Alan and Wendy Dempster breed sheep on their 50-acre farm near Ballymoney in County Antrim. It is a fourth-generation, family- owned farm where they rear and breed 120 sheep.
“After having the costs involved highlighted, we realised we needed to increase the value of our lambs to make sheep farming viable and the way to do so was to showcase the great quality of the product in a way to appeal to a larger market.” says Wendy.
They converted a horsebox into a mobile kitchen and worked with the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) in Cookstown, County Tyrone to develop recipes.
Wendy says making and selling hand-held snacks is working for them. “We hook them in with our lamb sausage rolls and burgers and then they come back for more” says Wendy. They do innovative lamb charcuterie called lamb ham. They also sell fresh and frozen boxes of their NIFQA (Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assured) lamb.
Is there anything better than a coffee along the North Coast? Set in the picturesque village of Cushendall, in the heart of the Glens of Antrim, North Coffee is a state of the art coffee and ice cream trailer. They serve specialty coffee, locally sourced ice cream, homemade traybakes and pride themselves on their warm and welcoming customer service.
Whether you need a pick-me-up after a dip in the sea, or simply a pit stop to take in the incredible views, North Coffee have the perfect line up of hot drinks, treats and snacks to choose from.
North Coffee love hitting the road too and have a coffee trailer that is available for both event hire and private hire, including weddings, parties, festivals and much more. Please contact them for more information.
We love our pork and bacon in Northern Ireland. FC Robinson has been in this line of business since 1905. More than 100 years of experience means they know a thing or two about boning pork, curing pork, and making sausages.
Local suppliers include Karro, Cookstown and Cranswick, Ballymena. They sell to Henderson Retail Group, Lynas Foodservice and SuperValu. They also supply foodservice across the island of Ireland.
Everything is butchered on site by their team of skilled butchers, using traditional techniques where best.
They can also do own label products, so get in touch today if you want to learn more.
Belfast–based fishmongers, Ewing’s Seafoods supply fresh local fish and seafood to Northern Ireland’s top restaurants and hotels. Northern Ireland has some of the finest fish and seafood in the world, and no one provides better quality than Ewing’s, whose smoked fish is rated one of the best in Ireland. Walter’s grandfather, William, opened the original store in 1911. Back then, few would have imagined the little shop on Belfast’s Shankill Road would become a genuine Belfast institution.
Walter remembers working there with his mum and dad after school where he would listen to the hustle and bustle of the housewives who would visit the shop. The popularity of the shop grew as did their food service business. Soon the company was building a formidable reputation as suppliers to Northern Ireland’s leading restaurants and hotels.
Their mission is to deliver high-quality, fresh, succulent seafood to the general public, and to local businesses.
They are real craftsmen with a commitment to quality that guides everything they do. Chefs appreciate their extraordinary care and attention. Walter will often arrive with a delivery himself to help out a chef in need; or ring ahead to let them know the best catch that day.
Together with his two sons, Warren and Crawford, Walter is ensuring the craft of the fishmonger continues to thrive in today’s fast paced culture, not just in Belfast but worldwide.
WHAT THEY DO Small batch gin distilled on the Antrim Coast.
The gin perfectly encapsulates the rugged but bountiful landscape around the Black Arch in County Antrim; the inspiration for the gin. By combining botanicals like blackberries and nettle that grow on the land above, with a subtle hint of seaweed, the gin, like the arch itself, perfectly bridges the land and the ocean.
Like all Food NI members, they love to keep it local, so the water they use comes from the Clearer Water social enterprise nearby and they hand forage their core botanicals.
The recommended serve is simple – with a good tonic over lots of ice and lemon.
Keep an eye on socials. They love popping up at markets and events.
PRODUCT LIST Gin in 70cl and cute 5cl miniatures. Gift sets. Locally engraved giftware including glasses, hip flasks, slate coasters and garnish boards.
WHERE TO TRY/BUY Lusty’s Centra Larne, Sipster Whiteabbey, The Vintage Wine Merchants Antrim, Olderfleet Restaurant Larne, The Dairy Gleno, The Lighthouse Bistro Whitehead, Curran Court Larne and The Gallery at Cairndhu Golf Club Larne.
WG Buchanan started the company in 1871. They are still going strong today supplying retailers of all sizes in the UK and Ireland with a range of lines suitable for home cooking and baking. They also supply food service wholesalers who then deliver into various sectors ranging from restaurants to the NHS.
Their multi-plant site is in Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim. In 2019, they added a 15,000 sq ft stand-alone nut packing facility to the original 25,000 sq ft processing and warehousing plant.
The business is still family-owned and they pride themselves on their customer service and satisfaction.