europe, as well as top national awards including a RoSPA Health & Safety Award and the IGD John Sainsbury Learning and Development Award.

Sprotts celebrates 90 years in business

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illiam Sprott of Portadown is celebrating 90 years in business, having started out as McCammon and Sprott in 1880 quickly gained a reputation for its Ulster dry cured roll and dry cured hams. Its dry salted ham has graced the tables of many, including Buckingham Palace.

Taken over by William Sprott solely in 1925, the company relocated to Edward Street and now counts world famous names such as Selfridges and Fortnum and Mason among its client base for quality local pork.

A regular distributor to both wellknown supermarkets and smaller retailers alike, the company prides itself on the uniqueness and quality of its product, which is constantly reviewed and updated to keep in line with customer demands.

Its dry cured bacon was recently awarded a Great Taste star, and its cooked ham continues to be renowned and requested across Co Armagh and throughout Northern Ireland and further afield.

GIVE YOUR CUSTOMERS A CHANCE TO WIN

with our on pack Christmas promotion nge today!

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09/11/2015 17:12

AGRI-FOOD news

Agri-food advice: How to get Experts outline future a tax refund from a loss

By Seamus McCaffrey, managing director of Omagh-based Matrix Business Services and expert columnist for Ulster Grocer covering tax and business issues.

for dairy industry

Dairy UK Chairman Dr David Dobbin

T

here are many situations in which a tax loss may arise; for example, in the initial set-up period of a new business, from normal trading experiencing a downturn or as a result of claiming Capital Allowances on eligible plant, machinery and equipment used in the course of the business. With effect from April 6, 2013, there is a limit on the amount of income tax relief that an individual may claim for deduction from their total income in a tax year. The limit in each tax year is the greater of £50,000 or 25% of the individual’s adjusted total income.

However, the Business Premises Renovation Allowance (BPRA) represents an exciting opportunity where the above restriction does not apply. The BPRA is intended to give an incentive to bring derelict or unused businesses premises back into use. BPRA gives an allowance of 100% for qualifying expenditure on converting or renovating unused businesses premises located in an ‘Assisted Area’. Where this allowance creates a loss, the loss may be transferred ‘sideways’ without restriction, against the individual’s other income; thereby generating a tax refund.

Qualifying expenditure is expenditure on converting, renovating or repairing a qualifying building to bring it into commercial use. Expenditure on purchasing or developing land is not eligible. The building must be located in an ‘Assisted Area’. All of Northern Ireland is an ‘Assisted Area’. Qualifying business premises are premises used or available for letting for trading purposes or offices. Premises used as a dwelling are not eligible. To be eligible, the building must have been vacant for a year immediately before the conversion or renovation begins. The last use

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must not have been as a dwelling.

The BPRA applies to April 5, 2017 and the property must be kept for five years in order to avoid clawback from the BPRA. In the event of a sale of the premises, the base cost for Capital Gains Tax purposes is the actual cost incurred, the BPRA is ignored. If the 100% BRPA is not claimed, a writingdown allowance at an annual rate of 25% on the straight line basis is available until all the qualifying expenditure is allowed.

There are several options available to obtain tax relief for a loss and the possible permutations can be confusing. There are strict time limits and tax rules to be met. The BPRA is a particularly attractive ‘tax offering’, particularly for individuals who own vacant business premises in Northern Ireland.

UFU welcomes opening of Canadian beef market

T

he Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has welcomed the EU’s beef trade agreement with Canada as a positive step, while warning more must be done by the Government in London to secure access to all export markets.

“While it is unlikely that we will see UK beef going to Canada in the short term, this decision gives us hope that the North American market can develop in the future,” said Ivor Ferguson, deputy president of UFU. The Canadian market has been closed to the EU since 1996.

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airy UK Chairman Dr David Dobbin has called on industry to focus on growing added value sales to the domestic and export markets, as well as increasing the promotional activity of dairy products to the public.

Nearly 200 delegates from 20 dairyproducing countries attending the European Dairy Association Annual Congress were told prospects for the industry remain positive despite the global crisis this year.

“The fundamental cause of the adverse dairy markets of the last year was overproduction with the growth in global milk production overtaking demand,” said Dobbin. “However, our members are optimistic, not pessimistic, about their future. We are acutely aware of the challenges we need to overcome to succeed.

“We must develop an economically sustainable growth strategy, market-led and focusing on growing in value not just volume.

“We need to build our competitiveness focusing on improving on product and process innovation and supply chain integrity. And we need to actively promote and educate emerging generations on the nutritional value of dairy products.

“While we look to Government and the EU Commission to help us create an environment where we can succeed, first and foremost, we in the British dairy industry, must take the lead and take control over our own destiny.”

Joost Korte, deputy director general for Agricultural and Rural Development at the EC, said the abolition of quotas was not responsible for low milk prices.

Joost said total consumption growth is forecast to be 2.1%, with EU milk deliveries growth at around 0.8% and the EC will publish its 10-year forecast for the industry in December.

AGRI-FOOD news

Bank of Ireland UK hosts Guild members

Pictured are, from left, Joe McDonald Asda Corporate Affairs; Tom Morrow, Irish Farmers Journal; Basil Bayne, Harper Adams; and Ian Sheppard, regional director, Corporate & Business Banking NI, Bank of Ireland UK.

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ank of Ireland UK hosted a breakfast seminar for members of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists last month to mark the start of the Bank’s Enterprise Week, which takes place over November 13-20.

Under the theme, Let’s Connect, Bank of Ireland UK hosted a series of events across Northern Ireland, including a number of agri-food seminars involving key stakeholders from the supply chain.

“We were once again delighted to welcome the Guild of Agricultural Journalists and to have the opportunity to discuss the financial challenges many primary producers are experiencing and re-emphasise Bank of

Ireland UK’s strategic commitment to the agri-food sector in Northern Ireland,” said Ian Sheppard, regional director, Business & Corporate Banking Northern Ireland, Bank of Ireland UK. Members of the Guild heard presentations from Alan Bridle, UK economist, Bank of Ireland, UK who provided his analysis on the economic outlook for the year ahead and also William Thompson, head of Agri NI, Bank of Ireland UK, who outlined the importance of financial planning in a volatile market place.

Bridle said: “The resilience of farming and agri-food in general will again be tested in 2016 as the sector continues to be buffeted

by a combination of international market pressures and intense price competition at home. The balance of purchasing power has tilted firmly in the direction of the consumer at the expense of the producer, reinforcing the relentless drive for greater efficiency and productivity.

“With some recovery in real incomes, the regional economy should continue to post modest growth next year of between 1% and 1.5%, despite global headwinds for a number of our manufacturing exporters and the constraints on public spending. With the ECB contemplating additional monetary stimulus, there seems little prospect of significant relief on the euro exchange rate in the near term.”

Thompson said: “A combination of increased global supply, a weak euro, a reduction in exports to China, an extended Russian import ban and the abolition of EU milk quotas have all resulted in significant downward pressure on farm gate returns for many farmers. To mitigate against these volatile market trends, the importance of business planning, tax planning and reinvestment of farm profits over a three to five year period is vital to ensuring the long term viability of all farm businesses.

“Whilst the ongoing challenge for farmers or small food processors is to focus their efforts on aspects of their business within their control and strive to increase margins through technical efficiency, the longterm sustainability of many businesses, particularly dairy enterprises, will be reliant on an uplift in farm gate returns.

“Looking ahead, the short-term outlook remains challenging for a number of subsectors, particularly milk producers, however as per historic market trends, we remain optimistic about the medium to long-term prospects. In the meantime, through our network of business managers, we continue to provide strong support to our agri customers through this challenging period and are proactively seeking to develop new business at every opportunity in line with our long-term strategic ambition.”

UFU represents UK in EC meeting C

oncerns continue across Europe over little sign of a recovery in milk prices, according to Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) Dairy Chairman Jonathan Moore, following a recent meeting in Brussels with the European Commission. UFU attended as part of a COPA delegation, which included 17 other EU member states.

“With no sign of sustained recovery before the middle of 2016, concerns remain that the milk volumes collected throughout Europe are ahead of this time last year,” he said. “Meaningful recovery will only be possible once supply realigns itself with demand.

“Ensuring fairness and transparency in relations between farmers, processors and retailers is a key policy priority of the UFU dairy committee. We stressed the need for early and decisive action by the Commission to see this implemented across all member states.”

Another way of tackling uncertainty is the United States Margin Protection Programme, which the UFU believes is a model worth studying to see if it could be modified for use in Europe.

8 • Ulster Grocer | JANUARY 2011

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MARKETING NEWS

Forest Feast ‘kits out’ school for NZ rugby tour T

alented young rugby players from the Royal Belfast Academical Institution (RBAI) are ready and set to ‘engage’ on their inaugural Rugby Tour of New Zealand in 2017. Northern Ireland-based dried fruit and nut company Forest Feast has been helping the team prepare by providing the full squad with a new kit for the experience.

The team will touch down in the Southern Hemisphere in July 2017, taking on five schools during their three-week tour. All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, who has just won his fourth Rugby World Cup, was a past pupil of one of the schools involved, Otago Boys High School.

They will also meet Hamilton Boys High School where Warren Gatland, head coach for Wales, began his early rugby career.

“The RBAI 2017 New Zealand Rugby Tour is an incredible opportunity for 45 young boys to experience what it is like to be part of an international sporting experience and develop as a team and as individuals,” said Tim McVicker, commercial director, Forest Feast.

“At Forest Feast we have a long history of supporting grassroots sports and encouraging activity in young people and we’re delighted to back RBAI for this once-in-a-lifetime trip. As a former RBAI pupil I am particularly proud to see young sporting talent emerging from the school and representing Northern Ireland schools rugby internationally.”

Players from the Royal Belfast Academical Institution (RBAI) are ready and set to ‘engage’ on their inaugural Rugby Tour of New Zealand in 2017. Team members Ohdran McLaughlin, Josh Cuthbert and Adam Byrne are pictured along with Jonathan Peak (Coach), Tim McVicker (commercial director, Forest Feast) and Daniel Soper (Coach) in brand new kit supplied to the squad

by Northern Ireland-based dried fruit and nut company Forest Feast to help the team prepare for this once-in-alifetime trip.

Success for White’s Oats at CIM Awards W

From left, Grainne Maher from Vault presents the award to James Mathers, Stuart Best, Danielle McBride and Mark Gowdy from Whites Oats.

hite’s Oats was named winner of the Food and Drink category at the recent CIM Marketing Excellence Ireland Awards 2015.

The hottest marketing campaigns from every business sector were recognised at the 16th annual Awards, which took place at Titanic Belfast. Fourteen companies were honoured by CIM in a recordbreaking year that saw more than 100 entries.

“As marketers, we have faced many challenges over the past few years; we have dealt with tight budgets, pressure on consumer spending and increased buyer power,” said Nick Read, chair of the Ireland Board at CIM. “This has meant that our profession has had to be more creative, agile and responsive to the market, and to embrace new technologies in order to win the support of our customers.”

“In Ireland, we have many examples of great marketing practice, from bespoke agencies and large marketing departments, to entrepreneurs who spot an opportunity and pursue it. These awards showcase the best marketing campaigns, shining a light on what we can achieve.”

Moy Park bags CIM Marketing Excellence Award M oy Park has been awarded a CIM Marketing Excellence Ireland Award recognising Best FMCG Retail including Online for the launch of its innovative Roast in the Bag product range. The brand was also named runner up in the Food and Drink category.

The CIM Ireland Marketing Excellence Awards celebrate, recognise and reward the best marketing achievements and outstanding creativity across various industry sectors in Ireland.

“Winning a CIM award is recognition that we have created a communications campaign that delivers real business benefits,” said Andrew Nethercott, director of Brand Marketing at Moy Park. “It is testament to the hard work and collaborative efforts of the brand, marketing and new product development teams in delivering not only an award-winning product range but an award-winning marketing campaign.

“Since the launch of Moy Park’s Roast in the Bag range in April 2015, the products have been listed in major retailers across Ireland, with plans in place to launch delicious new flavours.”

The CIM Marketing Excellence Awards Ireland 2015 ceremony was held in Titanic Belfast last month.

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Pictured are, from left, Andrew Nethercott, director of Brand Marketing, Moy Park; Aisling McTeague, Brand Marketing assistant, Moy Park; Briege Finnegan, Brand Marketing manager, Moy Park; and Judith Brannigan, co-founder of Libra Events.

Now in their 28th

year, the prestigious Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards are open for entry

G rocer Market ingAwards ULSTER

TM

2016

The 2016 Awards feature eight categories designed to showcase the very best the local food and grocery retail industry has to offer: Best Marketing Campaign 2015 Best In-Store Consumer Sales Promotion Best New Product Launch/Relaunch Best CSR Initiative Charity Partnership Best Brand Best Artisan Foods Campaign Green Retailer of the Year Best Food Export Marketing Award

Winners will be revealed: Friday 6th May Gala Ball, supporting Grocery Aid, Culloden Hotel, Belfast How to enter: Tel: 028 90783246 Email: markbeckett@greerpublications.com

Closing date for entries: Friday 26th February Why enter?

This is a prime opportunity to generate positive PR, raise your company profile within the grocery sector, boost staff morale, to target potential customers and network with key clients who will be in attendance at the Gala Ball. All entries will also benefit from editorial coverage in Ulster Grocer magazine and online at www.ulstergrocer.com.

ULSTER GROCERS’

Gala Ball

Supporting GroceryAid

Friday 6th May 2016 Follow us on Facebook and Twitter@ulstergrocer#ugmarketingawards

export news

Irwin’s Bakery secures contract for export to China

Alastair Hamilton, chief executive of Invest NI, is pictured with Su Xiaomin, senior manager of Business Development, China Merchants Food (Shenzhen) Co, and Brendan Lappin, business development manager, Irwin’s Bakery.

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rwin’s has secured a six-figure deal with China Merchants Food, the food division of the state-owned China Merchants Group, to supply a range of premium Irish biscuits created specifically for the Chinese market.

The contract, which is the bakery’s first in China, will see 500,000 packs per year of Irwin’s new biscuits stocked in stores across China. The range, which is based on traditional Irish recipes and flavour combinations, includes All Butter, Oat Original, Oat Strawberry, Oat Honey & Raisin, Shortbread Original and Shortbread Chocolate chip.

“This is a very significant contract for Irwin’s, which gives us an excellent platform for further growth in this important marketplace,” said Brendan Lappin, business development manager at Irwin’s Bakery.

“The assistance Invest NI has given Irwin’s to expand our international sales to China has been tremendously valuable.

“From research stage to receiving the signed contract, the process took around two years, which included recipe development and the creation of bespoke packaging for

Heavenly Tasty says ‘Hola’ to lucrative Spanish export deal

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yrone-based Heavenly Tasty Shauna McCarney-Blair from Heavenly Tasty Organics has Organics is continuing its secured a deal with Spanish global expansion with Invest retailer El Corte Ingles.

NI support, winning a deal with leading Spanish retailer El Corte Ingles. The deal will see its new organic superfoods snacks range stocked in leading supermarkets in the Spanish cities of Barcelona, Madrid and Marbella.

The deal, which has the potential to be worth £180,000 for the Augher-based firm, followed an Invest NI Trade mission to SIAL Food Exhibition in France in 2014; the same exhibition which secured another Heavenly export deal for the company earlier in the year to supply its products to supermarkets throughout France.

“With Invest NI support, Heavenly Tasty Organics is making impressive strides in securing new export business,” said Olive Hill, director of Trade at Invest NI. “The company is making full use of our Trade Advisory Service to research new market opportunities and is also availing of our meet the buyer events to gain introductions to new suppliers.

“This latest deal is an exciting new development for a very ambitious company which will help leverage additional sales in the Spanish market.”

Shauna McCarney-Blair, managing director of Heavenly Tasty Organics, said: “2015 has been a very exciting year for us with the launch of our new product range and the unbelievable response we have had from retailers throughout Ireland, the UK and now Europe.

“This latest export deal to Spain is a huge achievement for our company and without the help of Invest NI and the SIAL food Exhibition in Paris in 2014 it would not have been possible. We are thrilled to be working with El Corte Ingles, one of the leading retailers in Spain and, along with our recent deal to export to France, it is creating the opportunity to bring our products to global markets which has been our aim from the start.”

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the Chinese consumer. There is a high level of demand for premium imported products in China. It is testament to our strong working relationship with Invest NI and the products’ quality credentials that our first order was shipped at the start of November.

“This deal gives Irwin’s an opportunity to build on the strength of our existing export contracts to secure further business in global markets.”

Alastair Hamilton, chief executive of Invest NI, said: “China Merchants Group is one of the world’s biggest companies and this contract is a significant achievement for Irwin’s Bakery.

“As we look forward to Year of Food & Drink, this valuable deal will not only benefit Irwin’s, but help raise Northern Ireland’s reputation for producing food of pure, natural quality in this market and thereby create a platform for more companies to follow in its success.”

Canadian mission hopes to unlock new export deals

Philip Morgan of Kestrel Foods is pictured in Toronto with Trade Minister Jonathan Bell and Invest NI CEO Alastair Hamilton during a recent trade mission to Canada.

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rade Minister Jonathan Bell recently led a trade mission to Canada, during which nine local companies explored the market and met with potential distributors or trading partners.

“Canada is an important market to the Northern Ireland economy,” said Bell. “Exports over the past 12 months have been in excess of £360m and this continues to grow year on year.

“The key sectors for exports are in transport and material handling, however there are opportunities to develop exports in new sectors and that is one of the reasons for the trade mission.

“Trade missions form an important part of exploring new markets giving companies the opportunity to meet with potential buyers and distributors. Having spoken with the company representatives who have travelled to Canada, I know they are feeling positive about the week ahead and are keen to engage with Invest Northern Ireland’s experts on the ground, who are available to help with research and information on the market.

“I hope this will be beneficial to the companies and look forward to hearing of future export successes as a result.”

BUSINESS NEWS

Ulster Bank recognises agrifood business achievers

Richard Donnan, Ulster Bank’s head of Northern Ireland congratulates the winners of the Agri Business and Food & Drink categories, Peter Hannan of Hannan Meats/The Meat Merchant (left) and David Martin of Lynn’s Country Foods (right).

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wo of Ulster’s top achieving companies in the agri food sector were recently crowned at a prestigious event in the Ulster Museum, Belfast.

The Food & Drink award in the Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards went to Lynn’s Country Foods Limited in Downpatrick, while the retail outlet of Hannan’s Meats, The Meat Merchant, was awarded the Agri-Business Award.

The winners were selected from more than 200 entries received from across Ulster and were presented with prizes in the provincial stage of the awards, which are run in association with Invest NI, InterTradeIreland, and SmallBusinessCan. com.

Both the winners will now go forward to compete against provincial winners from Connaught, Leinster and Munster in the all-island stage of the competition.

The overall Business Achiever and all-island category winners will be announced at a gala evening in Dublin in December.

“The Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards is a flagship programme for us, helping us communicate our support for businesses – sitting alongside other initiatives such as our overall sponsorship of the Balmoral Show and our Entrepreneurial Spark Hatchery that will open in Belfast early next year,” said Richard Donnan, head of Ulster Bank Northern Ireland.

“The Awards recognise and reward entrepreneurship, one of the most important components of any economy.

The businesses here today have differentiated themselves from their peers and demonstrated exactly what’s needed to grow and succeed in the demanding conditions of today’s markets.”

8 • Ulster Grocer | JANUARY 2011

FSB NI reiterates online security advice F

ollowing the latest high profile cyber crime attack at Talk Talk, and reports it costs local businesses an annual £100m, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) NI is advising its members to take protective measures.

“Small businesses need to be made increasingly aware that cyber crime is not only targeted towards large companies, such as Talk Talk last month,” said Wilfred Mitchell OBE, policy chair at FSB NI. “Cyber crime poses a real and growing threat for local small firms and it isn’t something that should be ignored.

“Many businesses will be taking steps to protect themselves but the cost of crime can act as a barrier to growth. For example, many businesses are reluctant to embrace new technology or connect to their customers online, as they fear the repercussions and do not believe they will get adequate protection from crime.

“It is vital that SMEs report any threats or concerns that they have around cyber crime, which can be done with full anonymity as to prevent reputational damage for their business.

This is why FSB Northern Ireland have been one of the first organisations to locally sign up to the Cyber Information Sharing Platform (CISP) run by the PSNI and the Home Office, and would urge our members to also, to keep up to date with information on protecting themselves, advice from experts and emerging threats and scams to avoid.”

FSB’s 10-step guide for SMEs to avoid cyber attacks: • Implement a combination of security protection solutions (anti-virus, anti- spam, firewall) • Carry out regular security updates on all software and devices • Implement a resilient password policy (minimum eight characters, change regularly) • Secure your wireless network Implement clear and concise procedures for email, internet and mobile devices • Train staff in good security practices and consider employee background checks • Implement and test backup plans, information disposal and disaster recovery procedures • Carry out regular security risk assessments to identify important information and systems • Carry out regular security testing on the business website • Check provider credentials and contracts when using cloud services

Sainsbury’s focuses on dementia care training

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ainsbury’s and Abbeyfield & Wesley Housing Association have joined forces to ensure that retail staff can avail of an innovative dementia care training initiative.

The free retailer training has been specifically developed by Abbeyfield & Wesley Housing Association, which provides a range of high quality accommodation and services to older people throughout Northern Ireland. Many of these older people are affected by dementia. The training is Pictured are, from left, Mary Maguone, Sainsbury’s community ambassador; Marsha provided by Marsha Tuffin, the charity’s Manager of Tuffin, Abbeyfield & Wesley Housing Association’s manager of Care Home & Dementia Care Home & Dementia Services, and the winner of Services; Angus O’Neill, Sainsbury’s Forestside Dementia Personality of the Year at the UK Dementia store manager; and Geraldine Gilpin, chief executive, Abbeyfield & Wesley Housing Awards last year.

Association.

“The training gives practical examples of how to deal with real situations,” said Angus O’Neill, store manager at Sainsbury’s Forestside. “This can be extremely beneficial for our retail staff in dealing with customers who may be suffering dementia. Not only will other customers see staff dealing with older people in a dignified way, but training may also assist staff in their own personal lives as it is likely that they will personally know someone with dementia in the future and will be aware of how to interact with the individual.”

The free retailer dementia care training is available to other retailers in Northern Ireland. For further information please contact Jan Watson at Abbeyfield & Wesley Housing Association by email jwatson@abbeyfieldandwesley.org.uk.

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TRANSPORT NEWS

FTA backs Belfast road scheme at Public Inquiry T

he Freight Transport Association (FTA) made a submission to the Public Inquiry into the planned £180m development of York Street Interchange in Belfast last month. FTA was the sole representative of the transport industry giving evidence in favour of the scheme.

FTA says the proposed work will make significant improvements to traffic flow, journey time reliability and emissions. York Street Interchange is a vital part of Northern Ireland’s strategic road network as it connects all major traffic flows in the area.

The junction, on the Westlink in Belfast, is notorious for its long traffic delays and has been problematic for the transport sector for many years. It not only leads to delays for goods vehicles delivering into and around Belfast but it adds significant journey time and costs for vehicles using Belfast Harbour.

Most freight movements pass through York Street Interchange and the planned work, which is scheduled to start in autumn 2017, will improve access to and from Belfast Harbour and the nearby Boucher and Mallusk industrial estates. The port handled 23 million tonnes of freight in 2014, which represents 66% of freight traffic in Northern Ireland.

“Commercial vehicle operators contribute significant revenue to the Government through fuel duty, vehicle ownership tax and road user levy so it is reasonable for them to expect a road infrastructure that supports their industry,” said Seamus Leheny, FTA’s Northern Ireland manager.

“FTA’s members are keen to see improvements to this pivotal road junction to help cut fuel costs and make journey times more reliable. The upgrade will also deliver a 60% reduction in nitrogen dioxide levels according to an assessment by Belfast City Council.”

FTA is keen to be consulted on the traffic management plan to be put in place if the works go ahead as construction would have a major impact on deliveries in and around Belfast; goods vehicles would still need adequate access to the city and port.

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FTA CALLS ON MPs TO BACK BELFAST AIRPORT PLANS

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he Freight Transport Association (FTA) is lobbying MPs to back plans for an Enterprise Zone and road improvements at Belfast International Airport to encourage investment and prevent it losing ground to its competitors.

BIA is the third largest handler of air freight in the UK outside of London, but rapid growth at Dublin Airport threatens to challenge its long-term future.

FTA has written to MPs calling for the development of an Enterprise Zone to stimulate investment and road upgrades to improve access.

Passenger numbers at Dublin Airport increased from 500,000 in 2013 to 864,000 in 2014. Continued growth could affect BIA’s ability to attract long-haul flights, limiting its belly-hold freight operations. The sustainability of BIA’s air cargo facility could also be threatened.

“As a designated Enterprise Zone, BIA could offer a range of financial incentives for businesses like those in place at Manchester Airport, which was the first in the UK to develop an ‘airport city’,” said Seamus Leheny, FTA’s Northern Ireland manager. “FTA is calling on MPs to support BIA’s proposals to help sustain its long-term future.”

APPOINTMENTS

People on the move...

in association with

Moy Park appointment drives agricultural innovation M Anne Richmond

oy Park is leading the field in agricultural innovation with the appointment of a dedicated agriculture analyst.

Anne Richmond, who recently completed a fellowship at the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology in Westminster, has been appointed to the newly created position. An experienced analyst, Richmond also holds a PhD from Queen’s University, Belfast and has completed a thesis at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute in Hillsborough.

The appointment is in line with Moy Park’s focus on ‘Big Data’ - complex data sets made up of statistics gathered from across its hatcheries, factories and farms. The emphasis is on extracting

Mount Charles strengthens Irish offering with key appointment

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he Mount Charles Group has expanded its presence in Ireland with a major new appointment to its management team.

Larry McGrath has joined the company as operations manager for Ireland, where he will be responsible for developing new business, building brand awareness and overseeing the Group’s existing contracts in Ireland.

He brings to the role more than 20 years’ experience in retail and facilities management, having previously held roles with Superquinn and Aramark. In his most recent position, he was operations manager at Compass Group, specialising in the education sector. “I’m Larry McGrath really pleased to become part of the team at the Mount Charles Group, It’s an exciting time for the business and I’m looking forward to helping the company to grow their client base and develop the offering throughout Ireland,” said McGrath.

“I’ve been working in facilities management for many years and what appealed to me about joining Mount Charles is their approach to clients. There are a lot of multinational firms that crowd the support services sector, but the difference is that the Mount Charles Group is homegrown and prides itself on its personal, tailored service.”

valuable information from the data and identifying trends that aid decision-making, operational efficiency and risk reduction across the business.

“The unique insight Moy Park can derive from data is pushing the boundaries of agricultural innovation and is already yielding results in areas such as production efficiency and nutrition,” said Justin Coleman, general manager of Agriculture Development at Moy Park.

“Our analysis is also playing a pivotal role in our efforts to combat Campylobacter – research that benefits not just Moy Park, but also our customers and consumers. We are delighted to welcome Anne to the team and look forward to expanding our work in this area.”

Reappointments to Board of HSENI

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rade Minister Jonathan Bell has announced the re-appointment of the deputy chair and three Board members of the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) for a second three-year term, effective from October 1.

The re-appointees are: Deputy Chair Hilary Singleton, John Kane, William Graham and Maynard Mawhinney. Mawhinney holds a directorship Around Noon, is a member of the College Advisory Board for CAFRE, and an agri-food consultant with BDO. “I would like to thank the deputy chair and each of the Board members for agreeing to remain on the Board for a second three-year term, and for their hard work in taking forward the work of HSENI,” said Bell. “I am confident their skills and experience will continue to significantly contribute to the work of HSENI over the next three years. I also want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the contribution and commitment of the current Chairman George Lucas and the other remaining Board members.”

The re-appointments have been made in accordance with the Code of Practice of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, Northern Ireland.

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SHELFLIFE

To see your product featured in Shelf Life, contact Mark at markbeckett@greerpublications.com or Tel: 028 9078 3235

KETTLE Chips launch outstanding Chef’s range K

ettle Chips has launched Chef’s Signature, a new range featuring partnerships with some of the UK’s leading premium food brands. Exciting new seasonings have been created by the Kettle Chips Chef, Chris Barnard, utilising his 25 years-plus of expertise to combine the highest quality food ingredients with hand cooked potato chips.

The new Chef’s collection consists of three new seasonings: Gressingham Duck, Plum Sauce & Spring Onion – a classic Asian-inspired recipe combining duck with the fruitiness of plum sauce and freshness of spring onion.

Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese & Cox Apple Chutney – from the Wensleydale Creamery, an award-winning, independent traditional cheese maker. Its creamy, crumbly and full of flavour cheese is combined with a tangy, sweet chutney made from quintessential English apples.

Maldon Sea Salt Flakes – acclaimed internationally for its distinctive pyramid shape crystals and clean taste, the best artisan salt in the world is sourced from Maldon, Essex where Maldon has been producing it for four generations, over 130 years.

The Chef’s Signature range is available in 150g sharing bags, with the added benefit of a re-sealable sticker, found on the back of pack, in the form of Chef Chris’ apron. A tactile finish has been included so that the chopping board provides the feel of the wood, and glossy print has been used to enhance the food ingredients on the front of pack.

The new range is supported by an above-the-line campaign, along with consumer PR and social media support. Press advertising will appear during November and December, in the run up to the busy Christmas period for sharing snacks.

Burts Chips introduces third Gobble up Tayto’s flavour to Guinness range newest flavour at Tesco this Christmas B

urts Chips, producer of premium snacks, has announced its latest range extension in collaboration with the global brand powerhouse, Guinness, with the launch of Guinness Toasted Cheddar.

The range, which has already added over £4m sales value since its introduction, will see the new flavour looking to follow in the footsteps of its award-winning counterparts, the original Guinness flavour and Rich Beef Chilli.

With cheese maintaining its position as the number one crisp flavour in the UK, Burts Chips and Guinness have worked closely in partnership to create this mature double act. Using thick cut potatoes, the classic cheese toastie is blended with the world’s most iconic stout flavour to produce the perfect combination. The launch follows research by Burts Chips flavour experts that revealed consumers largely prefer the flavour of the iconic Irish Stout in snacks when mixed with other mainstream flavours, highlighted by the success of the Guinness Rich Beef Chilli.

Guinness Toasted Cheddar will be available across convenience channels from November 2015, available in a 20x40g format.

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ayto Northern Ireland’s Marketing Director, Elly Hunter, and Tesco Northern Ireland buyer, Steven Murphy, get into the festive spirit to celebrate the arrival of Tayto’s limited edition Turkey, Ham and Stuffing flavoured crisps in stores. Tesco Northern Ireland is the only major retailer to stock the crisps locally. The crisps which come in 100g sharing bags, are perfect for family parties and get togethers over the break and will only be available in store from now whilst stocks last.

CHARITY NEWS

Farming family raise over £10,200 for Huntington’s charity

Pictured from left to right: Ivor Haffey, Jessica Haffey, Errol Walsh from Huntington’s Disease Association Northern Ireland, Helen Hawthorne, Margaret Allen, Nicole Allen and Alan Hawthorne.

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n Armagh farming family has raised over £10,200 for a charity close to their heart, Huntington’s Disease Association Northern Ireland, after running the Belfast City Marathon.

The family, which has been directly affected by the genetic condition, formed a relay team made up of Ivor Haffey, Jessica Haffey,

Margaret Allen, Nicole Allen and Alan Hawthorne.

Between them, they raised over £10,200, which will help the charity to deliver support for families living with the disease in Northern Ireland.

Family spokesperson, Margaret Allen, who is Capital Projects manager at the Mount

SHS Group’s pedal power raises funds for Macmillan

Charles Group, said: “We are delighted to have raised so much money for such a good cause. I’ve been aware of Huntington’s disease from a very young age as a number of my relatives have died from it, but it wasn’t until my sister Helen was diagnosed a few years ago that I fully realised the devastating impact that the disease has on those living with the condition.

“The local community has been fantastic and we would like to say a heartfelt thank you to each and every person that supported us. We would also like to thank the Armagh Ulster Farmers’ Union, suppliers to The Mount Charles Group, Kerry Foods Group and Linwoods who have all played a key part in helping us reach our fundraising total.”

Huntington’s Disease, often known as HD, is a hereditary disorder of the central nervous system. For more information on Huntington’s Disease or to make a donation to Huntington’s Disease Association Northern Ireland, visit www.hdani.org.uk.

Moy Park director climbs new heights for Farm Africa M

Pictured are, from left, Kellie-Ann Hoey (SHS Group), Joanne Young (Macmillan Cancer Support), Gary Cunningham (SHS Group) and Arthur Richmond (SHS Group) cheering on Michael Boyd.

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ver 120 staff at SHS Group undertook a virtual cycle challenge recently to raise funds for the staff-nominated charity Macmillan Cancer Support.

The challenge involved two teams located in two different offices; one in Airport Road West, Belfast and the other in Manderson House, Gloucester. Each team undertook a virtual cycle to the other location.

The two offices are approximately 360 miles apart. The challenge took place from 5.30am to 5.30pm on the day.

“I would like to say thank-you to everyone who took part and to those who donated,” said Arthur Richmond, Group finance director, SHS Group. “This event is one of the biggest health and wellbeing challenges that the SHS group has undertaken and staff who were not cycling entered into the spirit of the event, wearing something green on the day, to encourage their colleagues who were pedalling.”

Donations may still be made at www.justgiving.com/SHSEventsNI/.

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oy Park Director Alan Gibson was set to test his endurance in November during a challenging trek in Ethiopia’s Bale Mountains in aid of Farm Africa.

Along with 12 other senior figures from the UK food industry, Gibson was aiming to trek 117km at altitude over just six days and summit four peaks each over 4,000m; a challenge which the group believes has never before been undertaken.

Farm Africa, Moy Park’s charity Alan Gibson partner, runs a number of projects in the Bale eco-region, aimed at reducing deforestation and improving and sustaining the livelihoods of local forest communities. The Bale Mountains contain numerous boulder grooves, ridges and glacial valleys, as well as the second highest peak in Ethiopia, Tullu Demtu.

“I am delighted to be taking part in this challenge, which will raise vital funds for Farm Africa and help it to carry out further work in combatting hunger and empowering farmers in eastern Africa,” said Gibson. “As well as being an incredible endurance test, this trek will also enable us to see for ourselves how the money we raise will not only help protect vulnerable natural resources, but also boost the incomes of rural communities.”

Anyone wishing to pledge their support for the fundraising challenge can do so online at www.justgiving.com/Alan-Gibson-Bale.

SPAR has the range, value and quality for the perfect festive dinner

Have a magical Christmas #SPARkle