About Us
Our Story
The Provenance of Hannan Meats
Hannan Meats sources, produces and supplies a range of fantastic meat products. We were established in 1991 and, all these years later, we still serve our first 5 clients - as well as some of the finest restaurants, hotels and retailers in the UK and Ireland.
Peter Hannan, founder and owner of Hannan Meats, was born into a farming family and grew up on a beef and sheep farm in Co. Kildare, Ireland. He began slaughtering and selling his own meat at the tender age of 11. By the time he had turned 14, he was already becoming an experienced meat farmer, and aged 22 he was running abattoirs in America.
For a future that would be spent hand-picking the very best cuts of meat for some of the most exacting clients in the industry, apprenticeships don’t come much better.
INGRAINED IN AGRICULTURE
Coming from farming stock, Hannan Meats is still ingrained in the world of agriculture. We work with 120 farmers - most in Northern Ireland, all in Ireland - who are all tried and trusted professionals; all producing the highest quality meat we demand.
Continuing that close relationship with the farming of our products, we are also 50% stakeholders in the renowned Glenarm Shorthorn Beef scheme.
“Deeply flavourful rib, sirloin and fillet of Himalayan salt-aged Glenarm Estate beef supplied by Peter Hannan, who owns copyright in the charm of the Irish”
Our Awards
2019
World Steak Challenge 2019
4 Gold Awards for
Glenarm Shorthorn Ribeye Steak Aged for 42 Days, then frozen and held for 4 months
Glenarm Shorthorn Ribeye Steak aged for 60 Days
Glenarm Shorthorn Sirloin Steak aged for 42 Days
Glenarm Shorthorn Sirloin Steak aged for 35 Days
British Charcuterie Awards
Gold Award for
Boneless Pastrami Short Rib
Best in Class
Moyallon Air Dried Streaky Bacon
Silver Award for
White Pudding with Smoked Bacon and Leek
Bronze Award for
Beef Bacon
Great Taste Awards
3 Star
Sugar Pit Bone in Bacon Loin
2 Star
Himalayan Salt Aged Bone in Wing Rib
Sugar Pit Boneless Bacon Loin
Himalayan Salt Aged Bone in Sirloin Joint
Sugar Pit Bacon Ribs
Himalayan Salt Aged Bone in Fillet
Pastrami Boneless Beef Short Rib
Confit Beef Cheeks
Lamb Shoulder Part Boned
Sugar Pit Ham Hocks
1 Star
Himalayan Salt Aged Bone in Sirloin Steak
Porchetta
Dry Cure Middle Bacon
2018
UK Sausage Week
Best Traditional Sausage for Northern Ireland For
Gluten Free Thin Pork Breakfast Sausage
Blas na hEirann Irish Food Awards
2 Gold Awards for
Himalayan Salt Aged Ribeye
Himalayan Salt Aged Fillet
British Charcuterie Awards
Gold Award for
Sugar Pit Ox Cheek
3 silver Awards for
Sweet Cured Ham Hock
Black Belly Bacon
Lamb Bacon
2 bronze Awards for
Smoked Back Bacon
Smoked Streaky Bacon
Great Taste Awards
3 Star
Salt Aged Lamb Striploin
3 Mix Chuck, Brisket & Rib Burger Seasoned
3 Mix Chuck, Brisket & Rib Burger Unseasoned
Lamb Bacon - Top 50
2 Star
Smoked Bacon Rack
Rib Cap Roast
1 Star
Rump Barrel Steak
Rump Barrel Roast
Black Belly Bacon
Smoked Streaky Bacon Chop
Chilli and Fennel Italian Sausage
Gluten Free Pork & Caramelised Onion Sausage
The BBC Food and Farming Awards
Derek Cooper Outstanding Achievement Award
Peter Hannan wins the prestigious Derek Cooper Outstanding Achievement Award at The BBC Food and Farming Awards. This award is for the individual or organisation whose work has brought about real change in our relationship with food. They could have helped prompt national debate or simply increased our awareness of food and cooking.
From writers to campaigners, entrepreneurs to academics, chefs, journalists and charity workers; this award aims to recognise the often unsung heroes who’ve made a real difference to our knowledge and appreciation of good food.
2017
World Steak Challenge
2 Gold Awards for
Himalayan Salt Aged Glenarm Shorthorn Ribeye
Himalayan Salt Aged Glenarm Shorthorn Fillet
Great Taste Awards
Best Speciality for Northern Ireland
Sweet Cure Bacon Rack
3 Star
Glenarm Salt Aged Lamb Rump – Top 50
Sweet Cured Bacon Rack – Top 50
2 Star
Mighty Marbled Cote de Boeuf Steak
Rib Cap
1 Star
Mighty Marbled Wing Rib Sirloin Steak
Glenarm Salt Aged Lamb Rack
Moyallon Air Dried Back Bacon
Moyallon Air Dried Streaky Bacon
Moyallon Air Dried Pancetta
2016
Great Taste Awards
Supreme Champion 2016
Glenarm Shorthorn 4 Rib Roast (And Best Speciality Food for Northern Ireland)
3 Star
Glenarm Shorthorn 4 Rib Roast – Top 50
Glenarm Shorthorn Wing End Sirloin Roast
– Top 50
Sugar Pit Brisket– Top 50
Pastrami Brisket
2 Star
Extra Matured Himalayan Salt Sirloin Steak
Extra Matured Himalayan Salt Aged Cote de Boeuf
Sugar Pit Beef Short Rib
Sugar Pit Bacon Ribs
Sugar Pit Bacon Rack
Sugar Pit Smoked Bacon Rack
Himalayan Salt Aged Lamb Rack
Glenarm Shorthorn T-Bone Steak
Himalayan Salt Aged Ribeye
Sugar Pit Slab Bacon
Pastrami Beef Short Rib
The Rump Burger
Glenarm Shorthorn Sharing Sirloin Steak
Himalayan Salt Aged Delmonico Ribeye
Gold 1 Star
Moyallon Streaky Bacon, Moyallon Back Bacon, Moyallon Bacon Loin
Sugar Pit Back Bacon, Sugar Pit Bacon Chop, Moyallon Smoked Back Bacon
Sugar Pit Beef Short Rib, Spicy Italian Meat, Salt Aged Lamb Rump
World Steak Challenge
2 Gold Awards for
Himalayan Salt Aged Glenarm Shorthorn Sirloin
Himalayan Salt Aged Aberdeen Angus Sirloin
Grow Make Eat Drink Awards
Best Food / Drink Producer
2015
Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards
Best Agri-Business
World Steak Challenge
Gold Award for
Himalayan Salt Aged Glenarm Shorthorn Sirloin
Blas na hEireann Irish Food Awards
Gold Award
Hot Smoked Chicken Fillet
& Best Export Opportunity
Aer Lingus Viscount Awards
Best Small Business
Belfast Telegraph in Association
with British Airways
Excellence in Innovation Award
2014
Great Taste Awards
Best Speciality for Northern Ireland
Moyallon 3 Sweet Bacon Ribs
Gold 3 Star
Moyallon 3 Sweet Bacon Ribs – Top 50
Himalayan Salt Aged Rib Chop – Top 50
Himalayan Salt Aged Rib of Beef – Top 50
Himalayan Salt Aged Fillet Steak – Top 50
Himalayan Salt Aged Tagliata – Top 50
Himalayan Salt Aged T-Bone
Himalayan Salt Aged Ribeye Steak
Gold 2 Star
Himalayan Salt Aged Delmonico Steak, Himalayan Salt Aged Sirloin Steak
Belfast Chaps, Himalayan Salt Aged Porterhouse
Moyallon Sweet Cured Bacon Chop
Gold 1 Star
Himalayan Salt Aged Club Steak, Moyallon Dry Cured Back Bacon
Himalayan Salt Aged Chateaubriand, Moyallon Sweet Cured Ham Hock
2013
Northern Ireland Food and Drink Awards
Best Product
Himalayan Salt Aged Beef
BPEX Pork Product of the Year Competition
Most Innovative Product – Roman Bacon, Gold Medal
Best Cured Product – Roman Bacon, Gold Medal
BPEX Great Bacon Revolutionary Awards
Moyallon dry-cured back bacon – Gold Medal
Great Taste Awards
Best Speciality for Northern Ireland
Salt Aged Rack of Glenarm Shorthorn Beef
Gold 3 star
Salt aged rack of Glenarm Shorthorn beef – Top 50
Euro Angus Sirloin, salt aged – Top 50
Euro Angus Cote De Boeuf, salt aged – Top 50
Euro Angus Fiorentina T-Bone, salt aged – Top 50
Seasoned Fiorentina T-Bone – Top 50
Glenarm Shorthorn Fiorentina T-Bone, salt aged
Salt aged sirloin
Gold 2 star
Glenarm Shorthorn Salt Aged Fillet
Salt aged ribeye
Salt aged lamb rack
Glenarm Shorthorn Salt Aged Sirloin
Euro Angus Salt Aged Ribeye Delmonico
Gold 1 star
Euro Angus Fillet, salt aged, Beef Florentine T-Bone, Coppi Style
Moyallon dry cured bacon rack, Moyallon dry cured back bacon
Moyallon sweet cured back bacon, Hot smoked Rockvale chicken fillet
Moyallon Rustic pork sausage, Glenarm Shorthorn Salt Aged Ribeye Delmonico
Salt aged lamb rump, Moyallon 3 sugar dry cured bacon chop, Hot smoked duck fillet
Moyallon dry cured middle bacon, Moyallon cheeky bacon
2012
European Angus Cattle Society steak competition.
Glenarm Shorthorn Fillet – Champion fillet steak and Supreme Champion steak overall.
Mighty Marbled Sirloin – Champion sirloin steak
Great Taste Gold Awards
Supreme Champion 2012
Guanciale
Gold 3 star
Moyallon Guanciale (And Best Speciality Food for Northern Ireland)
Gold 2 star
Glenarm Shorthorn sirloin
Glenarm Shorthorn ribeye
Glenarm Shorthorn
Hereford fillet steak
Gold 1 star
Moyallon smoked butty bacon, Moyallon thick cut back bacon
Moyallon butty bacon, Moyallon burger
Dry-aged sirloin steak, Dry-aged fillet steak
Rare Breed double pork loin chop
Moyallon smoked sweet cure bacon rack, Moyallon bramley glazed bacon rack
Moyallon bramley glazed bacon rack, Moyallon collar bacon joint
Moyallon smoked bacon lardons, Dry-aged ribeye steak
Mighty marbled beef chop, Belfast Banger (Shorthorn beef and leek sausage
Moyallon 3 Sweet Bacon Ribs – HANNAN MEATS
What the Judges said..
Peter Hannan has worked his meaty magic on these bacon ribs, which are cured to a traditional recipe and then sweetened in a sugar pit for 10 days. Our Great Taste experts loved the contrast in textures between the crisp edge, soft fat and succulent meat, finding the strong sweet and salty flavours to be in tune and perfectly balanced.
Himalayan Salt Aged Rib Chop – HANNAN MEATS
What the Judges said..
The 12ft high solid wall of hand–cut Himalayan salt bricks in Hannan Meats’ dry aging chamber is fast becoming something of legend. “A fabulous, juicy rib chop,” said our judges. “This has so much flavour and the fat is like butter. It is everything you would hope for and more.”
Himalayan Salt Aged Tagliata – HANNAN MEATS
What the Judges said..
Dry–aged for a whopping 40 days, this tagliata is a handsome piece of meat that packs huge depth of flavour. “The most gloriously beautiful joint of beef we have seen in a while,” said our Great Taste panel. “The fat is amazing.”
Himalayan Salt Aged Rib of Beef – HANNAN MEATS
What the Judges said..
“Pure beef genius,” said our Great Taste experts of Hannan’s rib of beef that has been dry– aged in a salt chamber for a minimum of 28 days. “Melts in the mouth,” said judges who went on to applaud the flavoursome fat and tender texture of the meat.
Himalayan Salt Aged Fillet Steak – HANNAN MEATS
What the Judges said..
A very special fillet steak that is dry–aged on the bone. Hats off to another exemplary piece of meat from Peter Hannan and his salt–aging chamber. Judges said the steak carries a wonderfully balanced flavour and delivers a great aftertaste.
Our Customers
Who We Work With
We proudly count among our customers the very first 5 clients we worked with after founding in 1991. Hopefully, that’s testament to the sort of customer service we insist on.
The chefs and retailers we work with want the finest cuts of meat. Mark Hix, Fortnum & Mason and Michael Deane are among those we supply.
HOW WE WORK
The sort of meat that matches the exacting requirements of our customers does not arrive by accident at the end of a production line. Instead, we hand-pick meat according to what they want and how they plan to use it.
They trust our knowledge and experience to know we will supply cuts that are matched to their specification, while we know that our meat will be in good hands.
We believe in personal, not corporate, relationships and we know our clients by name. There will be no telesales calls from us; we know you will be in touch again when you need to place an order.
NEXT-DAY DELIVERY
Don't be fooled by our location in the Northern Irish countryside. We have tried and tested transport routes to get our products to customers across the UK and Ireland the day after receiving their order.
You might even find we can get your meat to you earlier than your local butcher.
A MEAT SERVICE
What we offer is not food service. In fact, you could call it a meat service. We are not a one-stop shop, so you will still need to work with a food service company for your other ingredients.
What we can promise is that a general food service company cannot compete with the quality of meat we supply.
Our Quality & Values
QUALITY, PROVENANCE, SERVICE
These are the three guiding principles of our work. When your choose to work with Hannan Meats, you should expect the finest quality meat and provenance you’ll want to share with your customers, delivered with the highest standards of service.
QUALITY
We believe our meat really is a cut above the rest, delivering excellence in product, flavour and texture. We achieve that through:
- Quality control standards that are second-to-none.
- Fastidious sourcing of the finest ingredients from our trusted farmers.
- Attention-to-detail in everything we do, not least our unique ageing processes.
It is also our unerring focus on the provenance of our meat that acts as a guarantee of quality.
PROVENANCE
Provenance means putting animal welfare to the fore and supporting local farmers. We buy all our beef, lamb and pork from farmers in the UK and Ireland.
We also take our environmental responsibilities very seriously. We always aim to:
- Buy meat that is reared as close to our operations as possible and support local farmers and producers.
- Support the local community through employment and skills training.
- Reduce unnecessary food/business miles to a practical minimum.
- Reduce, reuse and recycle materials and packaging.
SERVICE
We know our clients uphold some of the highest standards of customer service in the trade when looking after their own customers, so we firmly believe they deserve the same level of service from us.
That's why we deliver the utmost care and attention to the produce we offer you. That includes:
- Hand-picking only the perfect cuts for your requirements.
- Next-day delivery of your orders.
- No telesales calls, ever.
“I didn’t use to be a big fan of Father’s Day, but if the children presented me with a great hunk of Peter Hannan’s Salt-Aged Glenarm Beef, I’m definitely prepared to reconsider.”
Great Taste Achievements
Great Taste awards 2016
Peter receiving the Supreme Champion award.
The Golden Fork (Best Speciality Food) Award
Great Taste Awards 2013
BBC Radio 2 food correspondent Nigel Barden talks to Peter Hannan, the 2012 Supreme Champion Winner.
GREAT TASTE AWARDS 2012
Judging, comments and awards presentation, winner Hannan Meats and Guanciale.
Great Taste videos from 2014
Moyallon Sugar Pit Bacon Ribs
Salt Aged Rib Chop
Salt Aged Tagliata Rib Steak
Salt Aged Rib of Beef
Salt Aged Fillet Steak
Great Taste videos from 2013
Salt Aged Glenarm Shorthorn Fiorentina T-Bone Steak
Salt Aged Glenarm Shorthorn Rack of Beef Rib
Salt Aged Fiorentina T-Bone Steak
Salt Aged Sirloin Steak
Salt Aged Cote de Boeuf
Environmental Policy
BUILDING A BETTER COMMUNITY FOR OUR WILDLIFE
As well as our commitment to recycling and a greener environment, The Meat Merchant are fully committed to a better environment for our wildlife population. Recently we acquired a 2 acre site on the outskirts of Moira with the intention of developing a wildflower meadow.
Last year we made a commitment to plant a tree for every 100 people that visited the MM, and I am happy to say that this pledge is now coming to fruition.
Over the past couple of weeks we have planted 600 young trees (on the outskirts of Moira) and over the coming weeks we will plant an additional 600 representing the 120,000 people who shopped with us during 2021.
The species we have planted to date include:
Scotch Pine
Birch
Alder
Cornus (Dogwood).
Laurel
Hornbeam
Beech
There will be additional species planted, as they arrive over the coming weeks.
Apart from looking fantastic, there are a number of benefits to a wildflower meadow:
Nectar-rich plants help support dwindling populations of native pollinators including butterflies, moths and bees, helping to sustain insects that pollinate our food crops
Wildflower areas include food plants and egg laying habitat for the caterpillars that become butterflies and moths
Tall vegetation creates resting places for beneficial insects such as spiders, ladybirds and lacewings
Over the next few years we hope to expand our wildflower meadow to approx. 40 acres.
Even though it has only blossomed for the first time recently, we are already seeing incredible activity with the bees and butterflies. We have also seen foxes and badgers. We hope that the wild grasses we have planted will encourage pheasant laying and other wildlife activities.
Here are just some of the wildflower plants we have planted to date:
Meadow Buttercup
Red & White Campion
Night-Flowering Catchfly
Field Forget-Me-Not
Foxglove
Common Knapweed
Goatsbeard
Lady’s Bedstraw
Musk Mallow
Oxeye Daisy
Common Sorrel
Common St John’s Wort
Wild Carrot
Corn Chamomile
Field Poppy
Corn Marigold
Yarrow
Salad Burnet
We look forward to taking you on this journey with us, as together we built a better community for our wildlife population.