Pasta King expand to the public during Covid-19

Pasta King, which has been delivering meals to schools in the UK for more than 25 years, has expanded its customer base to include the public during the coronavirus crisis.

The firm, which is based in Devon, but was acquired by Northern Ireland businessmen Paul Allen and Michael Blaney in 2019, is now offering a range of pasta and curry dishes in large formats to homes across the UK, including Northern Ireland, as many of its usual recipients, including primary and secondary schools, shut down to limit the spread of the virus.

It will see the company deliver a variety of dishes to homes and care facilities who are struggling to access other online food delivery services.

Among the dishes on offer include Bolognese and Barbecue Chicken sauces with pasta as well as vegetarian and meat-based curries that can provide up to 28 separate portions.

The meals are available to order on Pasta King’s new public online shop www.pkdirect.co.uk.

Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free products are also available to ensure all dietary requirements in individual households are accommodated.

Each pasta and curry package will be delivered to front doors in an insulated box which will include one 3kg bag of dried pasta or Basmati rice as well as two bags of chilled pasta or curry sauce, each weighing 1.75kg. Additional pasta and rice packages are also available. *

Easy to heat, or decanted into smaller portions and frozen thanks to a three-month home freezing option, the sauces count as one of your five a day and boast a nutritionally sound recipe and robust makeup to ensure texture and quality is maintained within a catering environment, making it a recipe that has been favoured by schools throughout the UK.

Last year Pasta King was recognised as LACA’s (The School Food People) Outstanding Supplier of the Year within the education sector further reinforcing the quality of its meals which will now be available to the public within two days of ordering.

Paul Allen, CEO, Pasta King (UK) Ltd, said: “Pasta King is best known for producing high-quality, nutritional meals for schools but COVID-19 has meant our core market has a reduced demand so we are adapting our offering to service new markets. We have capacity and are in a position to provide solutions to others who may be experiencing increased demand or supply disruption in these unprecedented times.

“We are proud to be able to contribute our balanced meals to the food chain and hope that we can alleviate the pressure on many homes and domicile facilities that may be struggling at this time.”

Pasta King’s bulk format pasta and curry meals retail at £50. For information or to order visit: https://pkdirect.co.uk/

* Established in 1994, Pasta King employs 55 staff at its headquarters in Newton Abbot, Devon, including a country wide network of field sales managers. It supplies over 13 million nutritious ‘grab and go’ meals into the primary and secondary education sector in the UK, with a growing presence in the health, leisure and care sector.

The company has sales turnover of around £8million and operates through a network of 19 regional distribution centres to deliver chilled sauces on a daily basis.

Mr Allen, who also acquired Genesis Bakery in Magherafelt last year, and who was previously CEO of Tayto Group, described Pasta King as “a healthy and tasty food offering” that satisfies government standards on salt, saturated fat and vegetable content.

Mr Blaney was owner and Group Chief Executive of Autoline Insurance Group, which was headquartered in Newry, Northern Ireland.

Michael acquired the business in 1998 and through a combination of a cohesive people strategy and entrepreneurial leadership grew the business from £2.8m and 17 employees to £55m and 200 employees.

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