Mash Direct
Mash Direct is a farming and food production company based in Comber, County Down, Northern Ireland.[1]
As of 2016, Mash Direct employed 180 people at its farm. The company produces and supplies vegetable and potato products to supermarkets (including Asda[2][3] and Morrisons[4][5]) and independent retailers across the UK and Ireland and exports to the US and the Middle East.[6]
Mash Direct was founded by Martin and Tracy Hamilton as a family business, in 2004 diversifying from their potato and vegetable farm.[7] Their products include prepared potato, croquettes, potato cakes and vegetable burgers.
Company history
[edit]The company opened its first factory in 2004, supplying mashed potato products to retailers Mace, N. Aiken, and Creightons in Belfast, branching out to the Republic of Ireland in 2005, supplying Dunnes Stores.
Between 2006 and 2007, the company developed sauce-based recipes, including red cabbage and beetroot; broccoli and cheese sauce; creamy garlic potatoes. Coverage on BBC Radio 4 led to the first visit of Jamie Oliver.[8]
The company expanded distribution into Scotland in 2006, the US in 2009, Dubai in 2012. In 2013, all products were made gluten free.[9]
Awards
[edit]Mash Direct has won 16 Great Taste Awards including the Guild of Fine Food - Great Taste Award (2015).[10]
Other awards received include:
- Crispy Vegetable Bakes - SIAL Abu Dhabi Gold Innovation Award (2016) [11]
- Vegetable Burgers - Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards (2016)[12]
- Mash Direct Vegetable Burgers - The Grocer New Product Award (2015)[13]
- Best Managed Company Award (Deloitte, 2015)[14]
- Jack Hamilton, Mash Direct Marketing Director, The Grocer Top New Talent Award (2015)[15]
References
[edit]- ^ "Top 1000: Northern Ireland's top performing families". The Irish Times. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
- ^ "Mash Direct wins new Asda contract". Food Manufacture. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- ^ "Mash Direct wins massive £500,000 contract with Asda". Belfast Telegraph.
- ^ "Mash Direct secures £1m Morrisons distribution deal". Food Manufacture. Retrieved 20 Feb 2017.
- ^ "Local producer lands £1m supermarket deal". ITV. ITV. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
- ^ "Thought mashed potatoes would be popular in Middle East? Meet the firm carving a niche in the market - Real Business". Real Business. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
- ^ "How We Made It: Martin and Tracy Hamilton, founders of Mash Direct | The Sunday Times". thesundaytimes.co.uk. Archived from the original on May 29, 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
- ^ "Jamie Oliver at Taste of Dublin".
- ^ "GM-free food is big US export opportunity for manufacturers".
- ^ "Double Great Taste Awards Success for Mash Direct | Food NI - Our Food So Good!". Food NI. 6 August 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
- ^ "SIAL Abu Dhabi Awards 2016". Retrieved 27 March 2017.
- ^ "Irish Quality Food & Drink Awards 2016". irish.qualityfoodawards.com. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
- ^ "2015 Winners - The Grocer New Product Awards". thegrocernewproductawards.co.uk. Archived from the original on 7 October 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
- ^ "Deloitte Best Managed Company Awards 2015 | Deloitte Ireland | News, Best Managed Companies Awards". Deloitte Ireland. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
- ^ Halliwell, James. "Jack Hamilton, director at Mash Direct".