Ballymoney jobs boost

The Good Food & Wine Company, a Ballymoney-based food development business, is investing over £200,000 in jobs and innovation with support from Invest Northern Ireland.
Pictured (centre) is Des Gartland, Invest NI, with Nicholas & Michelle Lestas, co-founders of The Good Food & Wine Company. inbm50-15Pictured (centre) is Des Gartland, Invest NI, with Nicholas & Michelle Lestas, co-founders of The Good Food & Wine Company. inbm50-15
Pictured (centre) is Des Gartland, Invest NI, with Nicholas & Michelle Lestas, co-founders of The Good Food & Wine Company. inbm50-15

As part of its growth and development, the award winning artisan food producer has recruited six additional sales and production staff and plans to double its current product portfolio to meet the current and future demand from its customers.

Commenting on its investment, co-founders Nicholas & Michelle Lestas said: “This investment forms part of our long term growth strategy, which involves bringing new product development in-house and further expanding our products line, to build on success to date. Encouragingly, we secured a £20,000 order for our hampers in the Republic of Ireland recently and are positioned to meet this increase in sales with our six new sales and production staff.”

The Good Food & Wine Company is benefiting from an employment grant of £18,000 from Invest NI, as well as over £44,000 of assistance, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund, towards its R&D activities.

“Invest NI has supported us since the very beginning and our product development and recruitment activities planned over the coming months will help us to differentiate ourselves in an increasingly competitive market,” adds Michelle.

The Good Food & Wine Company targets the gourmet food market, with an emphasis on value for money.

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