The owner of a Cork cafe has opened a new roasting and packing facility thanks to the success of a nationwide deal with German retail giant Aldi.

Do, please, come in and sit down, 2018! Extend your palm thusly, that Mystic Menu might divine your path over the coming 12 months. As always, this Al-Menu-nac for the year ahead begins with a brief look at predictions delivered in January last year, the hits and the misses.

As it is the last week of 2016 I’ve taken my glass half-full tablets for this final column of the year.