Tesco doubles Northern Ireland suppliers as Ballymena firm expands role

Tess Osborne, Head of Fresh Foods Sourcing NI at Tesco

Tesco has more than doubled the number of Northern Ireland suppliers it works with in just three years, deepening its reliance on local farmers, food producers and manufacturers as pressure continues to mount across the agri-food sector.

The supermarket giant now works with 138 Northern Ireland-based suppliers across more than 1,600 locally sourced product lines, with Ballymena meat processor Doherty & Gray playing a growing role in supplying Tesco’s premium burger and steak ranges.

The expansion marks a major boost for Northern Ireland’s food industry, with Tesco saying all of its own-brand fresh beef, pork, milk and eggs sold in Northern Ireland stores are now sourced locally.

That commitment places Northern Ireland producers at the centre of Tesco’s fresh food supply chain at a time when food security, farming pressures and support for local businesses remain high on the public agenda.

Tesco said nine new local supplier partners have joined over the past year alone, including OatCo Superfuel and well-known butcher K&G McAtamney.

Ballymena supplier at centre of Tesco premium beef range

Among the strongest local success stories is Ballymena-based Doherty & Gray, which now produces all Tesco Finest burger and steak lines using Aberdeen Angus beef sourced and prepared locally.

The company sits alongside some of Northern Ireland’s biggest food producers within Tesco’s supplier network, including Linden Foods in Dungannon, Moy Park in Craigavon and Karro Food in Cookstown.

For shoppers, the changes mean a greater proportion of food sold on Tesco shelves has travelled shorter distances and been produced within Northern Ireland’s own farming and manufacturing network.

The retailer said the strategy also helps sustain rural jobs and long-established agricultural supply chains across the Province.

Local farms supplying thousands of tonnes every year

Tesco said many of its fresh produce suppliers have worked with the company since it first entered the Northern Ireland market in 1996.

Those partnerships now provide more than 20,000 tonnes of locally grown fruit and vegetables annually, including potatoes, onions, turnips, baby leaves and Bramley apples.

New seasonal additions have also recently been introduced, including mushrooms from Gilfresh Produce in Loughgall, onions from Milgro in Limavady and salad leaves from Lyttle Leaves in Newtownards.

In dairy, Tesco sources all of its own-label fresh cow’s milk in Northern Ireland through Dale Farm, which works with around 1,200 farmers across seven Northern Ireland sites.

The supermarket also sources all of its eggs locally through partnerships with Skea Eggs in Dungannon and Cavanagh Eggs in Newtownbutler.

Bakery and brewery partnerships continue to grow

Tesco said more than half of its bakery products sold in Northern Ireland are now locally sourced, rising to more than 85% across bread products.

One of its longest-standing supplier relationships is with Portadown-based Irwin’s Bakery, which has worked with Tesco since the retailer opened its first Northern Ireland store nearly three decades ago.

More recent additions include chilled fresh cream cakes from Ashers Bakery in Newtownabbey, including Swiss rolls, sticky toffee pudding, coconut fingers, custard choux buns, custard slices and Valencia slices.

Beyond food production, Tesco also works with 11 Northern Ireland breweries and 20 local distilleries, underlining the scale of the retailer’s commercial links across the region.

Tesco says local sourcing supports rural communities

Tess Osborne, Head of Fresh Foods Sourcing NI at Tesco

Tess Osborne, Head of Fresh Foods Sourcing NI at Tesco, said the growth reflected the retailer’s long-term commitment to Northern Ireland’s agri-food sector.

“We are incredibly proud of our strong partnerships with local farmers and producers across Northern Ireland,” she said.

“More than doubling the number of NI suppliers in the past three years is a clear demonstration of our commitment to the agri-food sector here.

“These relationships not only ensure high-quality products for our customers but also help support local jobs, farming families and rural communities.”

Tesco Northern Ireland is also showcasing many of its local supplier partnerships this week at the Food NI Pavilion during the Balmoral Show, which runs from May 13 to May 16.