New products drive Mash Direct's growth

Continued investment in both new product development and exports has helped a leading Northern Ireland food manufacturer increase revenue and develop a platform for continued growth.

Among innovative products launched last year was the company's range of healthy snack Nourish Bowls.

Mash Direct, based on a family farm at Comber in county Down, is a producer of vegetable and potato dishes and convenience meals. It supplies more than 40 products across the UK and Ireland, as well as overseas to the US and Middle East, principally the United Arab Emirates.

For the year to 28 February 2017, the company reported turnover of £15.97 million compared to £14.96 million the previous 12 months.

Jack Hamilton, Mash Direct marketing and new markets director, says: "Our continued investment in new product development and exports has led to fantastic growth in the last year.

"Following on from a strong start to 2017 we have accelerated our growth. Mash Direct has grown 6.7 percent since the previous figures already. This has been driven especially by exports."

The company now sells 49.8 percent of its products to customers, including major supermarkets, in Britain.

Mash Direct has increased its workforce during the year.

The company has invested in efficiencies which will further enhance competitiveness especially in markets outside Northern Ireland.

In March last year, the company was named Food and Drink Manufacturer of the Year at Insider magazine's Made in Northern Ireland Awards. It has also won the UK Food Manufacturing Excellence Award and the Innovation Award at SIAL Middle East in Abu Dhabi. It has also won a string of UK Great Taste Awards.