Tyrone retailers showcase benefits of locally sourced produce to nearby schools

Team members from SPAR Fivemiletown in County Tyrone, recently visited two local schools to exhibit the best of Northern Ireland’s local food producers.

Dorothy Burrows, store manager of SPAR Fivemiletown and Lynsey Evans, Commercial Manager of Produce & Horticulture at Henderson Group paid a visit to Fivemiletown Primary School and St Mary’s Primary Fivemiletown to give a presentation on the “field to fork” principle, health benefits of fruit and vegetables, how food is produced and harvested and information on local produce suppliers across Northern Ireland. Each pupil also received a supply of local produce to take home and extend the healthy eating message from the classroom to home.

SPAR Fivemiletown 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. The showcase not only highlighted the offering available to shoppers in store, but also the range of local suppliers and quality produce available across the island of Ireland.

Beattys SPAR started trading in Fivemiletown in 2006 and employs 35 people from the local community.

Lexie Beatty, store owner of SPAR Fivemiletown commented, “We have amazing suppliers in Northern Ireland, and it’s always been important to us to support local. Being part of the community, it’s 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.”