Investment leads to growth for Davison Canners

Armagh-based Davison Canners is launching its own brand of hot-eat desserts and puddings – Simply Puddings – as it continues to grow its business.

The company is reaping the benefits of a £1.4m capital investment which included a new bespoke manufacturing facility. The facility, built in 2018, has allowed the company to develop and produce a new range of hot eat desserts and puddings.

Following a £1.4m investment, Davison Canners has increased staff numbers and launched new products / Picture: Invest NI

John Hood, Invest NI Director of Food & Drink, said: “Davison Canners has traditionally been an apple growing and processing business, but as a result of this investment has now diversified into hot-eat desserts.

“The company initially used our popular Innovation Vouchers to retain specialist expertise from Loughry College’s Food Innovation Centre to develop the new dessert range.

“This then led to the investment in the new facility and to exploring new export markets, such as participating at Gulfood last year where we helped introduce them to potential customers. As a result, the company has secured new orders with a major food retailer in Dubai, and is also now selling its new dessert range to leading retailers in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.”

Invest NI has offered Davison’s almost £150,000 of support towards the capital investment and development of the new product range.

Alan Davison, Managing Director of Davison’s, added: “We are continually reviewing our business model and looking for ways to expand into new areas.

“With Invest NI’s support, we have diversified our business with a new product range, secured new orders in GB and Dubai and are now launching our own branded range of desserts – Simply Puddings.

“As a result of these investments in the business we have increased the number of employees from 14 to 90 in just two years, and we hope to grow this further in the coming year.

“As a family business we are passionate about what we do, and we are excited about this next stage of our business growth.”