City food firm showcases produce

Upwards of 1,000 food and drink products will be on show from the 10 Northern Ireland companies taking part including five businesses which have won gold in the prestigious UK Great Taste Awards.

Dr Vicky Kell, Invest NI Trade Director, said: “Providing opportunities for Northern Ireland companies to present their high quality and innovative food at international exhibitions such as Food and Drink Expo is a key element in our strategic focus on helping this exceptionally important industry to grow exports. We have an extensive schedule of promotional activities at international food shows in the US, Europe, the Gulf and China.

“The products showcased demonstrate the dedication of Northern Ireland’s agri-food industry, currently generating over £3 billion annually to the local economy, to innovative concepts that offer taste, wholesomeness, value for money and distinctive provenance.

“As a result of this dedication, 90 per cent of Northern Ireland’s food and drink products are sold outside the region, mostly to Great Britain. This demonstrates the industry’s overall competitiveness through quality, innovation, added-value and customer services. Increasingly companies, both large and small, are pursuing and winning business abroad in markets as diverse as the US, China, South Africa and the Middle East,” added Dr Kell.

All the companies on the stands at the Food and Drink Expo have experience of supplying retail and foodservice customers outside Northern Ireland. The food and drink show at Birmingham covers virtually every market segment including convenience meals, desserts, healthy snacks and ingredients.

The firm is one of the companies showing at the Food and Drink Expo for the first time.