Tag: Sainsbury’s

Long Meadow Cider in deal with Sainsbury’s

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Long Meadow Cider in Northern Ireland has won business for its award-winning products from Sainsbury’s.

The craft cider producer, based on a family-owned apple farm at Loughgall in county Armagh, Northern Ireland’s ‘orchard county’ is to supply Sainsbury’s stores in what is a significant deal for the business, now among the region’s most successful cider producers.

The ciders are now in sale in the retailer’s stores across Northern Ireland.

Long Meadow, which has won widespread acclaim, including UK Great Taste Awards, for the quality of its range of ciders using apples from its own and neighbouring farms in county Armagh, is supplying Sainsbury’s with its Blossom Burst, Medium and Rhubarb and Honey products.

Pat McKeever, who established the cider processing business with son Peter in 2012, says: “We are delighted to have won this immensely important business with Sainsbury’s in Northern Ireland.

“It’ another very significant development for us as we seek to expand sales of our ciders, juices and apple cider vinegar in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Great Britain and further afield.

“The ciders are going into the stores at just the right time, ready for summer. It’s our first big supermarket deal,” he adds.

For three generations the McKeever family has been growing and processing apples at Long Meadow. The company grows and processes a variety of apples including tart Bramleys, which have EU protected status, along with sweet Katy’s, Worcester and Golden Delicious.

In 2012, Long Meadow Farm diversified into the cider industry producing two varieties, Medium and Blossom Burst. The company also produces a unique Dry Oak Aged Cider and Rhubarb and Honey. apple and oak to infuse with each other leaving a boisterous dry cider.

The progressive family business, in addition, won a major marketing competition last year run by the George Best City Airport which has given the company’s products a substantial profile at the airport. The competition gave the public the chance to select their best local product.

Sainsbury’s has 13 stores across Northern Ireland and spends around £250 million annually in sourcing a wide range of products from local suppliers. It employs around 3,000 people.

Broighter Gold wins business with Sainsbury’s!

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Broighter Gold, Northern Ireland’s multi-award-winning rapeseed oil producer, has won its first business with one of the UK’s top supermarkets.

The company, based on a family farm, near Limavady in county Derry, has begun to supply gift packs of its original and infused oils to nine Sainsbury’s stores across Northern Ireland. The attractive pack contains four 150ml bottles at RRP £12.99.

Leona Kane, who founded Broighter Gold in 2011 with husband Richard as a farm diversification project, says: “We were delighted when Sainsbury’s approached us to supply our Christmas ‘golden’ gift pack. This is a very exciting time for our family business. It’s tremendously encouraging our products on the shelves in Sainsbury’s.”

The pack includes virgin cold-pressed oils infused with rosemary and garlic, lemon, chilli, and basil.

Broighter Gold, in addition, is launching its rosemary and garlic, and chilli oils in 500ml bottles.

In addition to its success throughout Ireland and in achieving top international awards for excellence including several UK Great Taste Awards, Broighter Gold supplies its products to La Grande Epicerie de Paris and Brown Thomas in Dublin.

The oils are used by leading chefs, including Dublin’s Clodagh McKenna, as an alternative to olive oil because of the high content of Omega 3,6,9 and Vitamin E and also because rapeseed is probably the most versatile cooking oil. Broighter Gold oil also has half the saturated fat of olive oil.

The small business has won a string of UK Great Taste Awards for the oils produced from oil seed rape grown on the family’s Broglasco Farm, which overlooks Lough

The fertile ground grows high yielding crops of wheat, barley, oilseed and potatoes. Ireland’s greatest find of gold artefacts from the Iron Age of the 1st century BC was found on the farm and is now held by the national Museum of Ireland.

In addition to the development of rapeseed oil, Broighter Gold has expanded into industrial tourism by developing an exhibition centre through the international EconoMusee network that enables visitors to see how the oils are produced and used in cooking.

RubyBlue Hits The Shelves Of Sainsburys

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Most vodka is made from grain, but potatoes produce a smoother, creamier flavour that’s naturally gluten free. RubyBlue’s version is a multi-award-winner. Made by Hughes Craft Distillery in Co. Antrim, it has won Silver and Gold medals at the New York World Wine and Spirits and the Global Vodka Masters awards.

Its creators, Stuart and Barbara Hughes wanted to produce a Vodka that matches gin in sophistication and depth of flavour.

RubyBlue is exceptionally smooth, with an appealing nose. Buttery, well-rounded with a heartening earthiness and a long clean finish it’s perfect neat but also makes a great base for cocktails.

“When people taste our Potato Vodka they tell us that it doesn’t have the harshness experienced from other vodka brands and it’s the nicest vodka they’ve tasted. When they try our signature serve with a dash of white lemonade, sprig of fresh thyme, and a slice of green apple, they’re converted” says Barbara Hughes.

Sold internationally in Russia, Vienna, Australia and Finland, RubyBlue Potato Vodka is now available in all 13 Sainsburys stores across Northern Ireland.

The RubyBlue range of award-winning fresh fruit liqueurs in Blackcurrant and Cranberry flavours will also be available to purchase in Sainsburys NI from June 2017. Made by hand from carefully selected berries, fruits and botanicals locking the purity of nature into these unique infusions. They can be enjoyed with crushed ice, over ice-cream or with Prosecco to make delicious bellini cocktails.

For more information on RubyBlue visit Hughes Craft Distillery.

 

 

Mourne Mountain Brews to hit shelves of Sainsbury’s

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Craft beer brewer Mourne Mountains Brewery has secured a deal to supply to Sainsbury’s stores throughout Northern Ireland.

From 11th June, Sainsbury’s is stocking three beers from the Warrenpoint-based brewery’s core range, Mourne East Coast IPA, Mourne Gold Pale Ale and Mourne Mist Pilsner.

This news follows the brewery’s listing with Marks and Spencer in April with Great Taste award-winning brew Red Trail.

Commenting on the deal, brewery founder Connaire McGreevy said: “We are absolutely delighted to be supplying to another major supermarket in Northern Ireland, extending the choice available for discerning beer drinkers.

“As a local company that prides itself on its use of local resources, it is massively exciting to feature alongside established global brands, offering consumers the option to support local brewing and produce. The bonus for our customers is that as well as knowing they’re supporting a local business, the beer really is top notch.

“We have received great support from the local hospitality industry since launching in 2015, with award-winning restaurants including Bull & Ram in Ballynahinch and Wine & Brine in Moira, amongst other great dining establishments, all stocking our beers.

“We’re currently producing the equivalent of 250,000 bottles of beer per year to meet demand and expect that to grow significantly over the next year,” he added.

Mourne Mountains Brewery is one of only five NI-based breweries to achieve the Safe and Local Supplier Approval (SALSA) accreditation award, which allows the sale of products to national retailers who require the accreditation from their small suppliers.

Mourne Mountains Brewery produces Mourne Gold, a pale ale, Mourne Mist, a Pilsner, Red Trail, the red IPA, East Coast, an IPA and Big Rock, a German style wheat beer as the core range, with regular limited edition specials released throughout the year.

Red Trail red IPA won two stars at the Great Taste Awards 2016, the only beer from Northern Ireland to achieve that accolade in 2016. East Coast IPA, which is included in the Sainbury’s range, won a silver medal at the 2016 Alltech Dublin Craft Beer Cup, the only NI beer to be recognised with an award that year.