Friday, June 3rd 2016 Bord Bia is reporting another bumper day at Bloom 2016 as the sunshine continues to drive huge numbers to the Phoenix Park, Dublin. An Taoiseach Enda Kenny received a warm welcome from visitors, exhibitors and showgarden designers alike during his three and a half hour visit.
Early this morning, over 200 national and international food buyers attended a Bord Bia business breakfast at Bloom aimed at showcasing the best of Irish food and drink produce.
The food buyers travelled from all across Ireland, UK and even the Middle East to meet, in a speed dating style, more than 110 Irish producers participating in this year’s show. The buyers arrived onsite two hours ahead of the general public to allow sufficient time to engage with the companies and sample the produce before the crowds.
In addition to strong representation from Irish retail groups, speciality stores, hotel industry and foodservice outlets, top-end UK retailers including Harrods, Selfridges and Fortnum and Mason also participated. Six buyers from the Middle East, who are with Bord Bia for a week long trade visit, also attended the breakfast hoping to find new, innovative Irish food products suitable for export.
The business breakfast at Bloom has a proven track record for delivery major new business. At a similar event last year, Killowen Yogurt from Wexford signed a deal to supply Aer Lingus, while Maria Lucia Bakes (homemade, wheat-free granola) secured business with Dalata Hotel Group, Ireland’s largest hotel group. According to Bord Bia, the buyers were hugely impressed with the quality and selection of new, innovative products available within the Food Village. Many new Irish food companies are participating at Bloom 2016 and using the show to launch and test new products.
Wexford-born duo, Michael and Jane Murphy of M&J Nutrition Ltd yesterday launched ProU, a new fortified yogurt that offers some key nutritional benefits for bone and muscle health for mid-life onwards. The product, produced by Killowen Farm is the first product to be launched by M&J Nutrition Ltd., a startup team of three, based in Dublin. The yogurts will be sold through Dublin SuperValu stores (from 10th June) and is planned for Tesco stores later in the summer with a wider roll-out planned for other stores later in the year.
New biscuit venture East Coast Bakehouse is using Bloom to test new flavours and trial its first biscuit products completed just in time for the show. The Drogheda based company has spent 12 months devising new recipes and products, soon to be made available to Irish consumers.
Wicklow Way Wines, Ireland’s first fruit winery, launched Ireland’s first ever Strawberry Wine at Bloom 2016. Originated by husband and wife team, Brett Stephenson and Pamela Walsh, the couple discovered fruit wines on their travels in the United States and in 2013 set about making their own wine from wild Irish blackberries and elderberries, picked in the meadows of the Wicklow Mountains where they live. Keen to start their own business, the couple opened a small fruit winery in Co. Wicklow in 2015. The unique flavours and aromas of the wines convinced the couple they could create something special, and so they sought the expertise and guidance of a world-renowned winemaker to develop a fine Strawberry Wine, which they launched yesterday under the brand name Móinéir (after the Irish word for meadows). With National Strawberry Week taking place from June 6th, the company found a timely launchpad at Bloom 2016.
Finally, Pip & Pear baby food is celebrating its first year in business by ‘pearing’ up with a children’s charity to donate €5,000. Developed in 2015 by Waterford mum and restaurateur Irene Queally, Pip & Pear is a new chilled baby food range which was conceived and developed in Irene’s kitchen at her restaurant, No.9 Barronstrand Street, using Irene’s home cooked recipes.
Food at Bloom
The revamped Food Village at Bloom is the biggest to date. In addition to a number of food stalls and ever popular Chef’s Quality Kitchen stage, visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy a craft beer or and Irish spirit at the Bloom Inn, dine indoors at Bistro Bloom or the Country Crest Restaurant and sample the best of the Love Irish Food tent. This year, new features include a large BBQ area, sponsored by Dawn Meats, an interactive Origin Green feature and a bigger and better GIY Zone including a new Food Matters Stage.
Bloom 2016
In addition to the showgardens and food, Bord Bia’s Bloom 2016 festival includes more 200 retailers, an Irish craft village and seven stages all providing gardening tips, fashion, live music and much more. Since the first year of the festival in 2007, the show has doubled in size to a 70 acre site. Attendances have also skyrocketed, with Bord Bia hoping to welcome 100,000 visitors this year, compared to just 40,000 in year one.
Bloom opens its doors from 9am to 6pm each day. For further information, or to purchase tickets, visit bloominthepark.com .There is no entry charge for children under 16 years of age.
