Northern Ireland food and drink businesses set to showcase their world-class products and discussed new export sales with over 60 international buyers

They joined over 200 similar businesses from across the UK for a unique Food and Drink Showcase that featured international buyers invited by the government to London.

Organised by the UK government’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT), the 11 Northern Ireland food and drink businesses, mostly artisan and smaller enterprises, showcased their world-class products and discussed the potential for new export sales opportunities with over 60 international buyers.

The event was a significant initiative by the department as part of its drive to help smaller food and drink producers from here win new business outside Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

Among those taking part were food innovators Susie Hamilton Stubber and Bob McDonald of Burren Balsamics in Richill, Co Armagh in their role as Department for Business and Trade export champions for Northern Ireland.

Susie, who founded Burren Balsamics in 2014 on the back to a successful career as a chef in London, describes the department’s export support as being “instrumental in our exporting success to date”.

“The UK Food and Drink Showcase was a unique opportunity for us to meet with international buyers. We met buyers from countries that we would otherwise never get the opportunity to get in front of, which is very valuable to our business,” Susie adds.

Burren Balsamics is a multi-award-winning producer of natural fruit infused vinegars for home cooks as well as professional chefs. Both Susie, the founder and managing director of the small business, and Bob, the development chef director, have vast experience in the hospitality sector especially in London.

Burren Balsamics provides an extensive range of products, which also include condiments, jams and relishes, to high-profile clients such as Harrod’s in London and Aer Lingus in Dublin. The company has also won business in the US and Middle East.

During the event two world-class products from Northern Ireland, Irish Black Butter, which is based in Portrush, and cheese from Ballylisk of Armagh in Portadown, made it onto the stunning menu at the iconic Gherkin, as part of a gala dinner hosted for the international buyers.

Managing director of Irish Black Butter, Alastair Bell continues: “I am delighted to have had such a wonderful opportunity to showcase my product to an international audience.

“Opportunities such as the UK Food and Drink Showcase can be life-changing for small businesses such as Irish Black Butter company. I am immensely grateful for the relentless support of the Department for Business and Trade for my small business.”

Irish Black Butter produces a sweet/savoury spread from Armagh Bramley apples and spices which has won a string of international awards for quality and taste. It also makes peanut and hazelnut spreads.

Northern Ireland Agriculture, Food and Drink Lead for the Department of Business and Trade Katie Brown explains the initiative explains: “The Department for Business and Trade is committed to supporting businesses from all parts of the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, to increase their exports to global markets.

“Food and Drink is a vibrant sector in Northern Ireland with so much to offer, and the businesses there, I know well, are very capable of competing successfully and profitably on a global stage.

“I would encourage all Northern Ireland food and drink businesses to avail of the extensive support offering from the Department for Business and Trade, which is free of charge, to enhance their exporting success.”

Other local companies taking part included Armagh Minerals of Portadown; Downpatrick’s Finnebrogue Artisan; Lir Whiskey from Cushendall; Holmes Biscuits, Portadown; and Shortcross gin and whiskey of Crossgar.

The department’s export services are geared to encourage and grow the UK agri-food sector which contributes around £20bn in exports each year to the local economy.

The UK’s food and drink sector posted record figures of nearly £25bn for exports in 2022, with most categories now exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Yet only 20% of UK companies sell their goods overseas.

Food and drink contributes £5 billion annually to the Northern Ireland economy, employing around 100,000 people across the extensive supply chain.

The government also recognises that farmers are the lifeblood of the nation – producing home grown food and acting as stewards of the natural environment. The success of food exports is good for UK farming communities and the long-term sustainability of many thousands of farms. It wants people at home and abroad to be lining up to buy UK food and drink because “our food and drink is among the best in the world”.