Belfast hospitality firm's new food range to hit the shelves of 400 stores throughout Northern Ireland

Slim's Healthy Kitchen has signed the deal with the Henderson Group, bringing their meals to the shelves of over 400 stores throughout Northern Ireland.

The Belfast-based hospitality company, which operates three restaurants and a range of prepared meals, will now be stocked across Henderson's vast retail network, spanning Spar, Eurospar , Vivo and Vivoxtra.

Gary McIldowney, owner of Slim's Healthy Kitchen, said: "I am delighted the Henderson Group have selected Slim’s retail meals cooked from scratch, packed with fresh produce and are made locally.

“As a result, we're expanding our dedicated team at our central kitchen located in Belfast from 26 to 40, including the addition of two delivery vehicles to our existing fleet of three.”

Initially, a selection of seven out of Slim's Healthy Kitchen's 13 meal options will be on offer for consumers seeking hassle-free dining. The range of meals available through Henderson's stores includes an array of options, such as soy and ginger chicken noodles, jerk chicken with rice, Korean-style chicken with jasmine rice, fajita chicken burrito bowls, chili chicken penne, Chinese-style chicken curry, and chili beef wedges.

“Our retail meals are created for busy individuals, gym goers, calorie counters or those who crave wholesome, nutritious meals without the time-consuming kitchen effort. The meals are ready in minutes and delivers on our purpose of making healthy eating accessible to even more people across Northern Ireland,” added Gary.

Steven Kennedy, trading manager at Henderson Group, continued: “We are delighted to welcome Slim's Healthy Kitchen meals to over 400 of our stores across the country, bringing even more choice and convenience to our shoppers. It’s at the heart of our brand at Henderson Group to support local and we’re thrilled this partnership has resulted in an expansion of the Belfast-based company, with the introduction of 14 new jobs. Slim’s Healthy Kitchen has had a very successful 10 years, and we look forward to many more working alongside them.”

Slim's Healthy Kitchen, established in June 2013, set out to change public eating habits by providing a healthier alternative to fast food. The company recently marked their 10th anniversary in the hospitality industry, and now operate successful restaurants in Belfast's Lisburn Road and Belmont Road and also a franchised location in Magherafelt, in addition to their convenience meals.

Gary concluded: "We have recently attained STS accreditation approval, enabling us to cater to the UK's public sector with ambition of securing a public tender contract in the near future."