NI Food Gets Rail

Three local food companies have been listed to supply products for catering operations on the Irish state railway network.

Iarnrod Eireannrain services throughout the Republic of Ireland - provided by the Rail Gourmet - part of the SSP Group, with extensive operations in the UK, Belgium, Norway, Finland, and also on Eurostar - has signed up the suppliers.

Invest NI's Food Sector Marketing Advisor in the Republic of Ireland, Shane McArdle, lined up a number of local food companies to present their products to Rail Gourmet buyers who subsequently selected the trio.

They are the Bite Group, Enniskillen, for a range of sandwiches and baguettes, Strathroy Dairies, Omagh, for milk and McCann's, Craigavon, for a selection of fruit juices.

Following the 'meet the buyer' event, the successful companies were then involved in detailed negotiations with Rail Gourmet on its specific requirements.

Welcoming the business for the three local food and drinks companies, Maynard Mawhinney, Invest NI's Food Director, said: "These contracts have been secured from one of the most important foodservices operations in the Republic and are very good news for the companies involved.

"They are also a significant boost for the local food industry," he said, noting, without irony that, "the contracts provide a 'platform' that the successful companies can use to develop their business with Rail Gourmet.

"Our 'meet the buyer' programme is one of our most successful initiatives and has helped many smaller food and drink companies to develop contacts with key procurement executives in a very wide range of retail and food services organisations in Ireland, Great Britain, other parts of Europe and India," he commented.

Rail Gourmet took over the complete supply chain, logistics and on-board operation for Irish Rail in March 2007.

It now employs 180 people based at ten locations throughout Ireland. Irish Rail carries around 43 million passengers in its intercity, suburban and commuter services

(BMcC)