MATTESSONS FRIDGE RAIDERS SET FOR MARKET GROWTH
Kerry Foods is stepping up production of Mattessons Fridge Raiders Chicken Bites at its Northern Ireland plan to meet UK market demand. The £3 million expansion will also see new flavours, including beef, added to the successful range of bite-sized snacks. The expansion will enhance the position of the group's Enniskillen plant which produces popular consumer products such as Mr Brains Faggotts and Walls Microwaveable Sausages as well as Mattessons Fridge Raiders Chicken Bites. Kerry Group acquired the plant in 2001 when it took over Golden Vale. Fridge Raiders are currently available in three flavours ??" Chicken Spare Rib, Roast and Tikka. Outlining the investment's objectives, Declan McKee, general manager at Enniskillen, said: ???This expansion will enable us to double production capacity to meet the fast growing demand for our existing Mattessons Fridge Raiders Chicken Bites, to introduce additional flavours to this range, and to produce two new ready-to-eat products. ???It will also involve measures including the automation of the packing process and changes in the factory layout to improve workflow that will strengthen our overall competitiveness. ???This investment is central to our strategy to continue to grow the business here by ensuring that it is a first choice within the group for the production of convenience and other ready-to-eat foods, by building trust in existing and future brands through a uncompromising dedication to food safety and quality, and by maintaining a sharp focus on the needs of customers in all our markets,??? he added. The Kerry Co-op was founded in the Republic of Ireland in 1972 as a dairy and specialist ingredients producer, and became Kerry Group Plc, headquartered in Tralee, County Kerry, in 1986. The group had revenue of €4.646bn in 2006 with a trading profit of €383.7m and net assets of €1.323bn.Kerry Food's success demonstrates the values embedded in the recently launched ???Northern Ireland Good Food Is In Our Nature??? campaign.