The new generation of the Northern Irish fresh produce industry is combining its long history of traditional crops, such as brassicas, potatoes, apples and root veg, with innovative new methods.
Added-value products from the region are making the news in the UK, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. From prepared champ, colcannon and potato cakes, to ready-to-eat beansprouts and wet salads, Northern Ireland has a lot to offer various markets in addition to its well-established traditional fare, but where are these routes to market? Is the supply chain sufficient and open enough to let new growers, suppliers, restaurants and retailers in?
Private brands such as Wilson’s Country and Mash Direct, and more recently Dig In, have been making their way into the limelight, supported by both multiple and independent retailers. But how easy is it to get your product to market, whether you have a brand or not? And are retailers and multiples in Northern Ireland being supportive enough?
Perhaps the biggest challenge is something that neither the retailers, suppliers, packers nor growers can control - the weather. Notorious for heavy rainfall, the region suffers at the hands of erratic seasonal patterns and therefore changeable growing seasons. However, Northern Ireland’s climate and the effect of climate change may turn this into an advantage, as exporting high water content products becomes more valuable as water becomes scarce.
Blame it on the weatherman
Water is going to become a top export going forward and Northern Ireland is well placed to make the most of any possible opportunities, says Queen’s University Belfast’s Dr Alison Cameron, who is looking for funding to focus on the subject. “If you have a product that is water intensive, you have an advantage,” continues Cameron. “The trouble in Northern Ireland is that the climate is variable as it is on the Gulf Stream. It is the annual mean temperature that is important. We have two possible extremes, hot and cold, and as part of that you have the dry and wet variables.
“However, if you have a large amount of water, you have a competitive advantage, because you are exporting a water product.”
It is clear that further varietal work has to be done before Northern Ireland can take advantage of its abundant water reserves and the industry is calling out for a task force to be set up on potential water use in the country. “There is plenty of water but this causes a lot of trouble at harvest and creates a shorter growing season,” says Glens of Antrim Potatoes’ David Morrow. “A government task force looking into the issue would be very welcome, as if you take a look at Comber potatoes that need a lot of water to grow, they also need a lot of sunlight to get a yield. In Northern Ireland, we would produce 15-16 tonnes per acre whereas in Lincolnshire they would see 22-25t/acre.”
A report conducted by Queen’s University Belfast shows that there will be pros and cons to climate change in Northern Ireland for the horticulture industry.
“With the apple crop, checks and balances on disease could be altered by climate change,” the report claims. “Cool wet summers favour apple scab, hot dry summers favour apple mildew. Arthropod pests may become more damaging if the climate becomes warmer, for example incidence of codling moth may increase.
“Mushroom production has been affected by recent warm summers and there is a problem if this should become a regular feature of the climate. Capital investment in better air circulation or conditioning facilities will certainly be required in the longer term and any drop in summer precipitation will incur the additional risk of more dust in the production units, which in turn increases the prevalence of competitive (weed) or disease fungi in the beds.”
Routes to market
On the product side, Northern Irish fresh vegetable packer Sparky Pac has just launched a new brand, Dig In, which focuses exclusively on local produce and is Northern Ireland’s first dedicated veg brand to celebrate locality and seasonality.
The brand will initially feature locally grown carrots and parsnips, and hopes to offer shoppers in Northern Ireland guaranteed local produce.
Comber’s Sparky Pac, which supplies Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Spar, set up the brand in response to market research showing a growing demand from shoppers for local products.
“Dig In is designed to make it easier for people here to buy local,” says Gwen McKee, Sparky Pac’s marketing director. “We decided to take this step - quite an investment for the business - because of approaches from shoppers asking us about where products are grown.
“Subsequent market research indicated the strength of demand for genuine local produce and also considerable confusion over what is local on the shelves. The research also showed that consumers wished their veg and fruit to be honest and consistently good. They wished, where possible, to eat locally produced, seasonal veg they can trust to be good for their families, good for the local economy and good for the environment.
“Our message to shoppers is that our carrots and parsnips are grown ‘just up the road’ and are packed fresh. Another important feature of the Dig In range will be its seasonality, which means they will only be on the shelves during the growing seasons. Dig In will not be available at any other times.”
Launched last month, it remains to be seen if consumers in the region put their money where their mouth is - what a consumer says and what a consumer does can be very different.
However, consumer loyalty does have its own issues, says one Northern Ireland insider. “There is a very loyal following for regional food and it can be hard for growers and suppliers to get into the supply chain,” he says. “It’s a fairly closed door as growers supply the main retailers and their doors are closed too. You don’t have the economy of scale in Northern Ireland as you do with the mainland UK.”
Empowering the supply chain
Where does the power lie in the supply chain? Tesco Northern Ireland prides itself on supporting the industry within the region. “At Tesco, we’ve always recognised the excellence of local produce,” says Tesco Northern Ireland commercial manager Cliff Kells. “The growth of our local sourcing from £50 million to more than £520m per annum today, is testament to this and our work with the local supply base since our arrival in Northern Ireland in 1997.”
But others feel that the multiples as a whole should be more fiercely regulated by the government. “Supermarkets should be driven to be as effective as they make their suppliers be,” says a source. “The risk should be shared through the chain.” -
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