Dougie’s Goodies secures ‘jammy’ contract with McKeever Hotels

Johnny Hunter, Commercial Director, Dougie’s Goodies and Stella Grant, Group Procurement Manager, McKeever Hotels sample the delicious treats which will be served to customers of McKeever Hotels across Northern Ireland.

A Ballymena-based bakery with over 40 years of sweet success has landed its first major food service contract — with one of Northern Ireland’s best-known hotel groups.

Dougie’s Goodies, founded in 1983, will now supply its range of handmade traybakes, pastries and iced buns to McKeever Hotels’ six locations across Northern Ireland.

The deal marks a major milestone for the family-run bakery, which already supplies more than 80 retail outlets throughout the region.

The partnership represents a significant step forward for Dougie’s Goodies as it enters the food service and hospitality market for the first time. It also reinforces McKeever Hotels’ long-standing commitment to supporting local producers and sourcing high-quality ingredients from nearby businesses.

All products are ‘scratch baked’ by Dougie’s Goodies, using traditional methods to create treats that cater to the growing popularity of casual daytime dining.

With more people meeting for “coffee catchups” in hotel lobbies and lounges, McKeever Hotels says the partnership helps deliver the perfect accompaniment — a locally made sweet treat.

Stella Grant, Group Procurement Manager for McKeever Hotels, said the collaboration began as a small-scale pilot at the Adair Arms Hotel in Ballymena before expanding across the group.

“It’s well known that Northern Ireland consumers love their sweet treats and it’s clear that the team at Dougie’s Goodies totally understands this market and is successfully catering to meet demand,” she said.

“While our hotels are renowned for conferences, weddings, and award ceremonies, they’re also popular as relaxed coffee-shop settings for catchups with friends and family or informal business meetings. Such occasions are only complete with a delicious locally made tray-bake.

“The range provided by Dougie’s Goodies not only complements this experience but reflects our ‘best of local’ approach.

“We’re proud to partner with such a progressive local business and look forward to rolling this initiative out across our six hotels in Northern Ireland.”

Johnny Hunter, Commercial Director of Dougie’s Goodies, described the partnership as an exciting step into a new market.

“We’re really excited to launch our first venture into the food service world with McKeever Hotels. Working with Stella and her team has been a joy as like us, they truly get what their customers love,” he said.

“Together we’ve come up with a range that’s all about great coffee, delicious goodies and that warm, welcoming vibe that makes people want to come back for more.”

The partnership underscores both companies’ shared values of community, quality and customer experience — blending tradition, local craftsmanship and the unmistakable Northern Irish love for a good traybake.