Food and Drink

After almost 45 years building The Plough Group into one of the most successful hospitality businesses in Northern Ireland, brothers William and Richard Patterson have sold The Plough Inn. Credit ©Press Eye/Darren Kidd

End of an era at The Plough in Hillsborough after almost 45 years

Tullylagan Country House Hotel, Tullylagan Road,
Cookstown, BT80 8UP

Hotel/B&B

Have a look around this hotel with idyllic grounds is now up for rent

Chef Clare Smyth pictured at Oncore in Sydney, the world’s number four restaurant

Clare is now one of the world’s most celebrated chefs

Wine expert Raymond Gleug

Wine expert Raymond Gleug on festive tipples

Lidl Northern Ireland will mark a key milestone in Strabane next week when it opens the new £8 million future-focused flagship store at Strabane Retail Park that will anchor its wider multimillion-pound investment plans for the site. Pictured are Ivan Ryan, regional managing director, Lidl Northern Ireland and J.P. Scally, chief executive officer of Lidl Ireland and Lidl Northern Ireland

Lidl NI reveals plans for Hugo Duncan to open new £8m store in December

Master Fishmonger Hal Dawson showing the Kids’ Club fish varieties at St George’s Market in Belfast;

Fish City's Kids' Club teaches youngsters the importance of sustainable fishing

Enniskillen-based Kettyle Irish Foods is enjoying the sweet taste of success thanks to a ‘meaty’ deal with Tesco to supply artisan dry-aged beef products to 21 superstores across Northern Ireland. The company uses grass-fed cattle from small-scale family farms and the premium cuts of meat are dry aged in a handcrafted organic seaweed salt brick chamber

Enniskillen butchers enjoys a ‘meaty’ deal with Tesco NI

Belfast alcoholic beverage firm announces multi-million pound investment

Shoppers from Britain and abroad at Selfridges, the upscale London department store, are now enjoying award-winning cured meats from Corndale Free Range Farm, near Limavady in Co Derry. Pictured is Alastair Crown, founder of the business

Top London store chooses unique tastes from Londonderry farm innovator

Antrim has been named as one of three counties where Apache Pizza is set to expand its presence as part of plans to open new stores and to create 50 jobs before the end of the year. The announcement was made as the pizza chain announced plans to open a new outlet in Ballymoney, creating 15 jobs. Credit: Shelley Corcoran

Pizza chain eyes up Antrim as part of expansion plan as employees hit 3,000

Mount Charles brings global culinary flair to Belfast International Airport

Owners of Ooh & Aah Cookies, Ruth Armstrong and Barbara-Anne Mc Mullan are joined by members of their growing team as the Ballyclare-based bakery that creates freshly-baked personalised letterbox cookies announces it has experienced a 100% increase in business and created four new jobs after finding success on TikTok, utilising the platform to create a seven-figure sales channel. Credit: PressEye.com

Tiktok success helps Ballyclare's 'smart cookies' increase business by 100%

Excitement building for Northern Ireland’s first Pret A Manger shop

Popular Belfast-based restaurant group, Millar’s, has announced an expansion into the city centre with the launch of its new concept, Millar’s Grill & Seafood. The restaurant, which is the group’s second, opens this Thursday 30th November at Lanyon Quay, and is set to offer a modern twist on classic fayre. Pictured are founder Chris Millar with co-founder Matthew Roman-Wilkinson and head chef, Sarah Humphreys

Millar’s creates 20 jobs with launch of Grill and Seafood Restaurant in Belfast

Downpatrick-based Finnebrogue has worked with Asda to produce 10 new Christmas products, bringing the total number of listings for the Downpatrick-based company to 36. Within the new lines, Finnebrogue has put a twist on the Christmas classic pigs in blankets – with two new innovations - cheesy pigs in blankets, as well as Extra Special truffle & parmesan pigs in blankets. Pictured are Cathy Elliott, Asda’s buying manager for NI Local, Andrew Murdoch, Finnebrogue account manager for Asda and Barbara Mullan, Finnebrogue product developer

Northern Ireland food producer jingles all the way to Asda

Colleagues and customers have been celebrating as Marks & Spencer Newtownbreda marks its 25th birthday. Joining the celebrations was local resident Rebecca Ferguson who, as a local primary school pupil, was featured in the photographs taken to promote the opening of the store 25 years ago. Pictured at the opening in November 1998. Credit: John Harrison/Harrison Photography

Marks and splendour as M&S Newtownbreda celebrates 25 year milestone
Colleagues at the Newtownbreda store celebrated with a bumper birthday cake and by offering random acts of kindness to customers throughout the day

Belfast whiskey and gin distillery, Hinch Distillery has announced a partnership with local actor and producer, James Nesbitt.. Pictured are founder of Hinch Distillery, Dr Terry Cross OBE with his son, Patrick Cross, and James Nesbitt. Credit: Press Eye Ltd

James Nesbitt joins Belfast distillery in a unique collaborative partnership

Celebrating 30 successful years are Andrew Dougan, managing director, Yellow Door, Belfast; Simon Dougan, managing director, Yellow Door, Portadown and Gary Dougan, operations of Yellow Door Bakery. The gala event raised funds for the NI Cancer Fund for Children and NI Chest, Heart and Stroke

Yellow Door food catering celebrates 30th anniversary

Domino’s pizza, has opened three new stores in Northern Ireland, with plans to open a fourth new store in January 2024, delivering a total of 125 new roles to the area including store management, pizza chefs, customer service colleagues and delivery drivers

Domino's creates 125 roles with four new stores opening in Belfast

Melting Pot fudge creators Dorothy Bittles, Cathy Johnston and Jenny Lowry – Dunnes Stores has just listed their fudge for its network of stores

It's a Dunnes deal for three NI sisters and their delicious fudge

Belfast chef Sharon McConnell was the joint winner of a global annual culinary competition with sustainability at its core. The Sustainable Chef Challenge run by her employer, Sodexo, one of Ireland’s largest catering and facilities management businesses, took place in Germany

NI chef scoops joint win with Brazilian competitor in global culinary contest

Carrick Eats owner Andrew Creighton (far right) with Aron from Street Hawker and competition winner Matthew.

‘Carrick Eats’ food ordering app due to launch next week

Denmark fans Harly Jorgensen and Jacob Madsen at Belfast Christmas Market

Viking invasion at Belfast Christmas Market

Read Raymond Gleug's suggestions for some top tipples

An Occasional Tipple: Raymond Gleug's suggests a Tempranillo and Sauvignon Blanc

Andrea Bohar, founder of Green Fingers Family in Larne

Family business in Larne powering to success in healthy food exports

Northern Ireland’s fast-growing sustainable packaging and labels firm, Biopax Ltd is gearing up for its latest ground breaking investment. This month the west Belfast firm will introduce a cutting-edge rotary flexographic paper wraps printing and packing machine at its facility. This revolutionary addition is poised to make a substantial difference in their on-the-go deli and quick-serve restaurant solutions for the UK and Ireland markets

Biopax reveals multimillion-pound boost to service the green packaging market

One of the UK and Ireland’s largest makers of boiled and premium bagged sweets, Crilco Confections, has landed a bumper £1 million supply deal with Lidl Northern Ireland in a move that will further fast-track its expansion and add up to six new jobs to its 50-strong workforce in Newry. Picture includes Lidl Northern Ireland buyer, Zoe Russell and Crilco Confections chiefs, David and Ciaran Crilly

Newry 'sweet factory' bags new £1million Lidl Northern Ireland supply deal
One of the UK and Ireland’s largest makers of boiled and premium bagged sweets, Crilco Confections is set for new expansion and more jobs in its latest bumper deal with Lidl NI

Viral TikTok explains what happened

Viral TikTok reveals why local woman ordered £1,890 cocktail from 5 Star hotel

McDonald’s 'delighted to announce the approval of its plans for a new £4million restaurant in Coleraine following their appeal being upheld by Northern Ireland’s Planning Appeals Commission'

Planning green light for a second McDonald's restaurant in Coleraine

Chef Paula McIntyre has created new spirits using local botanicals for rich flavours;

Chef Paula McIntyre launches new rum

Produced by KPMG Sustainable Futures, in collaboration with the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association (NIFDA), the Balancing Act report outlines the challenges and opportunities the sector faces on sustainability and the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) agenda. Pictured are Michael Bell, NIFDA executive director, Ursula Lavery, NIFDA vice chair and Russell Smyth, head of Sustainable Futures, KPMG Ireland

Stable politics and support key to NI’s food and drink sustainability journey

Crawford Ewing of Ewing’s Seafood on Belfast's Shankill Road

Ewing's has been in business since 1911

Raymond Gleug offers his weekly wine recommendations

An Occasional Tipple: Discover Raymond Gleug's 'Wine of the Week'

safefood is encouraging small food businesses in Northern Ireland to benefit from its free food safety e-learning tool - 'safefood for business’ - as new research shows that nearly two-thirds (64%) of local food enterprises have extreme concerns with the consequences of food safety breaches. Pictured using the 'safefood for business’ free food safety e-learning tool is Steven Orr from Bodega Bagels

64% of NI food firms have concerns with the consequences of food safety breaches

Karri Kitchen, which is owned and run by husband and wife team Chris, an experienced businessman, and Shera McAloran, a talented chef, and based in Portadown, is now Ireland’s fastest growing provider of a delicious range of healthy ready-meals with rich south-east Asian flavours. Pictured are sward-winners Chris and Shera McAloran of Karri Kitchen in Portadown

Euospar and Spar boost for Armagh's Karri Kitchen as fast growth continues

The planning application was presented at a Planning Committee meeting on Wednesday, November 8. It proposed development of a ‘Go’ five-pump petrol station, with forecourt, air and water service area, underground storage tanks, as well as the two-storey drive-thru restaurant, on the vacant site across the road from Long’s supermarket and in front of KFC on Strand Road, Londonderry

New drive-thru restaurant and 24 hour petrol station approved

New supersized community store another 'major project' for Henderson Retail NI

Gemma Austin of the successful A Peculiar Tea restaurant in Belfast is planning a classy patisserie

The new patisserie is being developed at St George’s Market in Belfast

The new range of healthy gluten-free granolas from Craigavon-based Kestrel Foods

Kestrel Foods launches new gluten-free granola range

The News Letter's wine correspondent is in festive form this week

An Occasional Tipple: Christmas wine ideas

Gráinne Mullins, founder of Grá Chocolates in Galway, created an innovative hot chocolate with Black Bush from Old Bushmills in Co Antrim

Whiskey innovator helps artisans create tasty new products

Founder of Belfast's Slim's Healthy Kitchen, Gary McIldowney pictured with Tommy Groves, assistant site manager at Spar Titanic announcing Slim's Healthy Kitchen Retail meals will be stocked in over 400 Spar, Eurospar, Vivo and Vivoxtra stores across Northern Ireland

Belfast hospitality firm's food range to hit the shelves of 400 stores in NI

Belfast fine dining restaurant A Peculiar Tea has revealed plans to open a new venture by the end of the year. One of four chefs competing for Northern Ireland region on Great British Menu 2023, Gemma Austin plans to call the new patisserie Mamó after her Nanny Betty. Picture is Unit 3, St. George's Market from A Peculiar Tea Facebook

Great British Menu star reveals plans to open new Belfast city centre venture

Belfast’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Deanes Eipic, is set to close its doors in January after 25-years in business. The announcement came from celebrity chef proprietor Michael Deane (pictured), who revealed the decision is part of a “development plan to readjust their customer offering” at their flagship premises at Howard Street

Michael Deane reveals closure of Michelin-starred NI restaurant after 25 years

Henderson Retail has announced the acquisition of two neighbourhood stores in recent weeks, Spar Barbican in Annalong and Spar Anderson Gardens in Omagh. Kieran McGirr, assistant manager at Spar Anderson Gardens, Jimmy and Una McGirr and Justine and Kelly McGirr, customer advisors at Spar Anderson Gardens are pictured with Jeremy Mitten, area manager with Henderson Retail

Henderson Retail acquires two NI stores saving over 75 jobs

The Subway restaurant at The Junction in Antrim has reopened under new ownership after closing two and a half years ago. Pictured are Rachel Johnston and Stacey Brown

Subway store reopens at The Junction after closing two and a half years ago

Lee Jagota of Rooh Vodka from Londonderry, an original blend of traditional Indian and Irish botanicals that provide a full, smooth refreshing burst of flavours

Rooh Vodka is a fusion of Indian and Irish heritage

John and Eileen Hall of Cavanagh’s Free Range Eggs from Newtownbutler in Co. Fermanagh – overall Northern Ireland winner for sustainability in the Great British Food Awards 2023

Big wins for NI artisans at Great British Food Awards

Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, councillor Steven Callaghan officially opens Eurospar Knocklynn Road, Coleraine’s first ever Eurospar, with the help of store manager Rea Turner and the store’s community rep, Nicola McCloskey. Credit Ricky Parker Photography

Coleraine’s first ever Eurospar opens at Knocklynn creating 14 new jobs

Local suppliers and members of the Smyth’s EUROSPAR Ballymoney team. (L-R) Aideen O'Hagan from Lakeland Dairies, Katie Carson from Mash Direct, Eamon McGarrell from Tom & Ollie, Emma McFadden from Mash Direct, Ashlee Allen from EUROSPAR Ballymoney, Grace McCook from EUROSPAR Ballymoney, Lynsey Evans from Henderson Group, Paula McCook from EUROSPAR Ballymoney, Samuel Smyth, Store Owner, Connor Nicholl from Milgro, Matthew Hollyhurst from Willowbrook Farm, Naomi Anderson from Gilfresh Produce, Connor McCaffrey from Dromona and Matthew Johnston from Gilfresh Produce. Credit Aaron McCracken

Ballymoney store holds showcase

Raymond Gleug talks whiskey, beer and wine

An Occasional Tipple: Whiskey, beer and wine

Eimear Callaghan, head of experience and industry development at Tourism NI pictured with Ruairi Lawther, a bar tender at the Fitzwilliam Hotel in Belfast and Marian O’Hara, human resource manager at the Fitzwilliam Hotel

Third of NI’s tourism and hospitality employers face recruitment difficulties

Leona Kane, managing director of Broighter Gold in Limavady, a leader in the production and marketing of rapeseed oil culinary oils

Limavady leader in rapeseed culinary oils wins deal with top food store Dunnes

Wilko reveal plans to open first store in Northern Ireland

£2m contract and 12 jobs for NI family firm with 50 years of baking heritage