An £18.8m investment in a Warrenpoint food-to-go manufacturer is expected to create 130 jobs. The “significant investment in the sandwich production and ‘heat-to-eat’ product range” of Deli Lites was confirmed by Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald during a visit to the company’s town facility on Thursday.
A Department for the Economy statement said that a planned £12.8m investment, supported by Invest NI’s Agri-Food Investment Initiative, will “automate the company’s production and broaden its product range,” whilst “a further £6m investment by the company will help upskill the existing workforce and create 130 new jobs.”
Speaking in Warrenpoint, Dr Archibald stated that “the north’s food and drink processing sector is a true local success story, with latest statistics showing that it generates £6.5bn in sales and supports over 25,500 jobs across our towns and countryside.” “This investment will unlock significant growth opportunities for Deli Lites in this exciting sector,” she continued. “Increased capacity and new automated equipment will boost productivity and enable it to expand its fresh and frozen ranges, growing its sales in Britain and Ireland, and open up additional export markets. With 78 per cent of our food and drink sold outside the north, this industry showcases the quality, innovation, and global appeal of what we produce right here at home.”
“The creation of 130 new jobs in Warrenpoint, which will help leverage almost £10m in wages and salaries across the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area by 2027, is also good news, as we work to deliver a more regionally balanced economy.” Deli Lites – established in 1998 by husband and wife Brian and Jackie Reid – supplies fresh gourmet sandwiches and food-to-go products to shops, supermarkets, major coffee chains, and international airlines, with customers including Applegreen, Costa Coffee, Aer Lingus, and American Airlines.
Mr Reid, the company’s chief executive officer, said: “Since our beginnings over 30 years ago, we are now an all-Ireland business with export sales growing in international markets. We’ve always been a trailblazer in our sector, shown when we became the first sandwich maker in the UK and Ireland to achieve B Corp certification.” Jackie Reid, Deli Lites’ chief strategy officer, added: “Bringing even more products to our snacking and convenience range and investing in production and automation will significantly increase our capacity and customer reach. We’re delighted to be growing our team in Warrenpoint, to bring further expertise into the business and help us achieve our vision to transform how the world experiences food on the move.”
Invest NI’s Agri-Food Investment Initiative is a £46m scheme to support local agri-food and drink processors to improve competitiveness and productivity. Gráinne Moody, Director of Food and Drink at Invest NI, stated: “This significant project builds on our previous support for Deli Lites to develop its product range for the European market. Its success has positioned the company to become a key supplier for the global airlines sector. This new project will increase innovation and boost productivity by transforming labour-intensive processes and increasing digitalisation. Our overseas trade teams are also working with Deli Lites to explore new international markets as it grows.”
Visit www.investni.com/support-for-business/funding-support for further information on the Agri-Food Investment Initiative.
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