M&S Food opens new outlet at Ballymena Applegreen

Percy Pig celebrates M&S Food Outlet launching at Applegreen Ballymena

Shoppers in Ballymena can now pick up their favourite Marks & Spencer treats on the go after a new M&S Food outlet opened today at the town’s Applegreen site.

The new store introduces the popular “shop within a shop” concept to Ballymena, bringing more than 400 M&S Food products to the location and marking the fourth partnership site between M&S and Applegreen in Northern Ireland.

From fresh fruit and salads to sandwiches, ready meals and sweet treats, the outlet is designed to offer quick, high-quality food options for customers travelling through the area or stopping at the service station.

Among the well-known M&S favourites available in-store are Percy Pig sweets, M&S cookies and Colin the Caterpillar cakes, alongside everyday essentials and convenient meal options for lunch and dinner.

Expanding partnership across Northern Ireland

The Ballymena opening forms part of a wider collaboration between M&S and Applegreen that launched across the island of Ireland in late 2022.

Since then, the “shop within a shop” concept has expanded rapidly, with 38 locations now operating across Ireland and Northern Ireland. Plans are in place to increase this to more than 60 outlets in the medium term.

Applegreen Ballymena welcomes new M&S Food Outlet instore

Eddie Murphy, Country Director for M&S in Ireland and Northern Ireland, said the Ballymena opening represents another step in expanding access to the brand’s food range.

“We are proud to continue expanding our partnership with Applegreen and bring M&S Food to another location in Northern Ireland,” he said.

“This rollout allows us to reach more customers, offering convenient ways to pick up M&S favourites on the go while delivering trusted value.”

Click & Collect service available

In addition to food shopping, the Ballymena outlet will also offer an M&S Click & Collect service.

Customers can order fashion, home and beauty products online and collect them from the Applegreen location at a time that suits them, adding further convenience for shoppers in the area.

Seamus Stapleton, Managing Director of Applegreen Ireland, said the partnership helps strengthen the range of brands available to customers.

“The addition of M&S Food at Ballymena demonstrates our commitment to offering customers the best food and hospitality brands,” he said.

“M&S is a much-loved household name, and this partnership allows us to deliver a wider range of quality products and an even better experience for our customers on the road.”

Growing retail presence

The Ballymena site follows previous M&S Food openings within Applegreen locations at Lisburn South, Lisburn North and Templepatrick.

Marks & Spencer first opened in Northern Ireland in 1967 and now operates 22 stores across the region.

Applegreen, which began with a single outlet in Dublin in 1992, has since grown into an international service station operator with more than 435 locations across Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States, employing over 17,000 people.

At a glance

• A new M&S Food outlet has opened at the Applegreen site in Ballymena.

• The store offers more than 400 M&S Food products.

• Popular items include Percy Pig sweets, M&S cookies and Colin the Caterpillar cakes.

• The outlet is part of the M&S and Applegreen “shop within a shop” partnership.

• It is the fourth location in Northern Ireland to feature the concept.

• Customers can also use an M&S Click & Collect service for online orders.

• The partnership launched across the island of Ireland in late 2022.

• There are now 38 locations, with plans to expand to more than 60.

• Marks & Spencer currently operates 22 stores across Northern Ireland.