Waitrose customers learn to Just Live a Little

Just Live a Little, the Northern Irish granola producer, has been listed by Waitrose in over 40 stores, mainly in the London area. The company is supplying its 'granola on the go' portion pots to Waitrose in what is its first deal with the upmarket retailer.

Based in Portaferry, county Down, the business, run by husband and wife team David and Jill Crawford, produces single 50g portion pots in three flavours - whole almond, cranberry and cashew, and strawberry.

The granolas are all handmade by the couple who established the artisan enterprise in 2011 and began selling at food markets in Belfast.

The company's granolas are also listed by Tesco in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as well as in 66 SuperValu stores in both countries. They are also listed by Ocado, the leading online retailer.

David Crawford says: "We are making good progress with leading retailers and have been immensely encouraged in particular by the order from Waitrose because it gives us another strategic foothold in the greater London area with an upmarket retailer. London is a market we've been targeting for some time."

As well as larger 400g granola packs, the small company has developed "a breakfast bowl in a bar", yoghurt fruit berry bars. The products do not contain any preservatives.

The couple formed Crawford Foods in 2011 in their farmhouse kitchen to develop the homemade granolas and subsequently rebranded as Just Live a Little the following year. The granolas are mixed by hand and slow baked and are available in a wide range of flavours.

In addition to business in the UK and Republic of Ireland, Just Live a Little exports granola to supermarkets in Hong Kong, Malaysia and the Middle East.