Newry Food Firm Creates 94 Jobs

94 jobs are to be created at Newry based 'food-to-go' firm Around Noon.

The company, which produces and distributes a range of food and bakery products, announced the £7 million major expansion as it celebrates 30 years in business.

328 people are already employed across facilities in Newry, Dublin and Slough.

It comes as the company attempts to develop its clientele with further sales in the UK and Irish markets and a potential extra £13 million per year.

Invest Northern Ireland is providing financial assistance for 54 of the new roles, several of which are at director and manager level. It is also supporting market development activity and the implementation of a new production management system to drive efficiency improvements in the company and help the company to scale.

Around Noon's CEO Gareth Chambers said the development is a step towards their goal of becoming the UK and Ireland's leading manufacturer of premium 'food on the move'.

He said: "We are investing in management, key staff and business development activities. The support from Invest NI will enable us to realise our growth plans and ensure that the Northern Ireland economy benefits."

Around Noon sells its products under the Scribbles, Sweet Things and So Natural brands and also provides a bespoke design and packaging service for clients who want to sell under their own brand name.

Invest NI has offered £592,000 of assistance to the company.

Welcoming the investment, Grainne McVeigh, Invest NI's Director of Scaling, said: "Invest NI is keen to support companies with potential to scale, based on a focused export strategy.

"As well as supporting some of the jobs created by this investment, we are supporting the implementation of an integrated production management system to enable Around Noon to increase control over production yields, manufacturing processes and inventory.

"Around Noon has grown from a small family business to a company with a multi-million pound turnover and with this investment will be well placed to take advantage of further opportunities in the 'food-to-go' market within Great Britain and Ireland."

Around Noon is one of the fastest-growing food companies in the UK and Ireland. It has appeared in the Sunday Times Virgin FastTrack 100 for the past two years. It was also listed as one of the top 10 fastest growing food and drink businesses in the UK and Ireland 2019 in the prestigious annual listing by Alantra and The Grocer.

Sinn Fein MP Mickey Brady welcomed the boost for the Newry sandwich firm.

The local MP said: "This is a firm which already employs hundreds of people in Newry and its other sites in Dublin and England.

"This jobs boost will also have a knock-on impact in the local economy. 

"I wish this firm well and hope that it will continue to grow in the future."



(JG/CM)