Stuart Machin, CEO of Marks & Spencer, has paid tribute to the Northern Ireland food and drink industry in a keynote speech at the annual Northern Ireland Food & Drink Annual Dinner held in Belfast.
Speaking at the event for the first time – and the first time an M&S CEO has addressed the audience at a NIFDA annual dinner – he showcased key local suppliers and announced major new investments in stores across the region.
M&S first opened its store in Belfast in 1967, at the time the most publicised store opening in its history, attracting more than 120,000 visitors on the first day. Today, M&S has 22 owned stores and 4 franchise stores in partnership with SSP and Applegreen, employing over 2,100 colleagues – some of whom have served for more than 40 years.
During his address, he highlighted how M&S works with Northern Ireland producers who could together create an entire day’s menu for customers.
For breakfast:
Skea Eggs Farm (Dungannon, Co. Tyrone) supplies over millions of eggs annually to M&S.
Finnebrogue Artisan (Downpatrick, Co. Down) has crafted all M&S premium sausages since 2009, including vegetarian options.
Hovis supplies soda and potato bread from its Belfast bakery.
David Irwin, from Dervock, Co. Antrim, is an M&S Select Farm dairy farmer who has supplied the retailer for over 25 years.
Avondale Foods (Craigavon, Co. Armagh) provides products such as the M&S overnight oats and Brainfood breakfast pots.
For lunch:
Around Noon (Newry) supplies M&S sandwiches produced at its local factory.
For dinner:
Linden Foods (Dungannon) supplies beef and lamb sourced from over 1,200 M&S Select Farms, providing ingredients for M&S prepared meals such as lasagne and cottage pie.
Gilfresh Produce (Loughgall, Co. Armagh) supplies carrots, swede, broccoli crowns, brussels sprouts, sweetheart cabbage, leeks, pumpkins and parsnips.
For dessert, Genesis Bakery (Magherafelt, Co. Derry) supplies M&S Lamingtons, part of a range of over 20 M&S bakery products made locally.
M&S has announced its new, expanded Foodhall in Craigavon will open on Friday 28th November marking the start of a fresh and exciting shopping experience for customers. The renewed Craigavon store will open in November 2025, becoming the first store outside of England to feature in ITV’s Inside M&S at Christmas, airing in December.
Stuart Machin, CEO of Marks and Spencer said: “Northern Ireland is a really important market for M&S. We have a deep-rooted connection with our customers here, as well as our supply partners who help us provide innovative and quality products locally and across the UK. We also have over 2,000 brilliant colleagues who have enabled us to deliver good growth.
We’ve been serving Northern Ireland’s communities for nearly 60 years, and our commitment has never wavered. I see a big opportunity for more investment as we plan for the next 60 years – and beyond.”
