A Northern Ireland vegetable farm and processor has come up with some new products to keep ahead of the competition.
The Comber based farm run by the Hamilton family have already 40 products in its portfolio but have now added three Nourish Bowls as well as introducing the first beer battered chips, the first of its kind available in the supermarkets.
Addressing the latest consumer trends the Hamiltons have introduced three flavoured bowls from Morocco, China and Italy, each containing a specific number of the daily fruit and veg requirements. These bowls costing £2.99 come ready to eat and are due to be launched very soon in SuperValu, Centra, Mace, Nisa and independent stores.
Creating the concept of the Nourish Bowls came from consumer feedback at food shows throughout the year. Marketing director Jack Hamilton said: “We have found that people want a healthy lunch option that they can pick up off the shelf or even eat on the go. All of Mash Direct’s products are gluten-free and don’t have any red traffic lights, so, our customers know that they are eating a Mash Direct product that they can trust is good for them. The best thing about these Nourish Bowls is that they offer relief from the normal, boring sandwiches at your work desk and they help consumers achieve their recommended portions of fruit and veg for the day.”
The Beer Battered Chips are the first chips the company has introduced. Jack added: “It is a company policy of ours not to have any red traffic lights on any of our products and so we wanted to make a chip that was crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside without having a high fat content. By creating a gluten-free, beer batter to lightly coat the potatoes, we are able to create an innovative chip that’s completely different from others available in the market place and still stay true to our roots. These chips have been years in the making and we are proud to have waited so long to bring them to market because we think they are perfect.”
By Chris McCullough