2 min read - 29 Jul, 2025
Food-to-go manufacturer creates 130 jobs in £19m expansion
Food-to-go manufacturer Deli Lites is making a significant £19m investment in sandwich production and job creation at its Warrenpoint-based facility. A planned £12.8m investment will increase automation of the company’s production, broaden its product range, expand on-site capacity and reduce food waste by up to 50%. The expansion is being supported by Invest NI’s Agri-Food Investment Initiative.
A further £6m investment by the company will help upskill its existing workforce and create 130 new jobs. The new jobs include a range of skilled positions, 10 of which are management posts, including a new chief commercial officer.
Established in 1998 by husband-and-wife Brian and Jackie Reid, Deli Lites supplies fresh gourmet sandwiches and food-to-go products to convenience stores, supermarkets, major coffee chains and international airlines. Customers include Applegreen, Costa Coffee, Aer Lingus and American Airlines.
In addition to expanding its storage and production processes, Deli Lites will continue to invest in R&D to enhance its product range for international markets.
Deli Lites is investing £19m in sandwich production, range expansion and job creation / Picture: Deli Lites
Brian Reid, CEO at Deli Lites, said: “Since our beginnings over 30 years ago, we are now an all-Ireland business with export sales growing in international markets. We’ve always been a trailblazer in our sector, shown when we became the first sandwich maker in the UK and Ireland to achieve B Corp certification.”
Jackie Reid, co-founder and CSO at Deli Lites, added: “Bringing even more products to our snacking and convenience range and investing in production and automation will significantly increase our capacity and customer reach. We’re delighted to be growing our team in Warrenpoint to bring further expertise into the business and help us achieve our vision, to transform how the world experiences food on the move.”
Speaking from the Deli Lites Warrenpoint facility, Dr Caoimhe Archibald, economy minister, said: “The north’s food and drink processing sector is a true local success story, with latest statistics showing that it generates £6.5 billion in sales and supports over 25,500 jobs across our towns and countryside.
“With 78% of our food and drink sold outside the north, this industry showcases the quality, innovation, and global appeal of what we produce right here at home. The creation of 130 new jobs in Warrenpoint, which will help leverage almost £10m in wages and salaries across the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area by 2027, is also good news as we work to deliver a more regionally balanced economy.”
Invest NI’s Agri-Food Investment Initiative is a £46m scheme to support local agri-food and drink processors to improve competitiveness and productivity.
The initiative is open to applications from all eligible agri-food and drink processors in Northern Ireland, offering support towards productivity improvements.
