Wilson's new Â£250k deal

Emma Davison and her children Jennifer (3) and Christopher (5) from Scarva, with Siobhan McKay, Store Manager of Tesco NI Metro, Banbridge and Joanne Weir, Sales and Marketing Manager for Wilsons Country.

In this latest deal the potato producer is to supply Tesco with its new line of convenient, pre-cooked, dressed potato packs – available just in time for the May bank holiday.

The handcrafted range has been created in response to consumer demand for convenient and healthy meal solutions and complements Wilson’s Local Favourites varieties as well as its full suite of baking, mashed, whites and peeled potatoes.

In a first for the category, the four-strong range of flavoured potatoes are all pre-cooked. Garlic & Herb and Tomato & Basil pouches for microwave and Spicy Wedges and Garlic & Herb Diced potatoes for the oven, this dramatically reduces cooking time to just 3 ½ minutes in the microwave and from 40+ minutes to just 15 in the oven.

Wilson’s, which employs 70 people, delivers around 20,000 tonnes to the local retailer every year and as a result of this new range, has invested more than £200k back into its business and staff.

Sean Largey, commercial manager at Tesco NI, said: “We’ve enjoyed a 20-year relationship with Wilson’s so we’re naturally delighted to be the first retailer to house the ‘You Say’ convenience range on our shelves.

Angus Wilson, CEO of Wilson’s Country Ltd, said: “We started off, like many, from the family farm, producing just a few lines to serve a rural community but over 30 years have grown the business beyond all expectations.”