SPAR in Northern Ireland has once again strengthened its commitment to local sourcing and convenience innovation with the launch of 18 new products created in partnership with three trusted local suppliers.

The launch of the range marks the retailer’s intention to grow its presence across the ‘food for later’ convenience category, delivering a range of quick, quality meal solutions for lunch and dinner, alongside limited-edition seasonal products for Christmas.

Working with Big Pot Co. in Cookstown, under SPAR’s The Kitchen brand, four hearty 400g soups have been developed, ideal for a quick lunch or easy dinner.

In collaboration with Crust & Crumb in Co. Fermanagh, three limited-edition tear and share Christmas-themed breads – cinnamon butter brioche doughballs, garlic and rosemary bread wreath, and a doughball Christmas tree – will launch alongside three new SPAR-branded stone-baked pizzas.

From Cloughbane Farm Foods in Dungannon, The Kitchen range has been extended to include three family-sized, straight-to-oven meals lasagne, cottage pie, and chicken and broccoli bake, classic comfort dishes that have proven to be top sellers for easy family dinners.

In addition, SPAR NI’s development chef, Carl Johannesson has produced five new crispy chicken products to add to The Kitchen range. The lines, which include Southern fried mini chicken fillets, hot & spicy chicken tenders and crispy shredded chicken, can all be quickly cooked in the air fryer and tap into the growing ‘fakeaway’ trend offering convenient, crowd-pleasing options for students and busy households alike.

Steven Kennedy, Trading Manager at Henderson Wholesale commented; “Our new products showcase the best of Northern Ireland’s producers working hand in hand with our local trading team to provide outstanding meal solutions for our retailers and shoppers.

“Each product has been designed to offer quick, quality meal solutions, helping shoppers get everything they need for tonight’s tea at great value prices.”

Ashley Hillary, NPD Manager at Henderson Wholesale, added; “These products have been developed to meet shopper demand in line with significant growth across key categories.

“Recent analysis from Worldpanel by Numerator estimated consumers in Northern Ireland contributed £4.4 billion to the grocery sector in the year to August 2025, with £2.5m more spent on chilled ready meals and antipasti, reflecting consumer demand for quick, comforting, and quality meals at home.

“With these new additions, we are actively growing our food for later category while strengthening our consumer-facing Tonight’s Tea offering, to deliver an easily accessible, value-driven meal solution for every occasion, all while supporting our local food producers.”

Over 270 SPAR, EUROSPAR, ViVO and ViVOXTRA independent retailers were some of the first to experience the new products at the Wholesaler’s Christmas Show, held at the Tullyglass Hotel recently.

The event showcased a wide range of products and services from across Henderson Group, all designed to help drive sales, increase profit, and reduce costs in the busy festive season ahead, with business sessions from key Henderson Group representatives delivering valuable insights for business improvements.

The new products will be available in many SPAR, EUROSPAR, VIVO and VIVOXTRA stores from November. Retailers will also benefit from an integrated marketing campaign to support the wider consumer-focused launch of the new products, including point-of-sale materials, digital activity, outdoor and radio advertising to drive awareness and sales.

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