Northern Irish flour miller expands to meet home baking growth

Neill's Flour, the Northern Ireland flour miller, is to expand its Belfast operations because of rising demand for its products thanks to the growing number of home bakers.

The company, which is owned by Associated British Foods (ABF), is to invest in a new 16,000 sq ft warehouse in Titanic Quarter's Channel Commercial Park, thanks to what it has described as the growing popularity of home baking.

Karl McCrum, sales and marketing manager at Neill's Flour, says the company, which produces traditional flours and mixes for baking, has been milling in Belfast since 1867.

"When we started looking for extra storage space our priority was to make sure that we were as close to our city centre operations as we could be," he adds.

Mr McCrum said the new warehouse is the first phase of its plans for the future.

The firm, which has been part of the Primark parent company ABF since the 1960s, celebrated its 150th year at its existing premises in Belfast last year.

Last year Neill's said it was planning new products including home-baking kits for gluten-free Madeira-style cakes, sponge cakes and other products.

The new unit, which will allow the business to store finished flour products, has a portal frame warehouse and on-site car parking.

ABF Grain Products trades as Neill's Flour and is a well-known producer of flours and mixes for baking.

The Titanic Quarter attracts a diverse range of businesses keen to base and expand their operations.

Belfast's Titanic Quarter is one of Europe's largest urban-waterfront regeneration projects.