Food Heartland – Opportunities

Calling all Small Medium Enterprise Food & Drink Producers & Foodie Experience Providers!

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council is seeking expressions of interest from local businesses to participate in our exciting Borough Wide Touring Markets in 2025!

Market Dates (TBC):

• Lurgan – Saturday 19^th April
• Dromore – Saturday 24^th May
• Buskfest, Banbridge – Saturday 14th June
• Blues Festival, Armagh – Saturday 2nd August
• Portadown – Saturday 23rd August

Cost

£45 per stand per market payable to Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council after confirmation of attendance has been issued.

Who can Apply?

• Your business must be a registered Small to Medium Enterprise (up to 50 employees) based in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough.
• Be a member of Food Heartland (or sign up here: Join the Food Heartland – Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council)
• Possess a valid hygiene rating of 5 (or a 4 with verifiable efforts towards achieving a 5).
• Showcase high-quality Northern Irish food and drink products.
• Be available to attend the entire allocated day for your chosen market (between 8am and 5pm).

How to Apply:

Click on the button below to apply online today!

Expressions of Interest are due by 28 February 2025 by 5pm.

Please note: Public liability insurance (£10 million minimum) and a copy of your risk assessment are required to comply with health and safety regulations. Set up and take down will be your responsibility and must be completed in advance of the opening and closing hours.

We are thrilled to announce that applications are now open for the 2025 Food Heartland Agri Shows.

The Food Heartland is passionately committed to supporting local food and drink producers, and innovative foodie experience providers by empowering them to showcase and successfully sell their products at these highly anticipated shows.

We invite you to be a part of this exciting event by submitting your application today!

What’s on offer:

• Lurgan Show: Limited number of Small to Medium businesses (up to 50 employees) to attend on Saturday 7th June. Spaces are subject to application criteria.
• Armagh Show: Limited number of Small to Medium businesses (up to 50 employees) to attend on Saturday 14^th June Spaces are subject to application criteria.
• Dedicated area for each business including counter space or one small table and branding as part of the wider Food Heartland brand.
• The opportunity to sample, showcase and sell your products.
• Inclusion in pre-show publicity
• Please note we are unable to facilitate, the sale of Hot Food and Drink Vendors. Hot Food small samples are allowed.
• Alcohol vendors will require their own Licence for all shows and may sell their products only in sealed packaging for consumption away from the show grounds. Small samples are permitted.

Criteria:

To participate as part of the Food Heartland Showcase your business must:

• be a SME food and drink producer / foodie experience provider based in the borough
• be a member of Food Heartland (if not please sign up here: Food Heartland Membership Registration)
• have a hygiene rating of 5 (a 4 will be accepted if actively working towards a 5)
• produce the product(s) in N. Ireland, using local ingredients where available
• showcase high quality N. Ireland food and drink produce
• producer must be able to attend for the full allocated day (dependant on which day/show this could be any time between 6.30am and 9.30pm (see below)

How to Apply:

Click on the button below to apply online today!

Disclaimer: 

• To ensure diverse representation, priority will be given to businesses who haven’t exhibited with us before. However, space permitting, we will endeavour to accommodate previous show attendees.
• The selection of businesses will be carried out in collaboration with the show organisers. Each application received will be assessed based on the quality of the products on offer and overall balance of products represented by Food Heartland members at each Show.
• Refrigeration and Electricity can be made available at the businesses’ own cost at Armagh, only if requested in advance. No Electricity or Refrigeration is available at Lurgan show. Service record must be available for inspection. All businesses must be self-sufficient with the storage of products in line with Environmental Health guidelines.
• Successful applicants will be required to produce the following within one week of acceptance to confirm their attendance:

• • social media handles (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram)
  • High resolution business logo (300 dpi minimum).
  • 4 x high resolution images of your products

• This initiative is funded by council and will cover the cost of the stand only.
• Any public Wifi available at the events may be used at businesses’ own risk.
• Set up and take down will be your responsibility and must be completed in advance of the opening and closing hours.