Northern Ireland food-to-go manufacturer secures M&S own label approval

Food-to-go manufacturer has secured M&S own label supplier approval, enabling it to expand its sandwich offering within the retailer.  

The news follows significant investment from the Newry firm into new equipment, facility upgrades and new management positions, including a new quality manager and NPD manager. It is also a continuation of an existing partnership between the Marks & Spencer and Around Noon, which saw it secure a £3.5m deal to supply sandwiches​​ to the retailer from its TWELVE Handmade in County Down range.

The M&S approval process benchmarks companies across the food supply chain, assessing them on food safety, quality and culture against its own manufacturing standards.

With this accreditation, Around Noon will now be able to supply a range of own label products to the retailer on the island of Ireland.

“We are driven to produce quality food from the finest ingredients and always with local provenance in mind. The initial response to our TWELVE range of sandwiches across the M&S store network in Ireland was one of resounding success, which we’re pleased to build upon further now as an own label supplier,”​ commented Around Noon sales director, Philip Morgan.

“Quality is at the heart of everything we do,”​ added Eddie Murphy, M&S trading director for Ireland & Northern Ireland. “We are committed to maintaining the high standards our customers expect and this represents another step in the transformation of our food business in Ireland. In order to deliver on this promise we look to build new partnerships with trusted suppliers that share our values.”​

“We have been hugely impressed by the high standards that underscore Around Noon’s dedication to ingredient sourcing, product development and manufacturing, and we’re very pleased to welcome them into the M&S family.” ​

Around Noon currently supplies 19 M&S own label sandwich lines to stores across Ireland, with plans for a further 13 products to be launched throughout 2023.

The company was established more than 30 years ago and now has over 800 employees following its recent acquisition of The Soho Sandwich Company, based in London. The food-to-go brand supplies a range of high-quality chilled, hot, frozen and bakery products to customers, including forecourt, convenience and multiple retailers and cafes throughout the UK and Ireland.