Top wholesaler boosts Northern Irish food manufacturers

Henderson Wholesale, part of the Henderson Group, one of Ireland's leading food businesses, has developed a new product range that's boosting business for local manufacturers.

Henderson, based at Newtownabbey, county Antrim, has developed 'The Kitchen', an innovative range of fresh meat solutions for quick and easy dinners using the very best of local suppliers in Northern Ireland.

The 39-strong line-up is a collaboration between the wholesaler's Fresh Team and local award-winning producers and suppliers, consisting of mains, sides, desserts, family tubs and meals for one.

The development represents a £200,000 investment by Henderson Wholesale, and the range will be on sale through the group's Spar, Eurospar and Vivo supermarkets and follows the successful 'Enjoy Local' campaign that was launched to support Northern Ireland's Year of Food and Drink.

The new range features products from Henderson's existing suppliers such as Willowbrook Foods in Killinchy, county Down, Daily Bake in Armagh, Big Pot soups and stews in Cookstown, county Tyrone, and Quinfresh, Dungannon, county Tyrone.

Neal Kelly, Henderson's Fresh Foods director, says: "We launched this particular line of products in 2015 as the Meals Made Delicious brand. Since then, we have seen sales of £2 million per annum, however we knew we could meet the demand of the consumers more efficiently by evolving with the market. As the consumer market moves so quickly we have reacted - this has now grown into 'The Kitchen' range.

"This is a whole new take on convenience and ready meals' everything is freshly made with the consumer's convenience in mind. We want to be the consumer's first port of call for a fresh and valuable solution for tonight's tea," he adds.

The range has been extensively consumer tested over many months. Among the most popular is the chicken and broccoli bake.