Hundreds of artisan food and drink producers across Ireland are benefiting from the enthusiastic support and expert advice from Jonny McDowell, founder of Indie Füde, a successful deli business with shops in Belfast and Comber
Founder of the independent deli and online store in Belfast has been honoured with an MBE for his outstanding contribution to the food and drink industry in Northern Ireland.
Recognised in the King’s New Year Honours, Johnny McDowell of Indie Füde received the prestigious award this week at a ceremony held at Windsor Castle, marking a significant milestone in his journey from global finance professional to passionate local food advocate.
A graduate of Queen’s University Belfast with a Diploma in Accountancy (2000), Johnny initially worked in banking across Belfast, Dublin, and internationally in Africa, Asia, and the South Pacific. However, in 2015, he made a bold career shift, returning to his hometown of Comber to pursue his passion for artisan food.
Together with business partner Laura Bradley, Johnny launched Indie Füde, an online store dedicated to showcasing produce exclusively sourced from small-batch producers across the island of Ireland.
A year later, they opened their first physical deli in Comber. Since then, the business has flourished, now offering over 700 artisan products and featuring a larger store with a dedicated events space. Indie Füde regularly hosts supper clubs and food demonstrations aimed at celebrating local produce and craftsmanship.
Indie Füde has earned a reputation for offering one of the most extensive selections of Irish indigenous foods available, championing artisan producers from every corner of Ireland. Many local artisans credit Johnny’s commitment to stocking and promoting their products as their first breakthrough into retail, with success stories leading to placements in major supermarkets in Northern Ireland, Britain, the Republic of Ireland, and beyond.
Speaking about the honour in January, Johnny said: “Gaining an MBE is a tremendous honour for everyone at Indie Fude. We’ve great teams in both Belfast and Comber supporting me enthusiastically in promoting and selling the best of local produce. We enjoy working with artisan and smaller producers who supply genuinely world class food and drink.
“We’ve been successful selling small batch produce from the beautiful and bountiful island of Ireland. There are so many wonderful products here that we’ve helped to promote.”
The Indie Füde team expressed their pride on social media yesterday: “A proud moment for team Indie Füde. Our very own Johnny collected his MBE this week at Windsor, awarded for services to the food and drink industry in Northern Ireland.
“If you’ve ever chatted with Johnny, you’ll know how much heart, humour, and hard work he invests in championing local producers. This recognition is so well deserved. Here’s to more big wins for local food — and the people who make it shine.”
The post received over 140 comments from local artisan food producers, businesses and suppliers, all celebrating the achievement.
Article from – https://www.newsletter.co.uk/business/heres-to-more-big-wins-belfast-and-comber-deli-owner-awarded-mbe-for-services-to-northern-irelands-food-and-drink-industry-5248107