Richmount Health Foods
RICHMOUNT HEALTH FOODS
Background
Richmount Health Foods is the social enterprise arm of Richmount Rural Community Association. A social enterprise is a business were the profits are reinvested in the community.
Based in the village of Scotch Street, Portadown, the Association’s overarching objective is to improve the quality of life of its community. It does this by providing comprehensive community services, especially for its senior citizens and those in need.
It has been a strong advocate for fostering good relations across all religions and cultures. It’s also committed to the development of the arts and improving the environment.
The Association owns and manages its own community hall on a half acre site leased from Northern Ireland Water. Its community hall is deemed to be a shared space for all in the community.
It is a multi award winning organisation and has been operating for over 20 years.
It is managed by its volunteers. It is aware that funding for community groups in the future is likely to be more challenging and feels that by operating its social enterprise it can sustain and enhance its services and also create employment in the area.
Food Quality, Safety and the Environment
In terms of food quality and production all our machinery is new and modern with an emphasis on food safety and the environment. We use closed loop heat pump dehydrators which have a low energy requirement allowing them to gently extract the moisture from the apple peel and cores.
We implement the HACCP system and our production facility holds a 5 Star Food Hygiene rating.
Macha’s Orchard apple powder is a sustainable food made from recycled elements of the apple which may otherwise have been lost to the food chain.
Richmount Health Foods won the local heat of Go Succeed’s ‘The Ultimate Pitch’ competition for Innovation. Joe Garvey, Chair of the Association, made the ‘Ultimate Pitch’ to a panel of judges from across the business and civic communities. Joe was also recognised as the Social Impact Award winner.
