Business

Co Down food producer Mash Direct secures new Waitrose supply deal

Lance, Martin, Tracy and Jack Hamilton from Mash Direct, who have landed a new deal to supply Waitrose
Lance, Martin, Tracy and Jack Hamilton from Mash Direct, who have landed a new deal to supply Waitrose Lance, Martin, Tracy and Jack Hamilton from Mash Direct, who have landed a new deal to supply Waitrose

AWARD-winning Co Down food producer, Mash Direct has landed a new deal to supply one of the UK’s biggest supermarket chains, Waitrose, with their convenient vegetable side dishes.

The listing sees the Comber firm's carrot and parsnip mash go into over 330 stores across England and Wales on the 14th anniversary of the family farm’s diversification.

Mash Direct director, Jack Hamilton said he was delighted the latest major contract.

“This is such a great opportunity for us to showcase the heritage varieties of vegetables on our family farm, grown specifically for their superior flavour. We already have a strong working relationship with Waitrose and supply then in Scotland, the Channel Islands and the UAE and we are looking forward to building our reputation in these new stores.”

“In Northern Ireland, we thrive in doing the simple things well but we can be quite humble when it comes to getting out there and telling people about it. I believe that there is a great future ahead for the local agri-food industry if we can seize the opportunities, home and abroad as well as being able to get out there and market them."

From humble beginnings on a small family farm in Co Down, Mash Direct has grown to become a market leader in quality, convenient ‘field to fork’ vegetable and potato dishes. They now supply over 5,000 stores around the world and in addition to the new Waitrose business, started exporting to the US last month.

The new listing will increase the presence of Mash Direct in the south east of England, the heartland of Waitrose.