Overlay
Our updates

Ulster Bank supports Balmoral Show in its 150th year

Innovation identified as key to NI food business at annual agricultural and food Show.

The Balmoral Show, in partnership with Ulster Bank, is Northern Ireland's largest agricultural and food Show. This year saw the Show enter its 150th year, with Ulster Bank supporting as principle partner for the 10th year.

Innovation is key

The Show included the Ulster Bank flagship lunch which brought together key food sector influencers and highlighted that Northern Ireland’s most successful food companies are being driven by a commitment to innovation.

Speaking at the lunch, Professor Grainne Allen, Head of Product Development at Marks and Spencer and a visiting professor at Ulster University’s Business School, said that she has worked closely with some of Northern Ireland’s best-known food brands who have transformed their business through innovation.

Professor Allen said: “It is never enough to stand still and continually look backwards, the pace of change is ever-increasing, rapid and exciting. We continually look to re-invent, re-define and keep product ranges up-to-date, drive excellence in quality and land firsts to market. We never forget that it is the customer who raises the importance of innovation and quality as a key factor in our success.”

Ulster Bank’s Head of Northern Ireland, Richard Donnan, said “Ulster Bank is strongly committed to continuing to support investment and innovation throughout the food chain and our principal sponsorship of the Balmoral Show helps us communicate that and our active engagement with the sector as a whole.”

Ulster Bank’s first ever Balmoral Show Correspondent

This year’s Balmoral Show also saw over 400 school children across Northern Ireland taking part in a competition to become the first official Ulster Bank Balmoral Show Correspondent. The winner, selected by a panel of judges, won the opportunity to visit the Show with their classmates to produce a special video report documenting the day as the Ulster Bank Balmoral Show Correspondent. The video was used by local media and the Balmoral Show’s digital channels.

Speaking about the competition, Ulster Bank’s Senior Agricultural Manager, Cormac McKervey, said: “We’re thrilled to appoint our first-ever official Ulster Bank Balmoral Show Correspondent. This is Ulster Bank’s 10th Balmoral Show as its principal sponsor and it’s a partnership we’re proud of. The Balmoral Show provides us with a platform to demonstrate how we’re continuing to support our local farmers and producers in the agri-industry.”

The Show also featured numerous livestock classes, over 650 trade stands including tourism, plant machinery and local food and drink, and the Agri Pavilion which provided a platform for businesses to network over the four days.

Posted in

Our Updates
Ulster Bank
Supporting Small Businesses
Farming
Food & drink
Press Release
2018
Northern Ireland
UK
scroll to top