Business

Best of food, drink and hospitality celebrated at awards

Pictured ahead of the awards with the Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Julie Flaherty, is celebrity chef Jean-Christophe Novelli, Roger Wilson, chief executive, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and Alan Egner from key sponsor Power NI
Pictured ahead of the awards with the Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Julie Flaherty, is celebrity chef Jean-Christophe Novelli, Roger Wilson, chief executive, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and Alan Egner from ke Pictured ahead of the awards with the Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Julie Flaherty, is celebrity chef Jean-Christophe Novelli, Roger Wilson, chief executive, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and Alan Egner from key sponsor Power NI

BUSINESSES from across Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon celebrated success at the biennial Food Heartland awards last week.

After an unprecedented number of entries and a shortlist of 12 category awards, a total of nine businesses came out on top after a rigorous judging process spearheaded by chef, writer and broadcaster Paula McIntyre and renowned culinary expert Noel McMeel, executive chef of the exclusive Lough Erne Resort.

Best business new start was artisan cheesemaker Ballylisk of Armagh – the only Northern Ireland producer to use its own established dairy herd to produce its quality range of cheeses, some of which are already on sale at London’s iconic Borough Market.

Craigavon’s Holmes Bakery - famed for its butter shortbread and flake meal biscuits, won the Best Export Business award, while

Burren Balsamics from Richhill, a previous New Start winner, took home the Innovation Award for 2018.

Other winners included the five-star Newforge House, taking home Best Licenced Eating Establishment award, Davison Canners, who won the Best Growth Business Award and the Yellow Door Deli, which picked up two awards for Best Non-Licensed Eating Award and sharing the Best Independent Retail Food Business title with Harnett’s Oils from Banbridge

Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Julie Flaherty said:

“Our Food Heartland Awards represent an important showcase of quality, innovation and outstanding taste for all our businesses – both large and small – and for those individuals who help to power our flourishing food-focused region."

“Our borough is home to a wealth of high quality food and drink as well as world-renowned products with protected status including Armagh Bramley Apples and Lough Neagh Eels and I’m delighted that everyone involved in this important sector are now receiving the recognition they deserve," she added.

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council’s Food Heartland Awards, in association with Power NI, took place at a gala ceremony at The Palace Demesne, Armagh with special guest celebrity chef, Jean-Christophe Novelli.