'From 30 to 300 sandwiches in our first week — that’s when I knew it was real': Deli Lites co-founder reflects on transforming a late-night sandwich idea in Newry into a £37.7 million global food-to-go empire, and why this is only just the beginning

If someone had told me almost 30 years ago that a tiny kitchen, a handful of sandwiches, and a dream shared between two food lovers would grow into one of Northern Ireland’s largest and most successful food-to-go businesses, I’m not sure I would have believed them.

Yet today, Deli Lites in Warrenpoint proudly supplies award-winning products across Northern Ireland, England and Europe.

And it all began on Monaghan Street in Newry.

Back then, I was working in my sister’s café — it wasn’t just any café, it was the place to be. Behind that counter, I met Brian, who would become my husband and business partner. It quickly became clear that we shared the same passion for great food, made with care and packed with flavour. As natural foodies, we spent hours talking about what people were eating on the go and realised there was a real gap in the market. Unless you could get to a deli during opening hours, options were limited and often lacked the quality and freshness people deserved. We believed we could change that – by bringing deli-quality food to people anytime, anywhere.

It was a case of ‘If you can’t find the food you want, make it yourself — and that’s how Deli Lites began!’

The early days were a whirlwind of hard work, excitement, and a lot of late nights. It was just the two of us, working in a tiny kitchen, hand-making sandwiches and delivering them ourselves. I’ll never forget those first few orders – 30 sandwiches one night, then 300 by the end of that very first week – that’s when I knew Deli Lites was real. It was proof that the appetite was there. Slowly our team grew, our production space expanded, and our ambition deepened.

What started as fresh sandwiches soon evolved into something much bigger. Today, our range spans everything from hot eats and artisanal bakery items to global-inspired wraps, salads and award-winning food-to-go solutions – we currently produce around 84,000 sandwiches a day and we hope to expand this substantially thanks to a £19million investment in jobs and automation.

As well as a number of high street cafes, we have a large manufacturing base at the Milltown Industrial Estate in the County Down town and currently employ more than 300 people.

However despite our growth, we’ve never compromised on what matters most to us: quality ingredients, outstanding flavour, and genuine care. Every product remains rooted in chef-led innovation, guided by our incredible NPD team who explore trends from around the world and reinterpret them in a way that excites customers both locally and internationally. That commitment to creativity and craft is what continues to set Deli Lites apart.

Supporting local has always been at the heart of our purpose. Our mission is to sustain people and planet, and partnering with local suppliers is one of the most meaningful ways we bring that mission to life every day. We’re incredibly proud of our long-standing relationship with Musgrave Northern Ireland and its leading convenience brands — SuperValu, Centra and Mace — and, more recently, of our expansion into the wider Musgrave Group in the Republic of Ireland.

Earlier this year, Musgrave launched its Love Local? So Do We campaign, celebrating the amazing products created by local suppliers – including us. For a business like ours, supporting local means more than sourcing ingredients. It sustains jobs, nurtures skills, strengthens communities, and keeps opportunities right here in Northern Ireland.

Because we live and work in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, we feel a deep responsibility to protect it. Supporting local helps us reduce food miles, make more sustainable sourcing choices, and care for the environment that inspires us. Sustainability isn’t a trend for us – it’s a non-negotiable part of how we operate.

One of our proudest milestones has been becoming the world’s first B Corp certified sandwich producer. For us, being a B Corp isn’t just a label – it’s a commitment to using business as a force for good and upholding the highest standards of social and environmental performance. Supporting local is one of the many ways we ensure that our growth has purpose behind it and that we leave a positive impact on the people and places around us.

Looking ahead, the future of Deli Lites is incredibly exciting. Our turnover was £37.7 million for the year ending March 30, 2024, a significant increase from £29.2 million in the previous year. The company is currently investing £19 million to expand capacity, with a strategic plan to double this turnover.

With support from Invest NI’s Agri-Food Investment Initiative, we’ve also committed £12.8 million to automate elements of our production process and expand our product range. Alongside this, a further £6 million investment will help us upskill our existing workforce and create 130 new jobs locally.

For us, sustaining people means investing in our team, our community, and the opportunities that will shape the next generation. Sustaining the planet means making better, more responsible choices every day.

Supporting local isn’t just what we do – it’s who we are, and who we always will be.