For those currently taking a vacation in Ireland, Northern Ireland is well worth a visit this weekend. The gourmet hotspot city of Belfast is set to host the Tesco Taste Northern Ireland Event with over 60 food and drink businesses showcasing their produce.
Over the course of the three day festival, over 20,000 visitors are set to visit this well- known event in the hope of sampling some of Northern Ireland gourmet and local specialities, whilst on a trip to Ireland.
Tesco Taste of Northern Ireland Festival is set to take place this weekend in Belfast
The festival which is free to attend is set to take place at Custom House Square and a range of exhibitors including Armagh Cider, The Ulster Pork and Bacon Forum as well as Dromore based Graham’s Bakery.
A range of restaurants are also set to be involved include James St South, Pier 26, Il Pirata and Coppi. Well- known TV chef Jenny Bristow will also be attending the festival.
Caoimhe Mannion, Tesco NI’s marketing manager, said: “It’s the only festival where 60 local producers are gathered together in an urban setting, as distinct from the Balmoral Show.
“What we are trying to do is have a critical mass of local food exposed to the urban population and show them how fantastic it is.
“As well as all the food, we have well-known chefs cooking as a result of our ongoing partnership with Food NI, and for all the family entertainment will be overlaid on top of that.”
Tim Graham, from Graham’s Bakery, described Taste Northern Ireland as the perfect forum for new start up companies to test the market.
“We are very much looking forward to getting our mini-cake products and Swiss rolls in front of so many potential customers,” he said.
“As a young, emerging brand involved for the first time, this is a fantastic way of sampling and market-testing.
“It’s also great to be sitting alongside so many other long-established companies and to have the opportunity to get some advice from them.”