Member Article

Mash Direct maximises market success

Mash Direct, the award winning household name in vegetable accompaniments sector, is announcing an ambitious plan to increase turnover by £2m in the next six months. As part of a comprehensive growth strategy that saw the company secure a £3m annual contract with Asda, Mash Direct aims to strengthen its position as the market leader in quality, convenient vegetable accompaniments across the UK and Ireland.

With year-on-year sales growth of £2m since 2013, the company is aiming to achieve the same growth in half the timeframe. Founder and Managing Director Martin Hamilton, who was recently shortlisted for the 2015 Farmers Weekly ‘Diversification Farmer of the Year’ award, is confident that continued investment in product innovation and retail partnerships will keep the business on this upward trajectory. “Building a loyal customer base has helped us take some major strides in the UK and Irish vegetable sectors and really make the Mash Direct name stand out. Having achieved a record turnover of £14m in April this year, we thrive on setting ourselves high targets in order to continue making an impact on the market.”

Mash Direct was founded on humble beginnings, with six generations of farming knowledge and expertise informing the way its vegetables are grown and produced. Following 30 years of supplying produce to his local market on the outskirts of Comber, County Down, Northern Ireland, Martin recognised the need to diversify in order to maintain profits. Spotting a gap in the food manufacturing market for vegetable accompaniments which are convenient yet full of flavour, Martin began to source and grow older heritage varieties of vegetables to achieve ‘that homemade taste,’ drawing up plans for a bespoke steam cooker to create Mash Direct’s first line of products in 2003.

Now selling 40 different products across the UK and Ireland as well as exporting to customers overseas in the UAE and Bahrain, Martin has achieved his aspiration to create a quality brand that is free from artificial colourings, preservatives, and flavourings. Exports currently account for 16% of total sales, as international appetite for authentic British Isles’ produce continues to grow.

Over 400 Asda stores across the UK are now stocking three of Mash Direct’s bestselling product lines, providing the company with an additional, important foothold in a market that is worth almost £1m in Ireland alone.[1] “Our sales projection for 2015 represents a 60% increase on our average year-on-year turnover growth, so we’ve built a new factory and taken on additional members of staff to cope with demand,” said Martin. This proactive approach will see Mash Direct continue to pursue growth in new markets, targeting the US and Singapore, whilst continuing to strengthen its focus on domestic operations.

[1] Bord Bia, August 2014

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mash Direct .