40 | meet the producer

meet the producer | 41

The north of Ireland is renowned for its abundance of wonderful produce, whether from land or sea. In each issue of Flavour we will be highlighting the people and businesses behind the scenes who produce the food we often take for granted on our trips to the supermarket. Rebecca Kincade kicks off with a visit to Gilfresh Produce.

rowing up in the very beautiful village of Loughgall, County Armagh, I lived in a very closeknit community, where everyone knew everyone else. So it came as quite a surprise to me at the age of 27 to learn that right on the doorstep to the village is one of Northern Irelands largest vegetable producers. Gilfresh Produce is a family run business and all year round they grow, wash, pack and distribute vegetables for retailers large and small throughout Ireland. With 40 partner growers and over 130 employees, Gilfresh takes pride in having total control over each of its products, from soil to boil. If you are anything like me, when you reach for your five a day in a local supermarket it is easy to forget the effort that goes on behind the scenes to make sure that each product has reached the shelves in the attractive and colourful way that we find it.

From soil to boil...

with the growers choosing land types to suit the various crops and organising stages of planting to ensure that there is a continuous stock all year round, supplementing the seasonality of Irish supply with produce imported from partner growers in Spain and other European countries. Thomas has worked in the vegetable business for over 40 years, beginning with a fourand-a-half acre field on his home farm and learning his trade from his father, who grew carrots and cabbages during the war years. At the time I started out we were washing our carrots in a cement mixer, using three buckets of water for every one bag of carrots, recalled Thomas. One thing just seemed to lead to another and now we are able to wash around 30 tonnes of vegetables every hour - you certainly wouldnt do that in a cement mixer!

Quality and freshness

Today, Gilfreshs diverse portfolio of products covers brassicas, such as various types of cabbage, cauliflower, brocolli, leafy greens and kale; root veg like carrots, parsnips, swedes, beetroot and celeriac; as well as iceberg lettuce, leeks, celery, broad beans, fennel, spinach, pak choi and, of course, the ever-popular scallions. By working in partnership with a network of growers in Ireland and abroad, Gilfresh Produce is able to maintain a small model of vegetable growing in the belief that this model ensures each product is able to reach its best

quality in the hands of family managed farms. I dont think there is anything that can beat the small model of vegetable growing. Our growers know their crops, they have many years experience and are able to operate the best standard of quality control as they are picking, explained Thomas. With this well-developed system, all Gilfresh products go from the field to the shelf in 36 hours or less.

Come rain or shine

As Thomas took me for a tour of the packing factory I was struck by how much was happening at any one time. Boxes and crates were arriving and leaving on zippy forklifts, vegetables were being washed and trimmed

Year-round supply

In fact, as I found out from Gilfresh Produce owner Thomas Gilpin, each vegetable has been almost a full year in the making,

At the time I started out we were washing our carrots in a cement mixer, using three buckets of water for every one bag of carrots. One thing just seemed to lead to another and now we are able to wash around 30 tonnes of vegetables every hour - you certainly wouldnt do that in a cement mixer!

Thomas Gilpin, Gilfresh Produce FLAVOUR August/September 2011 August/September 2011 FLAVOUR

42 | meet the producer

and then those deemed of high enough quality were being packaged in familiar brand labels. Each employee was covered in hair nets, white coats, high visibility jackets and protective footwear, showing that health, safety and hygiene are of crucial importance. A quick drive out the road from the factory brought us to a field belonging to one of Gilfreshs growers, where cabbages in even rows were about to be harvested by a family team. Noticing the clouds begin to move in I ducked for the cover of the car, watching as the grower continued through the rain shower to direct his team on what was of good enough quality to be sent to the Gilfresh Produce factory. On our return trip Thomas took three minutes out of his hectic schedule to show me a water cannon, which is set to go off every minute. The cannon sends a wide spray of water across the field to keep it fertile during warm months, but what Thomas was most enthusiastic about was the fact that the water in the cannon is recycled following its use in the factory to wash vegetables. We try to be as environmentally friendly as we can and I am happy that the company doesnt have a very large carbon footprint. We limit road miles for our products and often look at new equipment to reduce our energy consumption, he explained, adding that many of the companys growers are also environmentally aware, protecting natural wildlife habitats on their farms, minimising the use of herbicides and inorganic fertilisers and undertaking woodland planting. growth and harvest in line with demand. While always offering great value for money, it is at times like this that we look at ways to discount our products to make sure that they move quickly from the shelves. Otherwise we would have surplus products that would go to waste, he explained. So now when you see one of the Gilfresh Produce lorries on the road with their distinctive row of cauliflowers along the side, you will know that you are looking at a company that is at the heart of agri-food in Northern Ireland, using passion, enthusiasm and understanding to provide the highest quality vegetables for consumers.

key ingredient |

43

Great value for money

The volatility of Northern Irish weather can often provide the biggest challenge for vegetable producers and our so-called four seasons rarely do exactly what they say on the tin! A bout of warm and wet weather at the beginning of July sped up the growth of crops just in time for the mass exodus of the Northern Irish population for the annual twelfth holiday and it was up to Thomas to then rebalance the

Environmentallyfriendly farming

Thomass son William is now the General Manager of the company, taking responsibility for the day-to-day organisation. He joined the business straight from school, starting on the farm working with the harvesting gangs cutting cabbages, broccoli and other vegetables. Thomas is still very much hands on with all the growers across the country. We pride ourselves on having excellent working relationships with all of our growers. Having been a grower myself I understand all the challenges they face and I work with them to overcome these, he told me.

Each issue of Flavour we will take one key ingredient and show you its versatility for use in a variety of tasty recipes, some quick and easy to make for a mid-week meal, others taking a little more time for a special treat, but all definitely delicious!

Chicken is the consumers choice! I

ts official! More than three-quarters of people in Northern Ireland prefer chicken to any other meat, a poll on behalf of Moy Park, provider of fresh, locally farmed and produced poultry has found. The survey revealed that Northern Ireland consumers arent prepared to wing it when deciding which meat makes it to the family table, with taste, health benefits and versatility the top three reasons why local people choose chicken as their favourite. People were also asked to voice their opinions on the chicken dish that really tickles the taste buds and top of the poll was a traditional roast chicken with all the trimmings. Other favourites making the top 10 included contenders such as spicy chicken curry, chicken and broccoli bake, marinated chicken fillets, perennial pleasers Chicken Maryland, Chicken Kiev and eastern inspired sweet and sour chicken and chicken stir fry.

Ireland, added Paul. We are always looking at ways to adapt and grow in line with consumer trends and in Ireland there is a strong preference for locally sourced food. We also recognise that consumers are demanding healthy food that is quick to cook to suit todays busy lifestyles, which is why we have developed both fresh and convenience products under the Moy Park brand all made with 100% locally sourced chicken. For more information and to view Moy Parks full range of tasty chicken recipes please visit www.moypark.ie.

Versatile and convenient

William Gilpin at work in the processing plant FLAVOUR August/September 2011

We are delighted to see that the results really speak for themselves! said Paul Burch of Moy Park. Chicken is Northern Irelands favourite meat. Chicken is versatile and convenient and is also good value for money, which is why it is always a popular choice. Whilst sales of chicken breast fillets remain very strong, we are also seeing growth in dark meat - legs, drumsticks and thighs thanks to the barbecue season and growing demand for foodie ingredients. At the same time, some consumers are buying bigger fresh birds, which provide even better value for money and see a household through a Sunday dinner and mid-week meals. Moy Park has just launched a new range of breaded and fresh chicken and ready to cook meals, which are available throughout the north of
August/September 2011 FLAVOUR