A CO Armagh specialist food manufacturer is planning to create 50 jobs as part of a major expansion programme.
Healthy meal plan company AMPT Body Transformations in Bessbrook, which is currently producing more than 30,000 meals a week for clients all over Ireland, will move to new 10,000 sq ft premises at Millbrook industrial estate in April.
And that will give it the capacity to meet current demand for 70,000 meals and week and triple its staffing levels from 25 to around 75.
The company is the brainchild of personal trainer Andy Malone (32), who has worked in the fitness industry for more than a decade and is one of the most sought-after body transformers in Ireland
For several years he has worked with clients to change not just their physical appearance, but their mental mind set, and part of this has involved quality fitness training combined with nutritious healthy meal plans.
Last year he teamed up with Stevie Havern (31), a past winner of the Ireland’s Best Young Chef title and who has gained vast experience working in award-winning restaurants and supermarket delis.
And the collaboration has led to the creation and stellar growth of a company which provides weekly healthy meal plans, proving lunch and dinner from Monday to Friday for £50, with all meals labelled with the amount of calories, carbs, protein and fat in each.
It includes plans for weight-loss, athlete/bulk and body transformation meals for students.
Andy says: "All our food is locally sourced and of restaurant quality, freshly prepared, and the menu is wide and varied.
"Lunch choices this week, for example, include roast chicken, broccoli and sweet potato bake, or pasta Bolognaise with extra lean mince and pesto pasta in a rich tomato sauce.
"Then the options for dinner include Cajun seared chicken and smoked bacon with tossed salad and AMPT relish, or Mexican-style chicken with spinach, peppers and home made salsa."
He added: "We've gone from producing several hundred meals a week to around 33,000, and demand is spiralling. We believe we've become something of an unstoppable force!"
AMPT has a fleet of vehicles out on the road every Sunday and Tuesday evening at 19 different collection points around Ireland, from Coleraine in the north to Tallaght and Swords in the south.
"We'll be adding new collection points on an on-going basis this year. The collection of the meals are split over two nights - collect four on a Sunday and then six on a Tuesday - as we prepare all our food fresh.
"AMPT body transformation meals provide a balanced healthy lifestyle that takes the hassle out of cooking for all lifestyles, and our meals are suitable for everyone," he added.
Last week the company undertook a marketing promotion in the student quarter around Queen's University, handing out £5,000 worth of free meals and at which more than 10,000 students turned out.
Andy added: "We were overwhelmed by the response. The streets were blocked with people. But more than 300 people signed up there and then, so it was well worth the effort."
