MAGHERAFELT bakery Genesis Crafty, which next year will mark its 50th birthday, received an early present when it claimed the top prize at the Henderson Wholesale Local Supplier Awards breakfast at Balmoral Show.
Run by the six baking McErlaine brothers in Magherafelt, Genesis Crafty has been supplying a range of cakes, pancakes, scones and a variety of local breads to Henderson Wholesale for many years - products that ultimately end up on the shelves of more than 400 Spar, EuroSpar and Vivo-branded stores across the north.
The Henderson Local Supplier Awards, now in their fifth year, received more than 40 entries from 29 of the local producers, farmers and growers who supply to the company and its 422 stores in Northern Ireland.
Indeed the Henderson Group restated its commitment to buying local fresh foods, with over 75 per cent of fresh products sourced on the island of Ireland.
Genesis Crafty also took home the Tomorrow Matters award, the category named after Henderson Group’s own CSR practices, rewarding their sustainable practices as a responsible company in Northern Ireland.
Other winners at the awards - which were made following an adjudication process by an independent panel of food experts - included Armagh’s Daily Bake, Around Noon in Newry, and poultry giant Moy Park.
Neal Kelly, fresh foods director at Henderson Wholesale, said: "We've seen some truly innovative and sustainable practices from our suppliers in the past year, which helps us to continually grow our fresh food offering in store for daily shoppers.
"Our 'Enjoy Local' range is expanding and reached sales of over £25.5 million last year, and we wouldn’t be able to stock such a high-quality range without these suppliers.”
Paddy Doody, sales & marketing director at the Henderson Group added; “The Balmoral Show is so important to us as a company as it gives us a chance to directly engage with our shoppers, potential shoppers and the cream of the crop of our local agri-food industry.
“These awards have been an enormous success and they solidify our commitment to the food and agri industries here in Northern Ireland.”
