Innovation Factory event was 'a great opportunity to showcase some of the amazing local food businesses'

Northern Ireland’s food manufacturers will have exciting new opportunities to get their products on the shelves of multi-national retailers in the coming months, a food retail expert has predicted.

Buyers have been in ‘bunker mentality’ over the past three years but things are rapidly changing, consultant Mervyn Jones told business owners at a collaborative event organised by Innovation Factory and funded through the Connected Programme and Belfast Met.

“Brexit and Covid-19 have shifted interest away from local food products as buying teams had other priorities. The number of buyers in many stores has decreased dramatically as the focus went elsewhere,” he said.

A former buyer for Asda, Mervyn Jones added that 2023 was likely to see the return of emphasis on local innovative products but he acknowledged the past few years have been very difficult for smaller producers to get in front of buyers.

Carolyn Stewart, who owns Turn Up the Flavour, producing Caribbean sauces, pickles and marinades said she had found it virtually impossible to get meetings with buyers, even though she has won numerous Great Taste Awards. She has also now created a Jamaican patty filled with meat and vegetables and is looking for ways to expand sales outlet options.

“There is so much great support for small food producers in the early stages but we really need help getting our products in front of buyers so that we can take it to the next level. There had been such an emphasis on buy local but it’s so difficult to grow your business further,” she explained.

Carolyn had excellent support through the InnovateUs programme at Belfast Metropolitan College’s E3 campus, which helped her look at ways to improve production of her new brand of patties.

Margaret McCabe, business development executive at Belfast Met, continued: “There are a wide range of fully funded support programmes available through the FE college network. These programmes assist eligible businesses innovate and upskill, which allows them to grow their business.

“This event was a great opportunity to showcase some of the amazing local food businesses who have availed of our support. It was also really important to look at what the next steps were for them in terms of launching their business on even bigger platforms such as the major supermarkets.”

Stephen Ellis, innovation manager at Innovation Factory, explained that it was essential to listen to the first-hand experiences of food manufacturers so that they could offer the most practical help.

The event at Innovation Factory on the Springfield Road facility also included speakers from CAFRE, Pinnacle Growth and Mintel, all sharing ways to help support small manufacturers.

“Together we can all see so many ways that we might be able to assist food producers in the future. It’s a really exciting time and we hope to work further with Belfast Met to help manufacturers get their products listed in more retail shops. If you’ve got a business idea or need advice, the door is always open at Innovation Factory,” Stephen stated.

Innovation Factory is owned by Belfast City Council and operated on its behalf by Oxford Innovation Space. The £9.1m business hub was funded by Belfast City Council and Invest NI with support from the European Regional Development Fund.

It supports a large number of food and drink production businesses such as Tsang Sauce, Allegro, Belfast Distillery, Cocktail Keg, Koko Craic and Injuiced.

The event was attended by a range food manufacturers at different stages of development, all looking at ways to grow their businesses. Chanel Waite of Ballyclare-based Honest Oats, a brand of flavoured high protein breakfast pots, is just beginning to work with Belfast Met to help cut down production time and develop new products.

Leandra Gentle and Alicia Downer of LAiRIE, producing authentic Caribbean infused hot sauces and tropical seasoning mixes, created their brand to naturally enhance flavour to a range of cuisines. The pair have worked with Belfast Met and CAFRE to develop and test their products.

“We are ready to take the next step. We have been selling locally and have an online shop. This event has been great at finding new connections and looking at new opportunities,” Alicia added.

And Tricia McNeilly of Otzibrew, whose coffee alternatives are sold in 748 Holland & Barrett stores already, has her eye on additional multi-nationals including Waitrose and Planet Organic.

“An event like this that brings together business people on a similar path at all different stages is so good because it inspires all of us and it also helps build connections. We are all looking forward to creating the best local products from Northern Ireland and hoping to sell them across the UK and Ireland,” she concluded.

Innovation Factory can offer advice to new and growing businesses.