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A number of food industry business leaders have expressed their disgust after a plant-based meal was served up at annual awards event hosted by leading NI business organisation, Business in the Community.
Taking place at the International Convention Centre in Belfast (beside the Waterfront Hall) on 8 September, the Business in the Community event recognised winners across 10 “responsible business categories”. The self-styled “gala event” was hosted by BBC presenter Holly Hamilton.
Each seat at the event cost £140, and for that the attendees were served up a meal described by one as “dire”. He said the first course was “like something you would give a rabbit” and was equally non-impressed by the main course which was some form of mushroom wellington. “Not too many people cleared their plates,” he said.
Membership
Business in the Community, which describes itself as “the responsible business network for NI” lists among its membership leading food companies to include ABP Food Group, Foyle Food Group, Dale Farm, Moy Park and Ready Egg Products.
Of the 10 awards presented at the gala event, two went to NI beef processors. ABP took home an education partnership award for its Angus Youth Challenge, while Foyle was presented with the “one-to-watch” award, with the judges noting the company had embarked on a “sustainability journey” at the start of COVID-19.
However, the irony of the meat-free dinner didn’t end there, with the chief executive of Translink, and chair of the Business in the Community network, Chris Conway, reportedly telling guests he made “no apology” for the plant-based meal.
The Irish Farmers Journal put it to Conway that it was hypocritical of him to make those remarks given that he leads a company in Translink that has been, and continues to be, a major user of fossil fuel.
‘‘There was no official comment made by Chris Conway regarding the dinner menu options provided at the Business in the Community Awards event on 8 September,” a Translink spokesperson responded.
Board
While no members of the Business in the Community board are from NI food processing, there are others who lead companies that do plenty of business either directly or indirectly with livestock farmers, or have companies that rely heavily on fossil fuels.
The board list includes Vicky Davies, the chief executive of Danske Bank; Joe O’Neill, the chief executive of Belfast Harbour; and Michael Ryan, general manager, Spirit Aerosystems.
On enquiry, a spokesperson for Business in the Community said that the decision to offer a plant-based menu was taken seriously.
“The intention was to provide a meal that demonstrated that plant-based food options can be flavoursome and beautiful, and to challenge guests to think about how choices around food can have an impact on the environment,” said the spokesperson.
They added that Business in the Community has not committed to a plant-based menu for all future events, but “we will insist that produce is sourced sustainably”.
SHARING OPTIONS: