First business in US for Northern Ireland's Mash Direct

Mashed potatoes grown on the family farm in Comber, county Down by Mash Direct will be available in the US for the first time from St Patrick's Day. The farm-based company is bringing a range of locally-grown vegetable side dishes to shelves in New York.

Farmed on the shores of Strangford Lough, Mash Direct's traditional Northern Irish food will be available to purchase in time for St. Patrick's Day at Key Food, Food Emporium, Brooklyn Fare and SuperFresh.

It will be the first time that its taste of fresh Northern Irish produce will be available for customers to purchase in US grocery stores.

Husband and wife team Martin and Tracy Hamilton diversified the farm in 2004 to create Mash Direct, offering healthy, gluten-free, vegetable side dishes that have the taste and texture of quality, Irish homemade food.

The company started from humble beginnings, selling traditional mashed potatoes and champ in St. George's Market in Belfast to exporting its range of over 40 products on a global scale.

Speaking ahead of the US Launch, Mash Direct Director, Jack Hamilton says: "Everybody knows that Comber is famous for potatoes and for the first time we are able to supply them fresh to New York.

"There is such a great variety of Irish-produced whiskies and stouts across the US, but no one in the market is bringing fresh Northern Irish dishes to American plates. We wanted to bring the unique richness of Irish soil and six generations of farming knowledge to the shelves.

"Eight of our products (including family favourites such as potato croquettes, mashed potato and potato rosti) will be listed to go into Key Food supermarket stores, throughout New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania from this week."