BELFAST BRIEFING:There is growing evidence that the food and drink sector is more resilient than others

AN AWARD winning farmer- owned co-operative in the heart of Co Tyrone celebrating its best ever year in business may sound a little cheesy. But when it comes to Fivemiletown Creamery, it is fair to say it is never going to get too upset about being labelled as anything relating to cheesy.

In fact the company is only too delighted that its reputation as the North’s only speciality cheese producer is maturing. Last year sales of its soft cheese range alone increased “fivefold” which have helped make 2010 its best ever year – not bad for an organisation that has been in business since 1898.

The creamery, which supports a network of 60 local diary farmers, enjoyed major growth in sales of its artisan cheeses, particularly in Britain where it supplies high-end retailers such as Harrods and Harvey Nichols.

So could a Tyrone farmers’ co-operative have hit on a recession proof recipe for business success?

If its sales performance last year is anything to go by then the answer is yes. Strong demand for Fivemiletown Creamery’s brie, smoked brie and goat cheese range have delivered a 50 per cent increase in turnover. That has seen the creation of 10 new jobs, boosting the existing workforce of 80 people at its headquarters in Clogher Valley.

The creamery has already established strong supplier relationships with major UK multiples such as Sainsbury, Asda, Tesco, but last year it continued to expand in the Republic thanks to new contract wins with large retailers such as the Musgrave Group.

It has also managed, against the tide, to increase exports outside of Britain and Ireland thanks in part to a growing taste in Denmark and Sweden for its Boilie marinated goat cheese pearls.

The creamery believes its success – regardless of the economic circumstances at home or abroad – relies on two things: “the quality and purity of the ingredients” and “the skill and passion of the artisan”.

This might have been just one of the reasons why the top Parisian department store Galeries Lafayette has also chosen the creamery to supply its stores in Paris and throughout France with brie.

Mervyn McCaughey, the creamery’s managing director, says that aside from the focus on quality, purity and passion, it is continually determined to “provide a good return to the 60 diary farmers in the Clogher Valley”.

Looking back on the creamery’s best ever year, McCaughey said: “The success has enabled us to maintain the highest prices for milk paid to farmers in Northern Ireland over the past year.”

Fivemiletown Creamery is an outstanding example of a community led enterprise which is creating jobs and a viable future for local people. The great hope for the Northern Ireland economy is that it is not the only one.

There is growing evidence that the local food and drink sector as a whole has proved to be, if not entirely recession-proof, certainly more resilient than others.

Latest research from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development shows that the total gross turnover of the local food and drinks processing sector grew by more than 8 per cent last year to £3.68 billion last year. The number of people employed full time in the sector also grew, by 1.1 per cent, to 19,685.

Northern Ireland Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development Michelle O’Neill said the agri-food sector benefited last year from increased global demand. Local producers have seen the benefits of concentrating on export markets.

“The agri-food sector is one of our greatest natural resources and the challenge for the Northern Ireland Executive is to see how we can help it to grow.”

She is confident that every food related business in Northern Ireland has a key role to play in sustaining jobs on hundreds of farms and associated firms, whether it is the likes of Cushendall based Glens of Antrim Potatoes to poultry processors such as Moy Park, which is owned by the Brazilian giant Marfrig and employs more than 10,000 people in the North.

In the meantime, one local entrepreneur is getting ready to play his part in ensuring that some of the North’s best produce is about to be showcased to a whole new audience. Peter Hannan, who owns Moria-based meat and food products supplier Hannan Meats, is planning on expanding his deli/farm shop business to England.

His “Meat Merchant” shop will open its first outlet next month in Newcastle Upon Tyne and is one of three new delis being planned by the company.