Henderson Group MD to address Northern Ireland food industry

Held in partnership with HSBC UK, the event will be held on Thursday 20 October in the Hilton Hotel, Belfast.

With over 250 people expected to attend the event, the NIFDA annual dinner is recognised as an opportunity for food and drink leaders to come together to discuss how the industry and its customers can address present challenges and how to grow even further.

Speaking ahead of the dinner, NIFDA Executive Director Michael Bell said: “These are challenging times for the food and drink industry and the wider ‘eating ecosystem’ of sectors we operate within. The war in Ukraine has had a ripple effect on the food and drink supply chain globally, with producers, processors and retailers all grappling with high inflation, and NIFDA has called on the government to support the industry as energy costs continue to rise.

“While we cannot ignore the challenges the industry is facing, the focus of our members remains on producing high quality, sustainable food and drink for our customers. Food and drink is the largest manufacturing sector in Northern Ireland, generating billions in value added to the local economy. Supporting some 113,000 jobs, our industry is embedded in local communities across Northern Ireland, and it is fitting that this year’s NIFDA annual dinner will be addressed by Martin Agnew, Joint MD at Henderson Group. Henderson Group has a strong reputation as a leader in the convenience retail sector here, supplying over 500 stores across Northern Ireland with fresh, locally sourced products daily. We are delighted to have Martin with us as keynote speaker.”

Scott Wilson, Head of Corporate Banking NI, HSBC UK said: “We are delighted to support the NIFDA annual dinner as headline sponsor for the third consecutive year. Food and drink remains a key sector for the local economy, supporting jobs in every corner of Northern Ireland.

“At HSBC UK we are committed to supporting firms across the agri-food sector from farm to fork, and we have a long history of supporting new and established food and drink brands, helping businesses adapt to changing consumer habits and customer requirements.”

Martin Agnew, Joint Managing Director, Henderson Group said: “We have a thriving, innovative and dynamic food and drink sector here in Northern Ireland, and we need to continue to advocate for our local producers, farmers and growers to keep it that way.

“I’m honoured to be speaking at the annual NIFDA Dinner and look forward to being in the room with like minded individuals and organisations who care about the safeguarding of our local food industry. As one of the biggest grocers in Northern Ireland, we continue to make local sourcing our top priority, working with suppliers big and small, to put their food products on the shelves of our locally run stores. Local is in our DNA and I look forward to sharing more about our practices on the night.”