Whites Oats Wins US Contract

There's good news for a Co Armagh milling company today with the NI Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster announcing that White's, the Tandragee-based oat miller, has secured contracts in the US worth £500,000.

IT has been making porridge oats since 1841, and has now received orders for two Irish Oatmeal products from two leading US retailers for sale in over 2,000 supermarkets across the country. The contracts follow the company's recent success at the UK Great Taste Awards.

DUP Minister Arlene Foster said: "White's is an excellent role model of a smaller company which has invested for growth through exporting and is now selling porridge oats and toasted oat snacks to major retailers in Europe, the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong.

"The US contracts are a marvellous breakthrough for White’s in one of the world's biggest and most competitive markets for breakfast cereals.

"The company has targeted this market very professionally and is now strongly positioned to take advantage of the developing market trend towards natural, wholesome breakfast products," she said.

"There are many other companies who have the potential to succeed in export markets and I would encourage them to take advantage of the support offered by Invest NI to help them win business outside Northern Ireland.

"The achievements of White's, and indeed all local companies at the Great Taste Awards, show the strength of the local food industry.

"In particular, the commitment of many smaller enterprises to the development of highly innovative and market-led products with tremendous business potential."

The Minister concluded: "The food and drink industry is a crucially important part of my portfolio, and along with Invest NI, I am keen to encourage and support companies in the sector, most of which are based in rural communities and have a key role to play in rural regeneration, to set their sights on faster growth through international sales."

(BMcC/CD)