Manx food and produce

The Isle of Man may be small but it produces a wide range of great tasting food and drink. Its farms are family run, with excellent traceability of produce from farm to fork. Its clear, clean waters are mainly fished for King and Queen Scallops, crabs and lobsters plus langoustines. The Manx kipper industry dates back to the 1830s and kippers are still produced without the use of artificial dyes. A single Creamery produces milk, cream, buttermilk and award winning cheeses whilst locally produced pork, lamb and beef are widely available. A collection of delicious Manx meat recipes can be downloaded from this page. Laxey Glen Flour Mills produces a variety of flours, used extensively in Ramsey Bakery bread. Manx ales are still brewed in accordance with the 1874 Manx Beer Purity Law and are very popular with real ale enthusiasts.

For a more in depth view of the Isle of Man's food and drink history, please download this report from this page which examines local produce and its role in Manx culture from 1800 to the 1930s.

Full details of the Isle of Man's delicious food and drink can be found in the Guide to Isle of Man Food & Drink – download your copy from this page or collect one from the Welcome Centre at the Sea Terminal in Douglas. Restaurants which make a special point of using local produce are recognised by the Harvest accreditation scheme – find full details in the Taste Isle of Man Directory.

To meet local producers and find out more about their produce, you could go to a Market run by the Isle of Man Famers' Market Group: www.iomfm.co.uk for more information. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture hosts a Manx Food Producers Marquee at the at the Southern Agricultural Show on the last Saturday and Sunday in July and at the Royal Manx Agricultural Show on the first Friday and Saturday in August and also holds the Isle of Man Food & Drink Festival in September. CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, holds an annual beer festival in April featuring local cider and beer: www.iombeerfestival.com for more information.

DEFA has recently published Food Matters: a development strategy to grow the economic contribution of Isle of Man Food and Drink from 2015 to 2025. You can download a summary or full document by clicking on these links.

Invitation to exhibit at DEFA marquee at Agricultural Shows

DEFA is inviting food and drink producers to apply for stands at:

Southern Agricultural Show held on the 28 and 29 July at Great Meadow, Castletown.  To book please fill out our online application form or print a hard copy and send to the address below.

Royal Manx Agricultural Show on 10 and 11 August at Knockaloe. To book please fill out our online application form or print a hard copy and send to the address below.

Food and drink exhibited should be grown, reared, caught, brewed, pickled, baked or smoked in the Isle of Man or, where processed, contain ingredients from the Island.

The deadline for applications is 30 April 2018.