Irwin's Bakery '˜toasts' national awards success

Lisburn-based Howell House, the cakes and biscuits division of Irwin's Bakery, has a reason to celebrate, following wins at two national industry awards for product quality and customer service delivery.
Image 1 - Howell House staff are pictured with the AF Blakemore Award for 'Ambient Supplier of the Year'.Image 1 - Howell House staff are pictured with the AF Blakemore Award for 'Ambient Supplier of the Year'.
Image 1 - Howell House staff are pictured with the AF Blakemore Award for 'Ambient Supplier of the Year'.

The first, ‘Ambient Supplier of the Year’ from AF Blakemore, the UK’s largest Spar wholesaler, and the second, a ‘Local Shop Quality Food Award’ for Spar own label Luxury Lemon Drizzle Cake.

Ross Irwin, production manager at Howell’s, explained: “We worked closed with the team at AF Blakemore to develop our range of SPAR own label cakes, and in February 2018 secured a deal to supply a Lemon Drizzle, Belgian Chocolate and Victoria Sponge to over 900 stores nationally.

“We are extremely proud of the working relationship we have cultivated with AF Blakemore – supplying quality produce and maintaining a high level of service delivery and support throughout the successful estate wide launch of the new cake products. The Ambient Supplier of the Year and Local Shop Quality Food awards really are testament of this.

Image 3 - Lydia Alexander, Councillor Alderman William Leathem from Lisburn & Castlereagh Council, Brian Irwin - Chairman of Irwin's Bakery- and Margaret Graham.Image 3 - Lydia Alexander, Councillor Alderman William Leathem from Lisburn & Castlereagh Council, Brian Irwin - Chairman of Irwin's Bakery- and Margaret Graham.
Image 3 - Lydia Alexander, Councillor Alderman William Leathem from Lisburn & Castlereagh Council, Brian Irwin - Chairman of Irwin's Bakery- and Margaret Graham.

“We want to recognise our staff in Howell House and say a big thank you for all of their hard work and dedication in delivering such a high-quality product in large volumes to Spar. The Local Shop Quality Food awards are renowned for recognising excellence in new product development – the whole team should be very proud of their achievements.”

Howell House was acquired by Irwin’s Bakery in 2006 in order to introduce a specialist hand-made cakes and biscuits manufacturing division to the overall Irwin’s business.