A Belfast artisan food company is to create five jobs as part of an expansion across Northern Ireland.
Gourmet Grazing NI, which celebrated one year in business when the Covid-19 lockdown was introduced in March 2020, said it has experienced an 800% increase in sales since then after quickly pivoting its business to offer grazing boxes which can be quickly delivered to customers.
Demand has continued to soar in the wake of lockdown and the company has expanded its offering to include postal boxes of artisan food.
It now counts companies such as Bank of Ireland, Power NI, PwC, Next, A&L Goodbody, Channel 4 and KPMG amongst its client list .
“Before lockdown, we were very busy with corporate orders and weddings and provided Grazing Tables and Platters across Northern Ireland,” Emma Shuter, Founder of Gourmet Grazing NI, said. “When the restrictions were implemented we were unable to operate and overnight all our orders were cancelled.
“I had to adapt very quickly and created a Grazing Box filled to the brim with cheese, charcuterie, antipasti, home-made caramelised walnuts, other nuts, artisan crackers, fresh berries, dried fruit and homemade chutneys. The first night that I added the new box to our social channels, we received 120 orders, so I knew I was on to something and from there the demand continued to grow.”
Two of the new postal boxes include a Baked Mont D’Or Box with ready to bake cheese studded with garlic and rosemary, an Artisan charcuterie selection, seasonal garnishes, freshly baked sourdough and iconic caramelised walnuts and a DIY Postal Box which comes with everything that is needed for people across Northern Ireland to create their own beautiful artisan platter at home.
