Speciality Food Jan/Feb 2026

specialityfoodmagazine.com 15 CAROL’S STOCK MARKET Returning home to Northern Ireland after many years living in North America, Carol’s Stock Market founder, Carol Bannahan, noticed a huge gap in the stock and bone broth market. “I couldn’t find a healthy, convenient, all- natural stock – so I started making my own,” she says. That was eight years ago, with Carol quickly selling out at markets within minutes shortly after launching, upscaling at pace to meet retail demand. “They’re all very nourishing and made in small batches. I don’t take any shortcuts,” she adds. “Our bones are cooked overnight, for a long 24 hours. We’ve done all the work for you – just open the pouch, warm it up and have it as a drink, or use it in cooking.” Only free-range Irish beef, pork, chicken and turkey make it into Carol’s stocks, which are increasingly being sought out for their high levels of protein and collagen – with around 10g per serving. The latest launches are Chicken Bone Broth with Turmeric & Ginger, and Cottage Bone Broth – combining chicken, pork and turkey for a rich, savoury taste. SUKI TEA MAKERS To mark its 20th anniversary, Suki Tea Makers underwent a brand refresh last year. Its USP, says Kerrie Knox, is that it’s, “High-end, artisanal tea that’s ethically sourced. Most of our blends are organic and Fairtrade and we’re completely plastic free. Our teabags are made from a cornflour base, and we use Nature Flex in our packaging. We don’t have any plastic through our system, and I think that’s becoming more important to people. It’s a big selling point for us.” There are more than 50 teas in the range, frommatcha, to English Breakfast (favoured by English and Scottish customers), the Belfast Blend (“they like it stronger”), and more unusual varieties such as the fig oil infused Bushmills Black Bush collaboration, or Apple Loves Mint – mint tea with a refreshing hint of apple. Both teabags and loose leaf are available. PAPAS MINERAL COMPANY Twenty-five years of know- how goes into every bottle made by cordial producer Papas, whose best-seller continues to be its Original Ginger Wine. “It’s my husband Wayne’s granny’s recipe, passed down around four generations,” says co-founder Lora Adair. “He would have made it as a boy at Christmas to give to family as a gift.” Most recently two new ranges have joined the Papas family. Longbridge Drinks’ RTD bottles are designed to be served alone over ice, or as mixers, and include a classic Belfast Ginger Ale. “Ginger ale was invented in Belfast in the late 1800s,” Lora explains. “We spent years trying to get the right ginger bite, and what we’ve created is going down a treat.” Irish Sisters cordials have been developed as a premium, sister brand to Papas, featuring a more fiery ginger wine, Raspberry & Rose cordial, and Lavendar cordial. “That’s been so popular over the summer!” PARTNER CONTENT FIBRE UP The functional drink revolution continues apace. More consumers are turning to products with added fibre, protein or adaptogens. But some people are finding their guts a little bit sensitive to fermented products, or high fibre claiming products. Paul McCreery of start-up Fibre UP worked with the scientists at Quadram to develop their range, on a mission to help more people increase their fibre intake, the gentle way. “Around 96% of people aren’t getting enough fibre,” says his partner Rebecca Ridgeway. “We wanted to create something that was easy for consumers to use and pleasant to consume. It’s a soda with no added sweeteners, just the natural sweetness of the juice, and it has half your daily requirement of fibre.” Their ultra soluble fibre recipe has been designed to prevent the bloating and discomfort often associated with high-fibre products – and the flavours are proving a hit. “People love our Raspberry Lemonade,” adds Rebecca. MILGRO Diversification has never been so important in farming. If you’re a dairy farmer, it makes sense to add value to your product by producing cheese or ice cream. But what if you grow onions? Milgro found the ideal solution. “We started in 1989,” says commercial and sales lead Ian Miller, “and grew and grew as the supermarkets expanded in Northern Ireland. The problem would be, what did we do with onions if they didn’t make the grade for packing.” The solution was slicing and cooking them in high quality rapeseed oil until crisp, packaging up the resulting fresh, super crunchy onions. The brand is now beloved across the country. “People love them, and 14 years later, here we are.” Milgro’s Crispy Onions are all-natural, and available in foodservice and retail packs, with flavours including Original, Flamegrilled Steak, and new Chinese Salted Chilli. Just the thing for bringing something extra to salads, soups, sandwiches, steaks and burgers. good event and always feels so positive.” Although Northern Ireland is renowned for its traditional, deeply ingrained farming community, and generations-old family food businesses, it’s somewhere that doesn’t stand still, with new food and drink coming into the sector all the time, often supported by the Invest NI team. At the 2025 supplier showcase an entire floor was dedicated to an innovation and speciality hub. “As an organisation, we look to work with businesses to help them export, but also to develop themselves and new products,” Gràinne continues. “There is so much R&D happening in all sectors within food and drink, and we’re delighted to give existing and new start-ups the chance to showcase all the fantastic things they’re doing.” If you’re a retailer seeking to bring something new to your shelves in the coming year – something of high quality, with a story behind it, you needn’t look further than NI, says Gràinne. “We would love to help any buyers in England, Scotland, Wales or the Republic of Ireland get Northern Irish produce on the shelf. To that end, we have members of the Invest NI team based in GB and throughout the world. We are more than happy to introduce buyers to our companies. It’s as simple as contacting one of our team if we haven’t already reached out to you.” snacking, including high protein and fibre products, as well as the sweet treats we’re renowned for. In turn, GB offers producers access to a wider market and a more diverse customer base. The relationship fuels NI manufacturing expertise, stimulates NPD, and ensures that the best food and drink fromNorthern Ireland continues to reach tables across Britain.” Invest NI - a government organisation from the Department for the Economy, is charged with driving the promotion of and engagement with Northern Irish food and drink globally. The team, led by director Gràinne Moody, take an enormous sense of pride in their work, enabling the export of NI produce – which contributes somewhere in the region of £8 billion to the economy each year. A highlight of the Invest NI calendar is its annual supplier showcase, which has been running for more than a decade. It’s an opportunity for buyers and wholesalers to network, discover new brands, and experience what the country has to offer for themselves. In 2026, due to high demand from producers, the event will move to a larger venue, demonstrating increased appetite across the board. “We’re growing every year both from our perspective in terms of companies wanting to exhibit, but also from buyers and the media who contact us and want to come to the showcase,” says Gràinne. “It’s a really T he landscape of Northern Ireland – from the buzz of its city centres, to the crystal-clear waters of its coastline, and the lush grazing pastures of its countryside – naturally make it a haven for food and drink producers. As well as the warmth and generosity of the people, this part of the world is renowned for its exceptional free-range meat, luscious dairy, brewers and distillers; for its numerous artisans, working with the seasons, and with the bounty on their doorsteps, to consistently bring the remarkable taste of Northern Ireland to plates across the world. Michelle Charrington, who supports Invest NI businesses from the London office, says, “In the world of speciality food, provenance is everything - and few regions deliver it with more authenticity than Northern Ireland. NI producers have a reputation for quality, sustainability, and character. But behind every NI bottle of whiskey, prepared meal or granola pouch on a British shelf lies a relationship that is as vital as the product itself: the partnership between Northern Irish producers and British retailers.” Northern Ireland, she continues, is a prolific producer of food and drink. “With a population of just under two million, NI produces enough to feed 10 million people. It is no surprise, therefore, that GB is our biggest customer. British retailers rely on the quality, value and innovation offered by NI produce to meet growing consumer demand for inspiring and delicious food and drink. Northern Ireland is a clear category leader in food-to-go, helping retailers bring theatre to their stores and tap into key trends such as functional CONTACT INVEST NI Find out more an investni.com and email michelle.charrington@investni.com or alex.taggart@investni.com