A long-standing family business in County Down is set to transform its operations through a £2.2 million investment in state-of-the-art machinery.

McWhinney's Sausages, based at the Balloo Industrial Estate in Bangor, is introducing a new automatic packing line and a spiral freezer to significantly enhance its productivity and automation capabilities.

The investment is being supported by a £612,000 grant from Invest Northern Ireland's Agri-Food Investment Initiative (AFII). The upgrades will allow the sixth-generation company to double its current output, improve sustainability through recyclable packaging, and create four new employment opportunities over the next two years.

Making the announcement during a factory visit, Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald said: "This investment will allow McWhinney's to double its capacity, automate key processes and boost productivity. I welcome the company's ambition to grow exports, enhance sustainability, and expand sales across the island. McWhinney's is a long‑established part of our agri‑food sector, and this investment will support jobs and economic activity across the Ards and North Down area."

For the first time since moving to Bangor in 1994, the company plans to move beyond its traditional wholesale focus and enter the retail sector. By repurposing existing facilities, the business aims to serve the public directly, echoing the company's origins that date back to 1898. Kevin McWhinney, Managing Director at McWhinney's Sausages, said: "Our new equipment, supported by Invest NI's Agri-Food Investment Initiative, marks a significant step for our business. A new spiral freezer will allow us to repurpose our existing freezer into a dedicated retail packing line, enabling us to enter the retail market. This will significantly increase our turnover, help us to increase innovation and open up new opportunities in the Republic of Ireland and further afield. Since we moved to Bangor in 1994, we have focused entirely on wholesale business. It's exciting to revisit our retail roots on an increased scale and serve the public directly as we did since 1898."

The expansion is also focused on international growth. Alongside increasing its presence in the Republic of Ireland, the company is working with trade teams to explore European markets, including Spain.

Brendan McGuigan, Director of Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering at Invest NI, commented: "McWhinney's significant investment in new equipment and automation will enable it to increase productivity, to meet supplier demand, grow its exports and boost sustainability. As well as increasing sales in the ROI market, our trade team is helping the company to explore new European markets such as Spain. The company's increased output will help it to capitalise on these opportunities and create room for further product innovation as its automation increases."

The project will also see the recruitment of a Floor Supervisor, a Sales Executive, and two Production Operatives to support the increased scale of the business.