Major promotional drive would benefit industry and employment

It’s important to highlight the outstanding contributions of smaller companies, especially as the General Election is looming. I had the opportunity at Balmoral Show last month to showcase the food and drink industry’s potential to strengthen the economy, particularly in rural areas, and to create thousands of new employment opportunities in key disciplines such as sales and marketing, new product development and technical support services to our political leaders.

I hope my message and the outstanding success of about 100 companies in the Food NI Pavilion will result in greater support from the Northern Ireland government for our most dynamic and biggest manufacturing industry.

There’s certainly more, much more, that Food NI could do for our artisans and smaller companies in particular with additional resources. We’d wish, for example, to see another major promotional initiative launched to continue to increase public awareness throughout Northern Ireland, Great Britain and Ireland.

Indeed, it would be beneficial for everyone in this important industry if there was a annual promotion – along the lines of the hugely successful Year of Food and Drink in 2016 –of our food and drink.

Among the recent successes of our members is a major deal in the US for whiskey and other spirits from Two Stacks in Newry in association with Killlowen Distillery in Rostrevor.

The agreement with Foley Family Wines of California will see spirits, especially Irish whiskey, from both companies being marketed across the US, the world’s most important market for the golden spirit.

Karri Kitchen in Portadown, a creator and producer of a range of delicious and innovative south east Asian ready-meals, also agreed a deal with Dunnes Stores, Ireland’s biggest grocer, for four meals to be supplied to 85 stores. This is a marvellous endorsement of the premium quality and outstanding taste of Karri’s meals and creativity. Shera McAloran, who owns Karri Kitchen with husband Chris, has become an inspirational role model for other smaller companies here.

Another member, Echlinville Distillery in Kircubbin, also launched its first single estate whiskeys at an extremely significant event at the impressive distillery. Echlinvlle has already revived successfully Dunville’s and Old Comber, two historic whiskey brands, as well as launching spirits such as Jawbox.Echlinville is a hugely impressive development by owner Shane Braniff that is making a marvellous contribution to the Irish whiskey industry and to our growing international sales. The two new whiskeys are an exciting development for the distillery, for Northern Ireland and the Irish whiskey industry. They are our first field to bottle whiskeys.

Copeland Distillery in Donaghadee has also developed a new five-year-old single malt. The brainchild of Gareth Irvine, Copeland has a reputation for quality spirits in many of the world’s most competitive markets.

Melting Pot, a business in east Belfast owned by sisters Dorothy Bittles, Cathy Johnston and Jenny Lowry, one of the participating companies in our Food Pavilion, has won business with M&S from Balmoral. This is very exciting news for the small business and a tremendous boost for us following the show. I believe there will be further successes to be revealed in the near future.

And last week I was thrilled to see an alliance formed between two of Northern Ireland’s most renowned businesses. Hastings Hotel and SD Bells are working together, so if you visit a Hastings Hotel, you will be enjoying a locally roasted coffee from S D Bells. It’s a perfect pairing, Hastings has been working with Thompsons Tea (Punjana) for many years, as well as a plethora of other local suppliers like Whites Oats, Irwin’s Breads and Waggle Dance Honey as part of their outstanding commitment to local food and drink.

These are the latest success stories in our exciting industry. There are others and there will be more in the near future. It’s an industry which hasn’t always received the recognition and support it merits. I hope that the Assembly will invest more in an industry which has such undoubted potential.