Latest news

Asda has set up a bespoke ‘Supplier Development Academy (SDA) to help smaller Northern Ireland companies win business from the retailer. The SDA is the first retail-led partnership of its kind to help the Northern Ireland food sector maximise its business potential.

Top poultry processor Western Brand is to launch a range of cooked ‘ready to eat’ chicken products to develop business in Great Britain. The ‘ready to eat’ foods being introduced by the company, a longstanding supplier of primary chicken products, are cooked chicken slices, chicken chunks and coated chicken in various retail pack sizes.

German families are able to celebrate St Patrick’s Day this year with shamrock-shaped shortbread biscuits from Northern Ireland. Grace’s Irish Biscuits, based in Bangor, County Down, has won significant business from 40 major department stores in Germany for its award winning homemade biscuits.

Award-winning gourmet fudge and sauce business, Blackthorn Foods is aiming a significant expansion in capacity to meet fast growing sales in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

Sparky Pac, the Northern Ireland packer of fresh vegetables, has launched a new brand, ‘Dig In’, to focus on exclusively local produce. ‘Dig In’ is Northern Ireland’s first dedicated veg brand which celebrates its locality and seasonality.

TS Foods, the progressive Northern Ireland food company based in Castlewellan,
County Down, recently won listings for three products from Dunnes Stores in the Republic of Ireland.

Baby food business, Heavenly Tasty Organics is embracing the latest e-commerce technology to grow sales. The award winning company, which is based at Cookstown in County Tyrone, is the first to provide allergen-free baby food in small sizes and in a re-sealable pouches.

Wilson’s Country, Northern Ireland’s leading potato packer, is launching a range of new products to develop sales in Great Britain and to expand existing business in the Republic of Ireland.

Willowbrook Foods, the Northern Ireland specialist in salads, prepared vegetables and convenience meals, has opened a new ?5.5 million factory extension.

The 44,000sq ft extension is enabling the company, based on a family farm at Killinchy in County Down, to meet the growing demand in Great Britain and Ireland from major retailers and wholesales for its developing range of products.

McErlain’s Bakery, the Northern Ireland artisan baker, has almost tripled sales in Britain in the past two years through a commitment to exports, innovation and a strong customer focus.