Glens of Antrim among six NI food producers chosen for new Sysco growth programme

Josh Hall, Head of Category and Trading at Sysco Ireland, Bronagh McQuail, Moocha Kombucha, Pamela Martin, Category Manager at Sysco Ireland, Kyle Greer, Development Chef at Sysco Ireland, Ruchira Rangaprasad, FibreUp, Alastair Bell and Kathleen Bell, Irish Black Butter, John Sloan, Loada Balls, Claire O'Kane, Mussenden Sea Salt, Amy Stewart, Glens of Antrim Group, John Sloan and Curtis Sloan, Loada Balls

A County Antrim food producer is among six Northern Ireland businesses selected for a new industry programme aimed at helping home-grown brands break into new markets and supply more customers across the foodservice sector.

Glens of Antrim Group has secured a place on the inaugural Scale with Sysco programme, developed by Sysco Ireland in partnership with Invest Northern Ireland.

The company joins five other Northern Ireland producers — Moocha Kombucha, Loada Balls, FibreUp, Mussenden Sea Salt and Irish Black Butter — for an intensive 12-week programme focused on preparing growing businesses for the demands and opportunities of supplying the foodservice industry at scale.

For Glens of Antrim, the opportunity could help open further routes into a sector supplying everything from restaurants and hotels to healthcare and education.

‘Excited to explore the gateways’

(L-R) Josh Hall, Head of Category and Trading at Sysco Ireland, Amy Stewart, Head of Sales at Glens of Antrim Group, Kyle Greer, Development Chef at Sysco Ireland

Amy Stewart, Head of Sales at Glens of Antrim Group, said the company was thrilled to have been selected.

She said:

“Glens Of Antrim are thrilled to have been selected for the inaugural ‘Scale With Sysco’ programme. The opportunity to partner with such a market leading supply chain specialist as Sysco is fantastic for us at Glens of Antrim.

“We are excited to explore the gateways that this programme will present, and we would like to thank both the Sysco and Invest Northern Ireland teams who have collaborated to provide local companies with this wonderful initiative.”

The six businesses were chosen following a competitive application and selection process.

Over the next 12 weeks they will work with specialists from across Sysco Ireland’s commercial, technical and operational teams, learning more about what is required to supply the foodservice industry as their businesses grow.

That will include practical guidance on finance, food safety and quality assurance, supply chains, marketing and e-commerce, sales, sustainability and the requirements suppliers must meet when entering larger foodservice systems.

Participants will also be supported to strengthen pricing strategies, improve operational resilience, navigate compliance requirements and engage effectively with buyers.

Six Northern Ireland producers selected

While Glens of Antrim provides a strong County Antrim connection to the programme, the initiative brings together six distinctive producers from Northern Ireland’s growing food and drink sector.

Moocha Kombucha’s Bronagh McQuail said:

“We’re delighted that Moocha Kombucha has been selected for the Sysco Scale programme. This is a fantastic opportunity to work alongside one of the largest leading foodservice businesses, helping us accelerate our growth while bringing our range of kombucha to even more customers. We’re excited to collaborate with the Sysco team and look forward to the journey ahead.”

(L-R) Curtis Sloan, Loada Balls, Josh Hall, Head of Category and Trading at Sysco Ireland, John Sloan and Jonathan Sloan, Loada Balls and Kyle Greer, Development Chef at Sysco Ireland

Curtis Sloan, of Loada Balls, described the selection as an important opportunity for the young business.

“We are delighted that Loada Balls has been selected as a finalist for Scale with Sysco. What an amazing opportunity for our business at such an early stage. The competition was a great experience and we can’t wait to see where this relationship with Sysco will take our Protein Balls & Bars!”

For FibreUp, the potential to reach customers across the island of Ireland is a key attraction.

Ruchira Rangaprasad said:

“We’re delighted to be a finalist in the Scale with Sysco programme, supported by Invest NI. As a small NI producer, the support from the Sysco team and access to their customer network will help us rapidly grow our presence across the island of Ireland.”

(L-R) Josh Hall, Head of Category and Trading at Sysco Ireland, Claire O'Kane, Mussenden Sea Salt, Kyle Greer, Development Chef at Sysco Ireland

Mussenden Sea Salt’s Claire O’Kane said:

“Being selected for Scale with Sysco is an exciting opportunity for Mussenden Sea Salt. We’re looking forward to developing our business, learning from the expertise of the Sysco team, and preparing for sustainable growth.”

Alastair Bell, of Irish Black Butter, added:

“We’re delighted that Irish Black Butter has been selected for the Scale with Sysco programme. It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to work with the Sysco team and introduce our incredibly versatile product to more chefs across Ireland and beyond.”

Turning local products into bigger businesses

Scale with Sysco was launched earlier this year in response to growing demand for locally produced food and drink, with the programme intended to help smaller and emerging suppliers develop the commercial capability needed to reach larger markets.

Joanne Cunningham, Merchandising Director at Sysco Ireland, said the standard of applications highlighted the strength of Northern Ireland’s food and drink industry.

“The calibre of applications we received was outstanding and demonstrated the strength, innovation and ambition that exists within Northern Ireland’s food and drink sector. The six businesses selected for the inaugural Scale with Sysco programme all have significant growth potential and products that align strongly with evolving customer demand.

“Through this programme, we want to provide practical support, commercial knowledge and industry connections that will help them scale sustainably and confidently, while retaining the qualities that make their brands unique.”

For growing producers, getting a product onto shelves or building a loyal customer base is only one part of expansion. Supplying larger foodservice customers can bring very different requirements around volume, pricing, logistics, quality assurance and consistency.

It is that gap between having a successful local product and being ready to supply at greater scale that the programme is designed to address.

Invest NI backs growth potential

Gráinne Moody, Director of Food and Drink at Invest Northern Ireland, said the initiative would give the six businesses an opportunity to develop their capabilities and pursue further sales.

She said:

“Invest NI is delighted to be collaborating with Sysco on its inaugural Scale with Sysco Programme. After a rigorous selection process this initiative now offers six of our NI suppliers an excellent platform to avail of new opportunities within the food service sector. Our support is focused on a tailored programme which will build the capability of these suppliers and assist in further sales growth”

The potential prize for the businesses extends beyond completing the 12-week programme.

By gaining first-hand knowledge of the commercial and operational standards required by the foodservice industry, the six producers should emerge better prepared to pursue opportunities across hospitality, healthcare, education and other sectors.

For Glens of Antrim and its fellow Northern Ireland producers, the coming months will therefore be about turning selection for the programme into something more significant: stronger businesses, wider market access and the potential to put locally produced food and drink in front of many more customers.