Around Noon relishing further expansion in Sandwich market

A collaboration between Newry-based Around Noon and world-famous condiment maker Ballymaloe Foods has seen over four million sandwiches being made to date by the Newry-based company using the County Cork firm’s much-loved relish. And the volume is set to grow significantly due a series of new contracts won by Around Noon with leading names in the retail sector.

Ballymaloe Foods has supplied Around Noon with over 42 tonnes of its relish since the firms formed a relationship six years ago, and the volume is expected to increase by more than 20 percent as a result of new business won by Around Noon. This includes a deal to supply sandwiches, made on the island of Ireland, using Irish ingredients to Marks & Spencer.

Gareth Chambers, CEO of Around Noon, explains: “Sourcing quality ingredients from great suppliers and creating strong, sustainable relationships with them is a really important part of our business. Ballymaloe Foods is a world-renowned provider of great produce. We have had a fantastic relationship with them over the past six years and we look forward to the relationship going from strength-to-strength.”

Donnacha Ryan, Foodservice Manager, Ballymaloe Foods, explains: “Around Noon is a major producer of quality sandwiches for the hospitality and retail sectors and we are delighted to be a trusted supplier to them. Our relationship has developed and grown over the past six years, and we are delighted to have had our relish used in over 4 million Around Noon sandwiches that have been eaten across the UK and Ireland. With the new contracts that Around Noon has won, we look forward to the relationship with Ballymaloe Foods continuing to develop in the years ahead.”

Around Noon has been in business for over 30 years and employs over 400 people. It supplies a broad range of high-quality chilled, hot, frozen and bakery products to customers including forecourt, convenience and multiple retailers and coffee shops throughout the UK and Ireland.

The story of Ballymaloe Foods dates back almost 100 years to the 1930s when Ivan Allen was growing tomatoes at his glasshouses in Shanagarry. Ivan’s wife Myrtle began to create a delicious relish from the rich yield of tomatoes, naturally preserving them so they could be used all year round with cold meats and sandwiches.

Using her mother’s recipe, Yasmin Hyde, Myrtle’s daughter, began producing Ballymaloe Relish in her own kitchen. This led to Yasmin establishing Ballymaloe Foods in 1990. Starting out as a very small operation, the company now exports to several countries including Canada, Germany, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. The original Ballymaloe Relish has become an iconic Irish product and is stocked in kitchens all over the world.

Now producing a wide variety of award-winning relishes, sauces and pickles from its purpose-built kitchens in Little Island, County Cork, Ballymaloe Foods remains a family-run business.