Irish food companies secure Center Parcs contracts worth €5.2 million
Four of Ireland's top food companies have secured lucrative contracts to supply the Center Parcs holiday resort in Ballymahon.
The supplier contracts, worth a combined total of €5.2 million, have been awarded to Galway-based meat producer Heaney Meats; Dublin based Keelings, which will supply fresh produce and dairy; Coleraine-based Lynas Foodservice, and Antrim-based Henderson Foodservice which will be premium foodservice partners.
Due to open next summer, 'Center Parcs Longford Forest' will offer premium family short breaks in a tranquil forest setting.
Accommodation includes a fully-equipped kitchen, however guests will have a number of dining options which range from cafes and restaurants throughout the resort, to take-away dining or self-catering in their own lodges.
Commenting on the awarding of the food supplier contracts, Center Parcs CEO Martin Dalby said: "We are delighted to work with these companies to ensure the food and beverage offering at our forest resort in Ireland is a very high standard.
"We selected these companies as they share a similar ethos to Center Parcs – they value customer service and quality.
"Our chosen suppliers carry the Board Bia Origin Green accreditation and this was a real re-assurance to us that we can deliver on the provenance and high quality that Irish families naturally expect of their food and dining experiences.”
The managing director of Keelings Select, Colm Bury, said the company was delighted to have been awarded the contract as Center Parcs' fresh produce and dairy supplier.
"It is wonderful to see Center Parcs awarding contracts to local Irish businesses. With their focus on family time together, and our business being an Irish family business with strong heritage and experience, we believe this is a perfect partnership. We are really excited and looking forward to working closely together in 2019,” he said.
The €233m Center Parcs Longford Forest resort will contain 466 lodges and 30 apartments to accommodate up to 2,500 guests. Up to 1,000 people are expected to be employed there when it is fully operational.