Portaferry's 'Just Live A Little' In Hong Kong Gronola Deal

Portaferry-based Crawford’s Food has won its first business in Hong Kong for its Just Live a Little branded granolas with assistance from Invest Northern Ireland.

The family-run company has secured a contract that will see its breakfast granolas on the shelves of ParknShop supermarkets, Hong Kong’s biggest grocery business and leading online retailer.

The contract was announced by David Crawford, Managing Director of Crawford's Food, a small business he formed in 2009 with wife Jill, and welcomed by Grainne McVeigh, Director Invest NI International Group.

The new export business follows an introduction for Mr Crawford from Invest NI’s Business Development team in Great Britain, to Foods of Europe, a major UK food distributor with substantial business in Hong Kong.

Crawford's Food, Northern Ireland’s only manufacturer of granola cereals and muesli, is supplying three products – Toasted Muesli, Apple, Cinnamon and Whole Almonds and Cranberry, Cashew and Coconut – in two different pack formats.

Commenting on the contract, Ms McVeigh said: "This new and potentially very significant export business for Crawford’s Food is a further example of how our dedicated marketing staff in Britain are helping a growing number of smaller food businesses in Northern Ireland to grow sales abroad.

"This ambitious company has developed a unique range of quality granola and muesli and responded extremely quickly and successfully to the introduction to this important UK distributor. Our business development teams have been working closely with a number of our food companies, both large and small, to help them secure worthwhile contracts in global markets such as Asia.

"As the initial contract for Crawford’s Food in Hong Kong demonstrates, the opportunities are significant even for smaller companies if they have the right quality products and are prepared to follow up leads quickly and professionally."

(CD)