Eamon McKillop, owner of McKillop’s SPAR Ballymena, recently paid a visit to two local schools, exhibiting the best of Northern Ireland’s local food producers.

Eamon, alongside Lynsey Evans, Commercial Manager of Produce & Horticulture at Henderson Group, paid a visit to St Brigid’s Primary School and Braidside Primary School to give a presentation on the health benefits of fruit and vegetables, how food is harvested and information on local suppliers. Each pupil also received a supply of local produce to take home and extend the healthy eating message from the classroom to home.

McKillop’s SPAR Ballymena continues to show support to their local community and beyond, with 75% of fresh foods supplied by Henderson Wholesale to independent SPAR and EUROSPAR retailers across Northern Ireland sourced from local suppliers. Henderson Wholesale was recently named Wholesale Fruit & Veg Supplier of the Year at the FPC Fresh Awards, which are hailed as the Oscars of the fresh produce industry in the UK.

The school showcase outlined the journey of food from field to fork and introduced the schoolchildren to the range of local suppliers across the island of Ireland.

McKillop’s SPAR has always been passionate about providing locally sourced produce to shoppers and being a hub in their local community. The store was awarded Independent Retailer of the Year (up to 3,000 sq. ft.) at the Retail Industry Awards last month and owner Eamonn McKillop was praised by judges for his links to the local community citing he is the “biggest community player”.

This is just one of the many initiatives the store has taken part in this year, including donating sports day kits and equipment to local schools and providing SPAR goodie bags to new P1 pupils. The store also provides ongoing support and sponsorships for local sports clubs and primary schools as well as often fundraising for local charities including NI Hospice and Marie Curie.

Eamon McKillop, store owner, commented, “Being at the heart of our neighbourhood, it has always been a vital part of our store to show our support to our local community, whether that’s through local charities, schools, community groups or sports teams.

“We also have amazing suppliers in Northern Ireland, so it’s important to us to support local. Being part of the community, it’s also important to have an impact on our shoppers but also on the younger children in our local schools, encouraging them to think about healthy eating and where their food is coming from.”

Share this page: