US retailers sign up for White's Irish Oatmeal

White's, the Northern Irish breakfast cereal processor, has won contracts worth around £500,000 to supply its award winning products to leading retailers throughout the United States.

White's Irish Oatmeal Range, which recently won double Gold - best in class - at the UK Guild of Fine Food's Great Taste Awards, will now be marketed in over 2,000 retail outlets across the US. White's is part of Fane Valley, a leading Northern Ireland food group.

The latest contracts represent a significant breakthrough by White's, which has been milling oats at Tandragee in County Armagh since 1841, in the huge US market for breakfast cereals.

The company already sells its breakfast cereals to other international markets including Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.

Mark Gowdy, White's marketing manager, says: ''The new orders are a tremendous boost for the business and were signed following an extensive marketing drive in the US over the past two years.

"We were keen to gain a foothold in the US where Irish oatmeal has a reputation as being of the highest quality in terms of taste and texture.

"We identified which of our products offered us the best opportunity there and then made a number of adaptations in order to exceed North American consumers' expectations. American consumers are particularly keen on our traditional oat flakes and steel cut oats because they deliver an oatmeal which has a distinctive flavour and texture.

"Our focus now will be on working with these retailers on promotional activities to increase awareness and boost long-term sales throughout the US. We have an opportunity through these retailers to put our products before a great many potential customers," he adds.

White's Irish Oatmeal products contain no artificial colours, preservatives or flavours and are made from 100 per cent Irish grain.

The company has BRC Global Standard for Food Safety, Organic (Soil Association) and Kosher accreditation.